Hazardous materials

Speaking of chemicals which are commonly found in conservation labs and
which are very dangerous, I hope that everyone has a healthy respect for
ammonium hydroxide (38-30% ammonia).  According to the Material Safety
Data Sheet which accompanied that which I ordered, exposure to 500 ppm
is immediately dangerous to life and health.  Exposure to 1500 ppm may
cause death within one minute.  Exposure to small amounts of the ammonia
vapors can cause other less severe temporary and permanent damage.
Direct contact with it can damage skin and eyes.  I urge conservators to
read their Material Safety Data Sheets and then to store only small
quantities.  I have seen gallon glass bottles in more than one
conservation lab and I hate to think what might happen if a gallon of
the stuff ended up on the floor, especially if the air ducts transfer
the vapors to other parts of the building.

Dan Clement
Ithaca

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:15
                 Distributed: Saturday, August 17, 1991
                        Message Id: cdl-5-15-003
                                  ***