CHEMICAL SAFETY

INTRODUCTION

Chemicals are very useful and important to us.

Without chemicals, our standard of living will be different from what we have today.
But chemicals are also dangerous and we must safeguard our health by monitoring and
controlling chemicals during their use.

CHEMICALS SAFETY

Chemicals safety is the prevention of accidents and injuries while using chemicals at
workplace.

ROUTES OF ENTRY THROUGH WHICH CHEMICALS ENTER THE BODY

Skin contact
Ingestion
Inhalation

THE TIME BEFORE CHEMICAL STARTS GIVING ILL-EFFECT

It depends upon the;

Amount of chemical absorbed
Nature of the chemical
Susceptibility of the individual to the chemical

STEPS IN CHEMICAL SAFETY

There are four main steps;
1. Know the hazardous chemicals
2. Use necessary protection
3. Follow safe working practices
4. Know emergency procedures
1. KNOW THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
There are four types of hazardous chemicals;
i.
Toxic agents these are poisons that can cause illness or death.

ii.

iii.
iv.

Examples are ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen etc.

Reactives these chemicals burn, explode or give off toxic gases if dropped, heated
or mixed with certain other substances.
Examples are caustic soda, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid etc.
Corrosives these can burn skin.
Examples are all alkalies, oxidizing agents, reducing agents etc.
Flammables and combustibles these liquids and gases catch fire easily and burn

quickly or explode.
Examples are petrol, diesel, kerosene etc.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
There is a certain procedure to be followed to bring the new chemical to the plant.
Materials department obtains first, the manufacturers Hazard Data Sheet for the new

chemical and it will be passed to safety department.

Safety department together with technical department will then prepare the Material

1.1

Safety Data Sheet.

The information provided by MSDS is as follows;
i.
It gives the information about handling and use of chemical
ii.
It gives the information about color and odour
iii.
It gives the health hazards of the chemical
iv. It gives the information about how to store and dispose the chemical, and
v.

precautions to make
It also gives emergency information such as instructions in case of exposure,

antidotes, fire, spill and leak

The label of MSDS is pasted on the container of the chemical. Worker should read this

before using the chemical

Example of the MSDS is shown in the Figure 1 below;

HZARDOUS CHEMICAL
AMMONIA
Colorless, very irritating gas, compressed to liquid, shipped in cylinders, flammable, and toxic by
inhalation
Odor detectable at 5ppm. The threshold limit value is 2ppm. Begins to
irritate eyes, nose and throat at 100ppm. Blinds, chokes and is rapidly
GAS AND MIST
Health Hazards

fatal at 500ppm or 0.5/in air. Burns and stings most skin at 300ppm. No
lasting effects from long term exposures below 100ppm.
Splashed into eyes will blind. Splashed onto skin burns; drenched into

LIQUID

clothes, it rapidly evaporates to fatal concentrations.

AVOID CONTACT WITH AMMONIA
FLAMMABLE. The explosive limits are 16/ and 25/ gas in air. The
presence of oil or other combustible material will increase the fire

Fire and Reactivity

hazard. Soluble in water, with heat release and forms aqueous ammonia
solution.
Reacts with acids exothermally.

Handling and Storage

USES

STOP FLOW OF GAS TO FIGHT FIRES.

As fertilizer and in manufacture of nitrogen fertilizer, refrigeration,

STORAGE

blue print copying, petroleum refining

Store cylinders upright in cool, well ventilated area away from ignition

SPILLS

sources, strong acids or oxidizing gases.

Turn off the ammonia lines from a safe distance. Open doors and allow

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

the gas to disperse into air.

Keep airpak, rubber suit and protective gloves available at all times.

Emergency showers and eyewash fountain must be installed at

First Aid

INHALATION

convenient locations and maintained in working conditions.

Poisonous if inhaled. Move victim to fresh air. If breathing has stopped,
administer artificial respiration. If in eyes, hold eyelids open and flush

EYE/SKIN CONTACT

with plenty of water.

Burn skin and eyes. Get under emergency shower and flood skin with
water. DO NOT RUB AFFECTED AREAS. CALL FOR MEDICAL

SWALLOWED
Environmental Effects

AID.
Give victim water to drink in conscious.
CALL FOR MEDICAL AID.
Harmful to aquatic life in low concentrations. May be dangerous if it
enters water intakes.

Figure 1: Ammonia MSDS

2. USE NECESSARY PROTECTION
The second step in chemical safety is using necessary protection.
Following are the personal protective equipment to be used while working with
chemicals;
i.
Safety glasses with side shields, chemical splash goggles
ii.
Face shield or mask
iii.
Gloves
iv. Safety shoes or boots
v. Aprons or coveralls
vi.
An approved respirators air purifying type or air supplying type
3. FOLLOW SAFE WORKING PRACTICES
The third step in chemicals safety is to follow safe working practices as follows;
i.
Storing and Disposing Chemicals
Some chemicals react violently if they come in contact with each other and cause fire
and explosion.
ii.
4.
5.