Chemical Plant Safety Resources

ear plugs

Hearing protection devices are used to control high level noise hazards, when engineering and administrative controls can not decrease the noise level. They may come in the form of ear plugs or ear muffs.

In order to know that you are exposed to high level noise hazards, then you should measure the noise level from the sources at your workplace. Each noise source has different nature. It could expose noise hazards in impulsive, intermittent or even continuous manner.

Besides ear plug and ear muffs, there is another hearing protection device available in the market, e.g. canal caps. (more…)

DuPont recently reported the causes of methyl chloride leak from the phosgene unit in last January at its West Virginia chemical plant, which caused one worker died. Phosgene is a hazardous chemical used for manufacturing of pesticide and plastic that can damage the respiratory system.

According to DuPont report that was published in businessweek.com, the causes of the gas leak were aging hoses, corrosion and pressure build up in the line. Combination of these factors had caused hoses failed to function properly. (more…)

Occupational noise hazard are frequently ignored by most workers as well as employers because it is invisible. They prioritize visible hazards such like fire, hazardous chemical, compressed gases, falls, slips and electric hazards. They think these hazards could be harmful to workers’ safety and health directly. However, most worker and employers do not realize that occupational noise will do the same. The differences are only on delay and indirect effect.

We understand that long-term exposure of high occupational noise will not hurt worker’s leg like fall accident. But they do not realize that the soft tissue inside the ears will be damaged and occupational noise hazard can cause permanent damaged to worker’s hearing ability.

Of course it takes time to see the effect of high noise level hazard to worker’s hearing ability, since it depends on noise level and exposure time. Each country in the world may have determined its own permissible noise exposure level (dB) and exposure time.

Hearing Loss Symptoms

 Hearing loss is the most severe effect of loud occupational noise, although it is not a painful effect. Generally, there are several symptoms that accompany hearing loss. It could be muted sounding voices, ringing felt inside the ears, which is evident in silent places, and feeling of strain inside the ears.

Inner ears damage may remain even though hearing loss symptoms are weaken. The condition will get worse if exposure to hazardous occupational noise level is continued.

Workers who have already suffered hearing loss will face big problem for their individual and family life. Workers’ life will be saddening, stressful and frustrating.

After knowing the occupational noise hazards, the next step that we should do is to identify dangerous noise level sources in the plant site and take necessary counter measures to control the hazards. Put safety signs that show noise level (dB) of these sources in order to remind the workers.

The Most Common Potential Hazards in Chemical Industries

By Lukman Nulhakiem

 If we talk about potential hazards in chemical industries, there will be long discussion about that matter. Although one chemical plant has similar nature with one another, but each plant comes with its unique hazards.

In this article, I will write about potential hazards in chemical industries in general which is in turn it can be used as inputs for preparing hazard identification work for your own plant site. This is very important mainly for companies which have not determined hazards list within their plant sites yet.

As a reminder, I recommend you to read my previous article about hazard identification study as well as hazard control methods if you have never experienced in making hazard list for your plant. (more…)

Chemical spill kits are a collection of tools and materials that are required for taking countermeasures on chemical spills. They should be readily available whenever chemical spills happen, in order to eliminate and or reduce hazards associated with the spills.

Selection of chemical spill kits should be made based on nature of spilled chemicals (hazardous level), spill volume and location of the spills. Nature of the chemicals should always be referred to their MSDS.

The spill kits must be compatible with the spilled chemicals. For example, absorbent material used for absorbing acid must not react with the acid. Use only acid spill kit, otherwise it could generate additional hazard that increases the danger level of the spills. (more…)

“What are the dangers of chemical spills?” You may ask that question whenever you are trying to identify hazards associated with hazardous chemical spills.

With many hazardous chemicals presence in plant site, chemical spill hazards are much more likely to happen. Spills of acids, bases, highly flammable liquids, toxic chemicals, reactive substances, oxidizing agents and other hazardous chemicals can present real hazards to workers and environment.

Chemical spills can occur at production site, from a storage tank, warehouse area where chemicals are stored, during transportation, at the laboratory or during transferring operation. It means that chemical spills hazards have to be identified at these workplaces and activities. (more…)

Sometimes, we forget to provide MSDS of antifreeze. It is mainly because we handle antifreeze infrequently. Taking antifreeze out of refrigerant machine and then feeding it into the machine after overhaul work finished.

In addition, most of us expect that the exposure level is too small and to have antifreeze MSDS is not necessary.

However, some of antifreeze chemicals are hazardous. For instance, methanol is very toxic chemical, which is commonly used as antifreeze agent for chilled cooling water. Another example is ethylene glycol.

Exposure level of the antifreeze shall be assessed properly in order to measure their risk to worker’s health and safety. (more…)