Dangerous prevention from hazardous chemicals

Chemicals can also pollute the environment, adversely affect human health and destroy the ecological environment . The issue of ensuring safety, protecting the health of workers and the environment, avoiding photos Harmful use in chemical use is increasingly being widely considered.

Use caution when using sulfuric acid
(Photo: corrosion-doctors.org)

The best way to prevent the risks arising from the use of hazardous chemicals is to exclude them from the working environment of those chemicals. However, this is not always possible. The next important thing is to isolate sources of dangerous chemicals, or increase ventilation devices and use personal protective equipment.

The first principle : Eliminate harmful or dangerous substances or processes or replace them with other less dangerous or dangerous substances or processes.

The best way to prevent or minimize the harmful effects of toxic chemicals on people and the environment is to avoid the use of harmful chemicals if more toxic, less dangerous, less dangerous alternatives are available. The selection of chemicals must be conducted right from the design or production planning stage.

Here are a few examples of applying this principle:

Replace hazardous chemicals: such as using water-soluble paints or adhesives to replace paint or glue dissolved in organic solvents; or use triclometan as a degreasing agent in place of trichloro-ethylene and use chemicals with high ignition points to replace chemicals with low ignition points.

Replace the process: Replace spraying with surface painting or dipping paint. Applying the method of loading materials by machine instead of manual material feeding.

Second principle : Isolation of hazardous chemical sources with workers by safe distances or shielding dangerous chemical sources to prevent all chemical-related hazards to workers.

An ideal production process is where workers are limited to the lowest possible chance of exposure to chemicals. This can be achieved by covering the entire machine, dust generation points of the conveyor belt or covering the production process of corrosive substances to limit the spread of harmful, harmful gases, gases to the lips. school work.

Exposure to toxic chemicals can also be reduced by moving processes and production processes of these chemicals to a safe location, away from workers in factories or building walls to separate them. from the production process with other normal working conditions, such as isolating the process of spraying with other production processes in the factory with walls or barriers . Besides, it is necessary to glass of flammable chemicals with heat sources, such as explosives, must be placed away from grinding machines, saws .

Third principle : Use proper ventilation to move or reduce toxic air concentrations such as smoke, gas, dust .

In the case of volatile chemicals, ventilation is seen as the best form of control after replacement or covering. Thanks to the appropriate ventilation devices, people can prevent dust, vapor, toxic gases from being released from the production process into the breathing area of ​​workers and transfer them with pipes to the department. Handling such as cyclo, sedimentation equipment, electrostatic filtering equipment . to detoxify before being discharged into the environment.

Depending on the specific circumstances, it is possible to arrange a local ventilation system right at the place of steam, toxic gas or general ventilation system for the whole plant or a combination of both systems. It should be noted that in order for ventilation to work effectively, they must be maintained regularly.

Fourth principle : Equip personal protective equipment for workers to prevent direct contact with chemicals.

Most of the risks from using chemicals can be controlled by the above technical measures. But in cases where such measures have not eliminated all the hazards, workers must be equipped with personal protective equipment. This medium only contributes to clean the air contaminated with toxic chemicals before entering the body, it does not reduce or eliminate toxins in the surrounding environment. Therefore, when using protective equipment that is damaged or improperly used, it means that we are still in direct contact with dangerous chemicals. Therefore, personal protection means should not be considered as the first measure to control roaches but only as additional support for technical control measures. With the risk of fire and explosion, there is actually no equipment to ensure safety for workers. Here are some types of personal protective equipment:

Gas masks: are generally applicable to places where temporary control is required before technical control measures are taken or where technical or emergency checks cannot be performed.

Eye protection: Eye damage can be measured with dust, metal particles, colored stones, glass, coal ., toxic liquids shot in the eyes; Steam, poisonous gas rushes to the eyes and can also be caused by heat radiation, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays . shining into the eyes. To prevent accidents and eye diseases, safety glasses, hand-held masks or face masks can be used . on a case-by-case basis.

Clothing, gloves, boots: One thing to keep in mind is that materials that make these devices must be resistant to the corresponding chemicals.

Master LY NGOC MINH