CHM 4201: ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Industrial safety

Safety is very important aspect for any industry as an accident free work environment boosts
the morale of the team members working in any hazardous situations. Recognising these facts,
industries involving various hazards and risks industries prepare their own safety
policy/manual and have a separate department for safety, so as to create proper awareness and
provide the knowledge about the safety. The term “Safety” refers to the precautions people
take to prevent accidents, harm, danger, damage, loss and pollution. Safety also deals with
improvement in working conditions for better health.

Industrial Safety is important as it safeguards human life, especially in high risk areas such as
nuclear, aircraft, chemical, oil and gases, and mining industries, where a fatal mistake can be
catastrophic. Industrial Safety reduces risks to people and processes. The importance of
Industrial Safety can be traced to the fact that every year millions industrial accidents occur
which results in loss of production time, equivalent to millions of man hours and machine
hours.
These sets of procedures are highly necessary especially considering the occurrence the
unfortunate incident where more than two thousand deaths from a methyl isocyanate chemical
leak in Bhopal, India, drew the world’s attention to the seriousness of hazards in the chemical
industry. Following that tragedy, the some bodies such as Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) developed guidelines to aid employers in reducing the number of
potential hazards in chemical industries.

Safety rules for the chemical workplace

A specific set of safety rules must be developed and communicated clearly to employees. Each
employee should attest by signature that he or she has read and understands the safety rules.
These rules must be rigidly and impartially enforced. Wilful noncompliance can result in
dismissal or suspension from the workplace. On the other hand, supervisors should encourage
and seriously consider suggestions from the employees for improvements in safety rules,
practices and equipment. Safety meetings should be part of the routines in the organisation and
be taken with utmost seriousness.

General Safety
 Know the job safety requirements.
 Know how to contact the Safety Director.
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  If you cannot correct unsafe problems or concerns, report them to your supervisor
immediately.
 Read thoroughly all safety material distributed to you.
 Be certain that all instructions are clearly understood before starting a task.
 Avoid horseplay, and avoid distracting others.
 Do not sacrifice safety for the sake of completing a task hurriedly.
 Always use handrails on stairs.
 Drive defensively, wear seat belts and obey speed limits.
 Report all injuries to your supervisor.
 Do not report to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Physical facilities
Many of the plant equipment could be considered secondary to the production processes.
However, these equipment are vital for the safety of the plant’s employees. Examples of the
equipment which need to be present, properly inspected and functional are:
1. Emergency eye wash or shower.
2. Fixed fire suppression equipment.
3. Portable firefighting equipment, if employees or a fire brigade are to use portable firefighting
equipment.
4. Functional and accessible emergency exit.

Equipment Safety
 Operate only equipment for which you are qualified and authorized.
 DO not wear jewellery or loose clothing around machinery or equipment.
 Do not use defective or unguarded equipment, report such conditions to your
supervisor.
 Ensure that machine safety guards are always in place when operating equipment.
 Maintain hand tools in good repair, inspect them regularly.
 Top heavy equipment should be properly anchored to the floor.
 Do not use powered industrial trucks/forklifts that are defective in any manner (horn,
brakes, etc.)
 Do not use power actuated tools unless are trained and have the operator’s card in your
wallet at the time of equipment operation.

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General precautions and personal hygiene for handling chemicals
All chemicals are potentially harmful. Avoid direct contact with any chemical. Some
substances that are now considered “safe” may in the future be found to cause long term
disorders. It is especially important to keep chemicals from the hands; the face; and clothing,
including shoes or other foot coverings.
Many substances are readily absorbed into the body through the intact skin and through
inhalation. Chemicals can also enter the body through the mouth by contamination of the hands,
and chemicals can be transferred to the eyes from the hands. Therefore, the following
precautions are recommended for persons in all chemical workplaces:
 Always wear a laboratory coat or apron.
 Wear proper eye protection, approved glasses or goggles at all times in chemical work,
handling and storage areas.
 Always know the hazards and physicochemical properties of the chemicals before
usage (e.g., corrosiveness, flammability, reactivity and toxicity).
 Always read the label and the MSDS for each unfamiliar or extremely hazardous
chemical in the workplace.
 Always wear appropriate protective clothing to minimize exposure to hazardous
chemicals. The clothing should cover the torso, arms and legs.
 Confine long hair and loose clothing. Wear shoes that completely cover the feet, remove
dangling jewelleries.
 Do not wear high-heeled shoes, open-toed shoes, sandals or shoes made of woven
material.
 Wear shoes with slip resistant soles that provide maximum surface traction.
 Wash work clothes separately from personal laundry.
 Never perform any work with hazardous materials when alone in the workplace.
 Learn to lift and handle material safely. Do not hesitate to ask for help in lifting heavy
loads. Always push rather than pull a load.
 Keep walking surfaces free from tripping hazards. Keep work areas dry, clean, and
orderly.
 Do not eat, drink, smoke or apply cosmetics in work areas where laboratory or industrial
chemicals are handled or stored.
 Never leave heat sources unattended (e.g., gas burners, hot plates, heating mantles, sand
baths).

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 Do not use office furniture or other objects instead of a ladder. Inspect ladders before
use. Be certain they are in good repair and of the correct height.
 Always inform co-workers beforehand of your plans to carry out work with hazardous
chemicals.
 Do not store chemicals and/or apparatus on the lab bench.
 Keep lab shelves organized.
 Use a fume hood that is known to be in operating condition when working with toxic,
flammable, and/or volatile substances.
 Never put your head inside a fume hood and never store anything in a fume hood.
 Always wash your face, hands and arms with soap and plenty water before leaving the
work area, and clean under your fingernails, this applies even if you have been wearing
gloves.
 Keep your hands and face clean. Wash thoroughly with soap and warm water whenever
a chemical contacts your skin.
 Never engage in horseplay, pranks or other acts of disruption in chemical work areas.
 Never remove chemicals or equipment from the facility without proper authorization.
 Do not use a mouth suction when pipetting or for starting a siphon.
 Use only the respirator equipment that has been personally assigned for your use.
 If you must smell a chemical, gently and cautiously waft the odour toward your nose
using some type of fan or your hand. Do not place the container directly under your
nose and inhale the chemical.
 Some solvents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, serve as vehicles for the rapid transport of
dissolved toxic substances through the skin into the body, always wear suitable gloves
when handling such materials.
 All containers of chemicals must be labelled clearly. Do not use any substance from an
unlabelled or improperly labelled container.
 Familiarize lab occupants with the sound of the alarm bell or horn and explain what to
do when it is heard.
 Place fire extinguishers near an escape route, not in a “dead end”.
 Carry out regular fire or other emergency drills; review the results and thereby improve
the performance in the next drill.

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General procedures on handling chemical spills
The following steps are generally applicable:
 Immediately alert fellow workers and notify your supervisor if you are injured or
experience an illness in the workplace.
 For all spills, all contaminated clothing must be removed immediately and the skin
washed with soap and a lot of water.
 Flush the skin with water for no less than 15minutes.
 Clothes must be laundered before reuse. (Do not wash with other clothing.)
 If there is no fire hazard and the material is not particularly volatile or toxic, proceed to
clean it up as directed in the MSDS.
 To facilitate cleaning up liquids, use an absorbent material that will neutralize the
liquids if possible (trisodium phosphate, sand followed by sodium-bicarbonate solution
or powder for acids, sodium-thiosulfate solution for bromine, etc.). Various commercial
absorbents packaged individually (spill kits) or in bulk are available.
 While wearing gloves, clean the contaminated area with soap and water and mop it dry.
If the spill is on the floor, some absorbent should be sprinkled on the spot to prevent
slipping. Dispose of the residue properly..
 If a volatile, flammable or toxic material is spilled, immediately warn everyone to
extinguish flames and turn off spark-producing equipment such as brush type motors.
 Shut down all equipment and vacate the area until it is decontaminated. The supervisor
or management will be responsible for designating the extent of evacuation and the
proper clean-up procedure. Avoid skin contact and, to prevent inhalation, wear an
appropriate breathing apparatus. Clothing contaminated by spills or splashes should be
removed immediately to prevent skin penetration.

Precautions for using electrical equipment

Electrical currents of low amperage and voltage under certain circumstances may result in fatal
shock. Voltages as low as 24-V alternating current (ac) can be dangerous and present a lethal
threat. Comparably low-voltage direct current (dc) circuits do not normally present a hazard to
human life, although severe burns are possible. The longer that contact with a live circuit lasts,
the worse the damage, especially for burns. Follow these recommendations:
 Only individuals qualified by training and experience should maintain or repair electric
or electronic equipment.
 Do not use electric wires as supports. Never pull on live wires.

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  Immediately report any electrical failure or any evidence of equipment overheating.
 Inspect all electrical equipment periodically to be certain the insulation on the cords is
not frazzled, tattered, cracked or damaged.
 Inspect the plugs; make sure they are not bent or damaged.
 Make sure that only three-wire grounded, double-insulated, or isolated wiring is used
for 110-115-V ac applications.
 Use portable electric tools should be grounded or double insulated and GFCI protected.
 Ground all fixed electrical equipment.
 Extension cords cannot be used as permanent means of wiring. All cords must be free
of defect and without splices.
 Always put live electrical parts in proper enclosures and under no condition use exposed
electrical parts.

Exercise
o Most electrical accidents result from unsafe equipment, installation, environment
or unsafe work practices, discuss.
o Outline and briefly explain ways for preventing electrical accidents.

Handling Hazardous Materials

 Separate compressed gas cylinders by type when storing them, and secure with valve
protective caps in place. Separate oxygen cylinders from fuel gases by 20 feet.
 Post “NO SMOKING” signs near all flammable liquids.
 Store flammable liquids such as fuels and solvents (paint thinner) in approved safety
cans. Store only the appropriate quantity.
 Make sure all chemicals are handled according to the Safety Data Sheet.

Dealing with an Emergency

 When an emergency occurs, determine the nature of the emergency, whether it is safe
to remain on the scene,
 And then whether somebody has been injured. Follow local procedures for initiating an
emergency alarm.
 Report the nature and location of the emergency to the appropriate fire or medical
facility; give your name, telephone number and address. Tell where you will meet the
emergency vehicle.

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  If individuals are involved, report how many; whether they are unconscious, burned, or
trapped; whether an explosion has occurred; and whether there is or has been a chemical
or electrical fire.
 Tell others in the area about the nature of the emergency.
 Meet the ambulance or fire crews at the place you indicated. Send someone else if you
cannot go.
 Do not make any other telephone calls unless they directly relate to the control of the
emergency.

Industrial Accidents
Accidents at workplaces can be sudden and unexpected which can disrupt the normal activity,
whether temporarily or for a prolonged period. Factory acts specified that industrial accidents
which cause bodily injury to workers making them out of action for 48 hours can be considered
as workplace accident.
Types of Accidents
Accidents can be classified according to the nature, severity, number of victims and degree of
injury. Mishaps causing mortality, huge property loss, permanent or long term impact on
workers, can be defined as major accidents while a small cut or injury which may not render a
worker out of action is known as minor accident. Sometimes, accidents caused due to
poisonous gas or chemicals can lead to internal injury or acute health problem to workers.
Along this line, accidents can be classified as temporary - lasting or occurred to last for a limited
time, or permanent - lasting forever or for a very long time, especially without undergoing
significant change.

Causes of Accidents
There will always be a cause for every accident, which can either be man-made or natural.
Occupational safety experts have put different causes of accidents under three broad categories
which are; unsafe work conditions, careless action by workers, and natural and other causes.

Accident reporting
 All accidents should be reported. Accidents resulting in even minor medical treatment
or observation must be recorded.
 A formal, written report stating the causes and consequences of each accident should
be made to the designated authorities, including the insurance carrier.

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 Recommendations for the prevention of recurrences should be discussed with the safety
office.
 A written report of each accident should be submitted to management and to the safety
office, who should take appropriate measures to prevent recurrence.
 A periodic review of accident reports will often reveal problem areas that need special
attention.

Report Your Work Accident

You must report your work accident immediately to a person in authority in your
establishment (a manager) by explaining all of the circumstances of the accident and
describing in detail, if relevant, all of the pains and injuries caused by this accident.
If your health permits, on the same day on which the accident occurs, go to your Human
Resources Department and fill out the Industrial accidents register yourself. Make sure that
all of the information on this form is accurate before you sign. If you are not able to do this
on the day the accident occurs, you can do it shortly after.

Exercise
o What is your understanding of the term “Industrial Accidents‟?
o ii. Explain in detail, the types of industrial accidents.