GE Mercury Vapor Lamps

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation The quartz arc tube, when operating, generates a considerable amount of ultraviolet radiation. The UV is filtered to acceptable levels by the glass outer envelope during normal use. However, if the outer envelope is broken, the UV filtering is lost. Lamps having ordering codes beginning with the letters “HR” or “HSB” have the following warning notice required under Federal Regulation 21 CFR 1040.30: “WARNING: This lamp can cause serious skin burn and eye inflammation from shortwave ultraviolet radiation if outer envelope of the lamp is broken or punctured, and the arc tube continues to operate. Do not use where people will remain for more 2017 Mercury Vapor Lamps-PSDS 1 USA than a few minutes unless adequate shielding or other safety precautions are used. General Electric Company has commercially available SAF-T-GARD Mercury and Multi- Vapor lamps that will automatically extinguish when the outer envelope is broken.” The self-extinguishing lamps referred to above have order codes beginning with the letters “HT” or “MVT”. If the outer glass envelope of a SAF-T-GARD lamp is broken, although the arc tube will have self-extinguished, its support structure will still be electrically connected and could present an electrical shock hazard. Therefore, regardless of the type, if the outer envelope of the lamp is broken, turn the power off before replacing the lamps. Section 3 – Lamp Composition and Detailed Ingredient Information Glass These lamps consist of an inner quartz arc tube enclosed in an outer envelope of heat- resistant glass. Depending on the lamp type, the envelope is either clear of coated with one of two different materials. Phosphor The phosphor used on the outer envelope of the “DX” type lamps consists of yttrium vanadate phosphate. The phosphor used on the outer envelope of the “WDX” lamps is the same as that in the “DX” lamps but with the addition of a small amount of magnesium germanate phosphor, a toxicologically relatively inert material. Arc Tube The quartz arc tube contains a small amount of mercury, ranging from 14 milligrams in a 50 watt up to 250 mg in a 1000-watt lamp. The arc tube contains a small amount of inert gas argon used as a fill gas. It also contains a small amount of other materials, used as an emission mix on the electrodes. The arc tube also contains small amounts of sodium and scandium iodide, and in some cases thorium iodide. None of these materials are expected to be a hazard in the small quantities present in the arc tube. The coating on the end(s) of the arc tube is aluminum oxide, a material generally considered to have a low order of toxicity. 2017 Mercury Vapor Lamps-PSDS 2 USA Metals Internally, the support wires used in the lamp construction are made from nickel-coated iron or stainless steel while the electrodes are tungsten. Many of the mercury lamp types will use a brass base and have lead-soldered connections to that base.