A corrosive material is is a material that has the ability to attack and potentially destroy exposed body tissue. They also have the ability to damage metals. Corrosive materials will cause damage upon skin contact, contact with the eyes, respiratory tract, and digestive tract. Generally, corrosives are either acids or bases. Best practice is to to treat unknown corrosives as hazardous until they are proven otherwise.
Corrosive materials include common acids as hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, nitric acid, chromic acid, acetic acid and hydrofluoric acid. Common base corrosives are ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide. Corrosive materials can be found in almost every workplace. Some corrosives are toxic and can cause serious or even lethal health effects.
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By: Daniel Clark | Safety and Quality Management System Specialist
