Awesome post!! you have a lot of info there and some very good links.
Get a three or five gallon bucket with a Gamma lid. Leave the CH in the bags it came in until you are ready to use it. The buckets with a Gamma lid will keep it dry, contained and air tight. If you do need to break in to it only use as much as you need and seal it back up.
I would also recommend a pool free chlorine test kit, the kind with the dip strips that you match to the side of the bottle. They are cheap, last quite a while and are easy to use. They should help you get you concentration in the target zone you want. Much safer then a "smell test". I tried the kits with the drops, IMHO they were more of a PITA then they were worth.
A word of caution to anyone that is even thinking of storing LARGE amounts of Calcium Hypochlorite.DO NOT STORE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE: 52 Deg.C (125 Deg.F)
Storage above this temperature may result in rapid decomposition,
evolution of chlorine gas and heat sufficient to ignite combustible
products.Below is an MSDS for Calcium Hypochlorite: (note this MSDS is based on 100%)
Material safety data sheet
Calcium Hypochlorite
1.Product IdentificationSynonyms: Hypochlorous Acid, Calcium Salt; Losantin; Calcium Hypochloride;
Chlorinated lime
CAS No.:7778-54-3 Molecular weight: 142.98 Chemical Formula: CaCl2O2
Manufacturer: UNITCHEM CO,LTD
2-504,Guoxin Bldg A, The 2ND Street.TEDA,Tianjin,China
Tel: 86 22 66218316 Fax: 86 66218322
E-Mail:
leo@unitewater.comWeb:
http://www.unitewater.com2.Composition/Information on IngredientsIngredient CAS NO 2nd grade· Hazardous
Calcium Hypochlorite 7778-54-3 100% Yes
3. Hazards IdentificationEmergency Overview:
DANGER! STRONG OXIDIZER. CONTACT WITH OTHER MATERIAL MAY
CAUSE FIRE. CORROSIVE. CAUSES BURNS TO ANY AREA OF CONTACT.
HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. WATER REACTIVE.Potential Health Effects:
Inhalation:
Corrosive, Extremely destructive to tissues of the mucous membranes and upper
respiratory tract. Symptoms may include burning sensation, coughing, wheezing,
laryngitis, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting. Inhalation may be
fatal as a result of spasm inflammation and edema of the larynx and bronchi,
chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema.
Ingestion:
Corrosive, Swallowing can cause severe burns of the mouth, throat, and stomach.
Can cause sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea.
Skin Contact:
Corrosive. Symptoms of redness, pain, and severe burn can occur.
Eye Contact:
Corrosive. Contact can cause blurred vision, redness, pain and severe tissue burns.
Chronic Exposure:
Repeated exposures to calcium hypochlorite may cause bronchitis to develop with
cough and/or shortness of breath.
4. First aid MeasuresInhalation:
Remove to fresh air. If hot breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult,
give oxygen. Get medical attention immediately.
Ingestion:
If swallowed, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Give large quantities of water. Never
give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get medical attention
immediately.
Skin Contact:
Immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes while removing
contaminated clothing and shoes. Get medical attention immediately. Wash clothing
before reuse. Thoroughly clean shoes before reuse.
Eye Contact:
Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting lower and
upper eyelids occasionally. Get medical attention immediately.
5. Fire Fighting MeasuresFire:
Not combustible, but substance is a strong oxidizer and its heat of reaction with
reducing agents or combustibles may cause ignition. Thermally unstable; at higher
temperatures, may undergo accelerated decomposition with release of heat and
oxygen.
Explosion:
Sealed containers may rupture when heated. An explosion can occur if either a
carbon tetrachloride or a dry ammonium compound fire extinguisher is used to
extinguish a fire involving calcium hypochlorite. Sensitive to mechanical impact.
Fire Extinguishing Media:
Use flooding quantities of water as fog or spray. Use water spray to keep
fire-exposed containers cool. Avoid direct contact with water; reacts with water
releasing chlorine gas. Fight fire from protected location or maximum possible
distance. Do not use dry chemical fire extinguishers containing ammonium
compounds. Do not use carbon tetrachloride fire extinguishers. Do not allow water
run off to enter sewers or waterways.
Special Information:
In the event of a fire, wear full protective clothing and NIOSH-approved
self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece operated in the pressure
demand or other positive pressure mode.
6. Accidental Release MeasuresRemove all sources of ignition. Keep water away from spilled material. Ventilate
area of leak or spill. Wear appropriate personal protective equipments as specified
in Section 8. Spills: Clean up spills in a manner that does not disperse dust into the
air. Use non-sparking tools and equipments. Pick up spill for recovery or disposal
and place in a closed container. Do not seal tightly.
7. Handling and StorageKeep in a tightly closed container, stored in a cool, dry, ventilated area. Protect
against physical damage and moisture. Isolate from any source of heat or ignition.
Avoid storage on wood floors. Separate from incompatibles, combustibles, organic
or other readily oxidizable materials. Containers of this material may be hazardous
when empty since they retain product residues(dust, solids); observe all warnings
and precautions listed for the products.
8. Personal ProtectionPersonal Respirators:
For conditions of use where exposure to the dust or mist is apparent, a half-face
dust/mist respirator may be worm. For emergencies or instances where the
exposure levels are not known, use a full-face positive-pressure, air-supplied
respirator. WARNING: Air-purifying respirators do not protect workers in
oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
Skin Protection:
Wear impervious protective clothing, including boots, gloves, lab coat, apron or
coveralls, as appropriate, to prevent skin contact.
Eye Protection:
Use chemical safety goggles and/or a full face shield where splashing is possible.
Maintain eye wash fountain and quick-drench facilities in work area.
9. Physical and Chemical PropertiesAppearance: White or grayish-white powder.
Odor: Chlorine-like odor.
Solubility: Soluble in water; reacts, releasing chlorine gas.
10. Stability and ReactivityStability
Rapidly decomposes on expsure to air. May decompose violently if exposed to heat
or direct sunlight. Thermally unstable; decomposes at 177C(350F).
Hazardous Decomposition Products:
Calcium Hypochlorite gives off oxygen, chlorine and chlorine monoxide.
Incompatibilities:
Calcium hypochlorite is a strong oxidizer. Reacts with water and acids giving off
chlorine gas. Forms explosive compounds with ammonia and amines. Incompatable
with organic materials, nitrogen compounds and combustible materials.
Conditions to Avoid:
Heat, flame, moisture, dusting, sources of ignition and shock, and incompatibles.
11. Disposal ConsiderationsWhat ever can not be saved for recovery or recycling should be handled as
hazardous waste. Processing, use or contamination of this product may change the
waste management options.
12. Transport InformationProper Shipping Name: Calcium hypochlorite
Hazard Class: 5.1 UN/NA: UN1748 IMDG:PAGE5137
IF STORED WRONG OR IF IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CHEMICALS OR HEAT IT CAN AND WILL KILL YOU AND ANYONE AROUND YOU.
Also if you do not use the proper personal protection equipment it can and will harm you.
If you are going to store a couple of pounds of the stuff, you should be ok with some common sense. But keep in mind that it can and is still very dangerous stuff.
1-pound bag of calcium hypochlorite can disinfect up to 10,000 gallons of drinking water. That’s around 5 gallons/day for one person for 5 1/2 years! (Now keeping in mind that the number in this will depend on the amount of or percentage of CH in the product you have.)
The reason I put up an MSDS that was for 100% HC is so you can see an MSDS that is not full of "fluff" and watered down safety concerns. 30-80% HC is just as dangerous as 100% HC.
In no way should anyone take this post as telling you to not use or store HC. I just want to drive the point home that this stuff needs to be taken very seriously.
I have two pounds of HC in a 3 gallon bucket with a Gamma seal lid on it. It is taken outside every month or two and checked for gas build up and dampness. I also have a digital thermometer sitting on the bucket that tells me the temperature now and it also has a high and low temp setting (has an alarm too for that). So that way I know exactly what the highest and lowest temperature the bucket was exposed to was. I have been using this system for almost ten years.