ChE 150

Industrial
Process Safety
Prepared by:
Engr. Sandra Enn Bahinting

Chemical Hazard
any

substance that can cause harm, primarily to

people
-Household items such as bleach can result in harmful
chlorine gas or hydrochloric acid
-Gasoline fumes from containers for lawnmowers or
boats

Chemical Stresses
Chemical

compounds in the form of dusts,

fumes, smokes, aerosols, mists, gases, vapors,
and liquids that may cause health problems by
(1) inhalation (breathing); (2) by absorption
(through direct contact with the skin) or (3) by
ingestion (eating or drinking).

Inhalation
The

major hazard of employees exposure to

chemical compounds of airborne contaminants
like gases vapors and particulate matter.

Absorption
Absorption

through the skin can occur quite

rapidly if the skin is cut or abraded. when
compounds exist either in liquid or gaseous

Ingestion

eating or drinking harmful materials. Care and

thorough wash-ups are required before eating
and at the end of every shift as well as the
change of clothing to avoid contaminating their
home environment

PHYSICAL CLASSIFICATION OF AIRBORNE

MATERIAL

Dust
airborne

solid particles that range in size from 0.1

to 25 m generated by handling, crushing,
grinding,
rapid
impact,
detonation
and
decrepitation (breaking apart by heating) of
organic and inorganic materials

Fumes

extremely

fine, usually less than 1.0 m and

formed when volatilized solids such as metals are
condensed in cool air.
Examples are lead oxide fumes from smelting
and iron oxide fumes from arc welding.

Smoke

This

hazard is created when carbon or soot

particles less than 0.1 m in size as a result of an
incomplete combustion of such carbonaceous
materials.
x

Aerosol
This

hazard is created when carbon or soot

particles less than 0.1 m in size as a result of an
incomplete combustion of such carbonaceous
materials.

MIST
Mists

are suspended liquid droplets generated

by chemicals condensing from the gaseous to
the liquid state or by a liquid breaking into a
dispersed state by splashing, foaming or
atomizing.
Example
oil mist from cutting and grinding operations,
acid mists from electroplating,
acids or alkali mists from pickling

Gases
Normally

gases are formless fluids that occupy

the space or enclosure in which they are
confined and that can be changed to the liquid
or solid state only by combined effect of
increased pressure and decreased temperature.

Vapors
The

gaseous forms of substances that appear

normally in the solid or liquid state at room
temperature and pressure

LIQUID CHEMICALS

Solvents

Liquid chemicals are typically used as feed stock, fuel or

fuel additives, pesticides, lubricants, detergents and
cleaning agents or degreasing or processing solvents.

Two types

Aqueous solvents are those that readily dissolve in water.

Many acids, alkalis or detergents, when mixed with water
form aqueous solvent.

Organic solvents many of these chemicals do not mixed

easily with water but do dissolved other organic materials
such as greases, oils and fats.

SAFETY SIGNS and SYMBOLS

Shower station

location of a first
aid station
Eye wash
station

location of a fire blanket

Chemical Hazard Symbols

hazard symbol for

radioactive material

hazard symbol for

flammable substances

ionizing radiation warning

symbol

hazard symbol for explosives

or an explosion hazard

hazard symbol indicating

corrosive materials

This sign warns of a

biohazard

Personal Protective Equipment

respiratory protection is required

wear gloves or other hand

protection

mandatory eye or face protection

mandatory use of
protective clothing

mandatory use of
protective footwear
proper eye protection
must be worn

indicates ear protection is required

HAZARD COMMUNICATION
An

inventory and assessment of chemical

hazards in the workplace.
Development and use of labels that
describe the hazards of chemicals and
the protective measures to use. Example
is the Standard Hazard Signal.
Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that
detail chemical hazard and precaution
information.

 Training

on identifying hazard, including

specific chemicals or groups of chemicals
with which employee works.
Written programs that describe how the
company intends to accomplish these
tasks and provides documentation that
workers have been trained.