Chemical safety

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Chemical Safety
Objective : Learning, Awareness & Actions

Classification of Hazardous Chemicals

Corrosive
• A corrosive substance is one that will destroy
and damage other substances with which it
comes into contact. It may attack a great variety
of materials including metals.
• Common corrosive chemicals
• Acids:
• Sulphuric Acid
• Hydrochloric Acid
• Bases:
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Calcium Hydroxide

Dangerous for the environment
• Chemicals enter into air as emissions and water
as effluent. Industrial and motor vehicle
emissions of nitrogen and sulphur oxides cause
acid rain, which poisons fish and other aquatic
organisms in rivers and lakes and affects the
ability of soil to support plants. Carbon dioxide
causes the greenhouse effect and climate
change.
• Water Treatment Plant Effluents.
• Emissions from Stack.
• Chemical Effluents from main plant.

Explosive
• Explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a
great amount of potential energy that can produce
an explosion if released suddenly, usually
accompanied by the production of light, heat,
sound, and pressure.
• chemical energy, such as nitro-glycerine or grain
dust.
• pressurized gas, such as a gas cylinder or
aerosol can.
• Nuclear energy, such as in the fissile isotopes
uranium-235 and plutonium-239

Toxic
• Any chemical or mixture having capability to
harm the environment, living being’s and to
human health by any mode of exposure (if
inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the
skin) is termed as Toxic chemical.
• Toxic Chemicals:
• Ammonia
• Chlorine
• Hydrochloric Acid
• Hydrazine

Oxidizing
• Oxidizing agent is a substance that is not
necessarily combustible, but may, generally by
yielding oxygen, cause or contribute to the
combustion of other material.
• Common oxidizing agents:
• Oxygen
• Sulphuric Acid
• Hypochlorite
• Chlorine

Harmful
• Many materials or substances used or created at
work could harm your health. These substances
could be dusts, gases or fumes that you breathe
in, or liquids, gels or powders that come into
contact with your eyes or skin. There could also
be harmful micro-organisms present that can
cause infection, an allergic reaction or are toxic.
Harmful substances can be present in anything
from paints and cleaners to flour dust, solder
fume, blood or waste.
• Laboratory Chemicals
• Bulk Chemicals

Extremely Flammable
• A High Flammable Liquid is a liquid with a flash
point below 32 °C (The flash point of a liquid is
the lowest temperature at which the liquid gives
off vapour in sufficient concentration to form a
combustible mixture with air near the surface of
the liquid.) The flash points of some common
laboratory solvents are:
• Ethanol +12 °C
• Toluene +4 °C
• Acetone -19 °C
• Diethyl ether -45 °C

Bulk Chemical Used in Power Plant
• Sulphuric Acid – H2SO4
• Hydrochloric Acid - HCl
• Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH
• Ammonia – NH3
• Hydrazine – N2H4
• Ferric Chloride – FeCl3
• Polyelectrolyte – (C3H4O2)n
• Hydrated Lime – Ca(OH)2
• Tri Sodium Phosphate – Na3PO4
• Chlorine - Cl
• Hydrogen – H2

Sulphuric Acid
• Properties:
• Sulphuric acid is a highly corrosive strong
mineral acid. It is a colourless to slightly
yellow viscous liquid that is soluble in water at
all concentrations.
• Uses in Power Plant:
• In Treatment of Condenser cooling water and
Laboratory purpose.

Sulphuric Acid
• Health Hazards of Sulphuric Acid:
• Concentrated sulphuric acid is extremely corrosive and can cause
serious burns when not handled properly. This dangerous chemical
is capable of corroding skin, paper, metals, and even stone in some
cases. If sulphuric acid makes direct contact with the eyes, it can
cause permanent blindness. If ingested, this chemical may cause
internal burns, irreversible organ damage, and possibly death.

Hydrochloric Acid
• Properties:
• Hydrochloric acid is a clear, colourless,
highly pungent solution pungent
solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl) in water. It
is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with
many industrial uses.
• In regeneration of Mixed Bed and CPU and
Laboratory purpose.

Hydrochloric Acid
• Health Hazards of Hydrochloric Acid:
• Hydrochloric acid is a hazardous liquid which must be used with
care. The acid itself is corrosive, and concentrated forms release
acidic mists that are also dangerous. If the acid or mist come into
contact with the skin, eyes, or internal organs, the damage can be
irreversible or even fatal in severe cases.

Sulphuric Acid & Hydrochloric Acid Safety
• It is recommended that you wear the following protective equipment
when using Sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid of any concentration:
• Vapour respirator,
• Long Rubber gloves
• Boots
• Full suit
• Face shield
• Chemical Safety goggles

Care for H2SO4 / HCl Exposure
• Exposure to H2SO4/HCl can occur as skin/bodily contact, ingestion, or
inhalation of vapours. Each type of exposure can pose serious hazards to
your health and should be managed immediately and appropriately by a
medical professional to minimize damage and health risks.
• Skin Contact – If H2SO4/HCl comes into contact with your skin,
immediately flush the affected area gently with lukewarm water for at least
30 uninterrupted minutes. Seek medical attention immediately.
• Eye Contact – If H2SO4/HCl gets into your eyes, immediately flush the
eye(s) with water for at least 30 minutes. Seek medical attention
immediately.
• Ingestion – If you ingest H2SO4/HCl, rinse your mouth immediately with
water. Do not induce vomiting. Continually rinse your mouth with water and
seek medical attention as soon as possible.
• Inhalation – If you inhale H2SO4/HCl aerosols, seek fresh air and medical
attention immediately.

Eye washer cum Safety shower

Hydrazine
• Properties:
• Hydrazine is an inorganic compound. It
is a colourless flammable liquid with an
ammonia-like odour. Hydrazine is highly
toxic and dangerously unstable unless
handled in solution.
• In the treatment of feed water system to
protect boiler and pre-boiler
equipment's from oxygen. Used as an
oxygen scavenger.

Hydrazine
• Health Hazards of Hydrazine:
• Hydrazine is highly toxic and
dangerously unstable, especially in
the anhydrous form. Symptoms of
acute (short-term) exposure to high
levels of hydrazine may include:
• irritation of the eyes.
• Nose and throat.
• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Coma in humans.

Sodium Hydroxide
• Properties:
• Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known
as lye and caustic soda is an inorganic
compound. It is a white solid and highly
caustic metallic base and alkali of sodium
which is available in pellets, flakes,
granules, and as prepared solutions at a
number of different concentrations.
• In regeneration of Mixed Bed and CPU
and Laboratory purpose.

Sodium Hydroxide
• Health Hazards of Sodium Hydroxide:
• Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible
permanent eye damage, causing blindness. Contact can irritate
mouth, nose and throat. Inhaling can irritate the lungs causing
coughing and shortness of breath.

Sodium Hydroxide Safety

Ammonia
• Properties:
• Ammonia is a colourless gas with a
characteristic pungent smell. Ammonia is
extremely soluble in water and is frequently
used as a water solution called aqua
ammonia.
• In the treatment of feed water system to
protect boiler and pre-boiler equipment's
from corrosion.

Ammonia
• Health Hazards of Ammonia:
• Anhydrous ammonia primarily affects three areas of the body 1.
Eyes, 2. Lungs and 3. Skin. Everything from mild irritation to
destruction of the eye can occur depending on whether a spray or
gas is involved. Ammonia penetrates the eye more rapidly than other
alkalis. In the lungs, liquid anhydrous ammonia causes destruction of
delicate respiratory tissue.

Ammonia & Hydrazine Safety
• It is recommended that you wear the following protective equipment
when using Ammonia and hydrazine of any concentration:
• Vapour respirator,
• Rubber gloves
• Boots
• Full suit
• Face shield
• Chemical Safety goggles

• Properties:
• Ferric chloride is the coagulant of choice
for many industrial and sanitary
wastewater treatment applications, due
to its high efficiency, effectiveness in
clarification. The chemical leaves slight
residual colour, and offers very good
turbidity removal.
• In the pre-treatment of raw water and
waste water as a coagulant.
Ferric Chloride

• Health Hazards of Ferric chloride:
• Iron(III) chloride is toxic, highly corrosive and acidic. The anhydrous
material is a powerful dehydrating agent. Although reports of poisoning
in humans are rare, ingestion of ferric chloride can result in serious
morbidity and mortality. Inappropriate labelling and storage lead to
accidental swallowing or misdiagnosis
Ferric Chloride

Polyelectrolyte
• Properties:
• Polyelectrolytes are polymers whose
repeating units bear
an electrolyte group. Poly cations and poly
anions are polyelectrolytes. These
groups dissociate in aqueous solutions
(water), making the polymers charged.
Polyelectrolyte properties are thus similar to
both electrolytes (salts) and polymers
(high molecular weight compounds) and are
sometimes called poly salts.
• In the pre-treatment of raw water and waste
water as a flocculent.

Polyelectrolyte
• Health Hazards of polyelectrolyte:
• This product is not expected to be a sensitizer. Acute: A review of
available data does not identify any symptoms from exposure not
previously mentioned. Chronic: Frequent or prolonged contact with
product may defat and dry the skin, leading to discomfort and
dermatitis.

Hydrated Lime
• Properties:
• Calcium hydroxide, traditionally
called slaked lime, It is a colourless crystal
or white powder and is obtained
when calcium
oxide (called lime or quicklime) is mixed, or
"slaked" with water. It has many names
including hydrated lime, caustic
lime, builders' lime, slack lime, cal
or pickling lime.
• In the pre-treatment of raw water and waste
water.

Hydrated Lime
• Health Hazards of Hydrated Lime:
• Unprotected exposure to Ca(OH)2 can pose health risks, so it should
be limited. It can cause severe skin irritation, chemical burns,
blindness, or lung damage.

Tri Sodium Phosphate
• Properties:
• Tri sodium phosphate (TSP) is
the inorganic compound with
the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a
white, granular or crystalline solid, highly
soluble in water producing an alkaline
solution. TSPs are used as cleaning
agent, lubricant, food additive, stain
remover and degreaser.
• In the treatment of Boiler drum water.

Tri Sodium Phosphate
• Health Hazards of Tri Sodium Phosphate:
• Acute Potential Health Effects: Skin: Causes skin irritation with
possible burning pain and corrosive damage. Eyes: Causes eye
irritation. This substance may cause eye burns. Inhalation: May
be harmful if inhaled. Inhalation of dust may cause respiratory
tract and mucous membrane irritation with coughing, sneezing,
choking, difficulty breathing, and pulmonary edema.

Chlorine
• Properties:
• Chlorine is a toxic gas that irritates the
respiratory system. Because it is heavier
than air, it tends to accumulate at the
bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Chlorine
gas is a strong oxidizer, which may react
with flammable materials. Chlorine is used
as a disinfectants in the treatment of
drinking water.This is a yellow-green gas
that has a distinctive strong odour.
• In the pre treatment of raw water, waste
water and cooling tower.

Chlorine
• Health Hazards of Chlorine:
• Chlorine is detectable with measuring devices in concentrations
of as low as 0.2 parts per million (ppm), and by smell at 3 ppm.
Coughing and vomiting may occur at 30 ppm and lung damage
at 60 ppm. About 1000 ppm can be fatal after a few deep breaths
of the gas.

Guidelines of safe handling of chlorine
• Chlorine need not be a serious hazard if the people working with it are properly
trained in its handling.
• The following are the guidelines for assuring the safe handling of chlorine.
• Provide proper instruction and supervision to workers responsible for chlorine
equipment.
• Provide proper and approved self-contained breathing apparatus in areas
where chlorine is stored or used.
• Keep all breathing apparatus stored outside the chlorine area.

• Prepare escape plans from areas where there might be a chlorine
emission. Remember to move uphill and upwind.
• Never store combustible or flammable materials near chlorine
containers.
• Never apply heat directly to a chlorine
• Never attempt to weld an “empty” chlorine pipe line without purging it
with air first.

• Install safety showers and eye wash stations near chlorine equipment.
• If there is a leak, at least two persons should make the repairs.
• Never spray water on leaking containers; it can make the leak worse.
• When entering an equipment area, take shallow breaths until you are
sure that there is not a chlorine gas leak.
• Always keep ready Chlorine Leak Absorption System.

Chlorine First Aid
Inhalation
 Remove victim from contaminated area.
 Keep victim warm in a reclined position with head and shoulders
elevated.
 Give artificial respiration, if necessary.
 Give oxygen as soon as possible.
 Call emergency personnel or a physician immediately.
Skin Contact
 Shower victim, removing all contaminated clothing.
 Wash affected area with soap and water.
Eye Contact
 Irrigate eyes with water for 15 minutes, holding eye lids wide apart.
 Call emergency personnel or a physician immediately.
 Irrigate for second 15-minute period if emergency personnel or physician
is not immediately available

Hydrogen
• Properties:
• hydrogen is a colourless, odourless,
non-metallic, tasteless, non-toxic, highly
combustible diatomic gas with the
molecular formula H2.
• In the cooling of generator rotor due to
its specific heat capacity being
considerably higher than any other gas.

Hydrogen
• Health Hazards of Hydrogen:
• Hydrogen poses a number of hazards to human safety, from potential
detonations and fires when mixed with air to being asphyxiate in its
pure, oxygen-free form. Hydrogen gas leaking into external air may
spontaneously ignite. Moreover, hydrogen fire, while being extremely
hot, is almost invisible, and thus can lead to accidental burns.

Presentation by
Rama Chandra Reddy Butcha
Group Head – Chemical & Environment
Tata Power Company Limited

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