Aluminium wire.‐ Aluminium alloys wire

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Aluminium and aluminium alloys in the delivered forms are not dangerous for human purposes or for the environment. However, they may produce some hazards during its usage: ‐ Handling of aluminium in its different delivery forms: Risk of injuries or cuts because of cutting or sharp edges. Risks produced by handling weights. Risk of skin irritation due to the contact with lubricant oil residues of the product. ‐ Liquid or hot metal: Risk of burning. ‐ Processes with liquid aluminium: Risk of projection, explosions and fire when the aluminium gets in contact with water or metal oxides. ‐ Generating processes of: Suspended Aluminium powder (milling, cutting, rectified...) Risk of explosion, fire and projection. Risk of injuries in the eyes. Risk of irritation in the eyes, skin and upper breathing system Risk of cancer in the upper breathing system. ‐ Powder and Aluminium shavings in humid atmosphere or in contact with metal oxides: Risk of explosion, fire and projections besides all the previous aspects. ‐ Electric processes Electric risk aluminium is a conductive metal of electricity ‐ Chemical and electrochemical processes that liberates Hydrogen: Risk of fire and explosion. ‐ Alumina generating processes: It shows a low risk for health due to inhalation and must be treated as common harmful powder. ‐ Ozone generating processes (welding, plasma arc cutting, metalizing with plasma arc, can produce ozone). ‐ It may produce irritation in the eyes, nose and upper breath system. ‐ Acute overexposures can produce lack of breath, tension in the chest, headache, caught, nauseas and narrowness of breathing tracks. The effects are reversible if the exposure stops. Acute overexposures (high concentrations) can cause breath troubles, diseases in the breath system, bleeding, lung fluids (lung oedema). The effects can appear after 1‐2 hours.

Additional information

Studies (inhalation) with laboratory animals have found genetic and reproductive diseases, harms in red globules of blood, lung diseases and death. ‐ Nitrogen oxides generating processes: cutting processes of the aluminium using plasma arc may produce nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2): ‐ This may cause irritation in the eyes, nose and breath system. ‐ Acute overexposures may reduce the capacity of blood for transporting the oxygen. It may cause caught, lack of breath, fluids in lungs (lung oedema) and death. The effects may appear after 2‐3 weeks. Chronic overexposures to NO2 may cause scarf in the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis). ‐ Vapour/fog of oil generating processes: It can produce irritation in the breath system. Acute overexposures may produce bronchitis, asthma, headache, effects in central nervous system and sleepiness. ‐ Fumes generating processes: (welding, plasma cutting, metallization, can cause fumes). May cause irritation of the respiratory tract. Acute overexposures can cause bronchitis, asthma, headache, central nervous system effects and drowsiness. - Generating processes of non‐ionizing radiation (welding, plasma cutting, metallization, can cause non‐ionizing radiation. May cause skin and eyes injuries, may cause skin and eyes chronic effects.