Tack Coat/Bond Coat Asphalt Treatments

Handling Asphalt Emulsions

• Obtain, read, and follow the emulsion supplier’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MS DS) or Safety Data sheet (SDS) recommendations.
• Provide adequate ventilation to avoid exposure to fumes, vapors, and mist.
• Agitate gently when heating emulsion to minimize skin formation in the tank.
• Do not let pumps, valves, and lines freeze in winter.
• Clean out lines and leave drain plugs open when not in service.
• Ensure that tanks and equipment contain accurate thermometers. Gradually warm up the pump to about 150°F to facilitate start up.
• Dilution of the asphalt emulsion should only occur at the emulsion manufacturing facility. Dilution should not be done by the contractor in the distributor tank.
• Avoid repeated pumping and recirculation of the emulsion to ensure storage stability.
• Ensure that inlet pipes and return lines are at the bottom of the tank to prevent foaming.
• Pump emulsion from the bottom of the tank to minimize contamination from skin formation on the surface.
• Haul emulsion in truck transports with baffle plates to prevent sloshing.
• Agitate emulsions slowly if they have been in prolonged storage.
• Consult with emulsion supplier before mixing different emulsions of the same grade to ensure compatibility.
• Do not mix different classes, types, and grades of emulsified asphalt in storage tanks, transports, and/or distributors.
• Do not load emulsion into any tank containing remains of incompatible materials. A “heel” of liquid asphalt, cutbacks or any petroleum solvent in the tank will not only damage the emulsion but can create significant safety problems.
• Do not apply severe heat to pumps or valves