Handling dry ice

Adhere to the following safety instructions when handling dry ice.

1. Never handle dry ice without protective gloves. With a temperature of -79ºC, dry ice is much colder than water ice. Direct skin contact can cause severe frostbites. First aid: cover the frostbites with a clean, dry dressing and seek medical assistance.
   
2. Never put dry ice in your mouth. First aid: seek immediate medical assistance.
   
3. When transporting dry ice in a passenger car, keep the dry ice isolated from the driver and other passengers and keep up the ventilation.
   
4. Do not store or use dry ice in cellars or cramped non-ventilated spaces. The authorities have classified dry ice as a harmful substance, with a Known Harmful Concentration of 0.5% over 8 hours. Since carbon dioxide displaces oxygen, the excessive concentration of carbon dioxide in room air causes a risk of suffocation. First aid: the patient is transferred into fresh air and artificial respiration and oxygen is administered as necessary. After this the patient must be taken to a doctor.
   
5. Carbon dioxide gas is heavier than air; therefore the concentration of carbon dioxide is maximal at floor level.
   
6. The seams of boxes containing dry ice must not be closed tightly, for example using adhesive tape. Never store dry ice in a gas-tight container, excessive pressure will develop inside the container. A 10-kilogram package of dry ice generates about 5 cubic meters (5 m³) of gas.
   
7. Keep dry ice out of reach of children. Even a small piece of dry ice can cause an accident on skin contact or ingestion.