John Sherrill

This is intended to answer

some basic questions and
incite ongoing thought and
action
 This is intended to answer
some basic questions and
incite ongoing thought and
action
To properly deal any of the
topics discussed here could
easily require several hours
 The old and the new
 Exposure to liquid or high
concentrations of vapor can
cause painful, instant and
possibly irreversible damage
to tissue such as conjunctiva,
cornea and lens
 Flush with large amounts of
water for at a minimum of 15
minutes
Immediately seek medical aid
 Prolonged contact with high
concentrations of ammonia
can cause
painful tissue damage
frostbite
serious chemical burns
 Immediately flush with large
quantities of water for a
minimum of 15* minutes while
removing clothing.
If clothing has frozen to skin,
thaw with water before
removal
Seek immediate medical aid
 Tissue damage
Chemical burns
Nausea and vomiting can
occur
Ammonia is a gas under
normal atmospheric
conditions and ingestion is
unlikely
 Do not induce vomiting!
Have victim drink large
quantities of water if
conscious
Immediately seek medical aid
Never give anything by mouth
to an unconscious person
 Depending on exposure concentration
and duration effects can vary from
None or only mild irritation
Obstruction of breathing from
laryngeal and bronchial spasm
Edema and severe damage to mucous
membranes of the respiratory tract
with possible fatal results
Latent edema and residual reduction
in pulmonary function may occur
 Remove from exposure
If breathing has stopped or is
difficult, administer artificial
respiration or oxygen as
needed
Seek immediate medical aid.
 Inrecent years, it has become
evident that longer flushing
with water generally results in
less injury and more rapid
healing.
 Manyexperts on this field now
recommend 30 minutes of
flushing with water for eye or
skin contact.
 Whileit is true that longer
flushing does remove more
ammonia, two things must be
remembered
1. Longer flushing time delays
treatment by trained medical
personnel.
1. Longer flushing time delays
treatment by trained medical
personnel.
2. Most safety showers in
industry are not tempered.
 Prolongedexposure to water
with temperatures significantly
below normal body
temperature can result in
Hypothermia
Shock
Death.
 Useextreme caution if
extending water flush times.
 Use extreme caution if
extending water flush times.
Monitor the injured person for
signs of hypothermia and
shock.
 Trapswaiting to snare the
unwary, untrained or simply
careless
 The lowest concentration of a
gas in air which will explode.
AIRGAS MSDS lists the
Ammonia LEL as 16%
 GOTCHA!
As documented in a report
issued by Don Fenton in 1995
oil contamination can reduce
the LEL during a release event.
 GOTCHA!
Fentonsreport indicates LEL
could be as low as 10%
 Ammonia has a vapor density
of approximately .6
Ammonia vapor will, therefore
rise in a release event, right?
 An aerosol is a mixture of
solid or liquid droplets
suspended in a gas
 An aerosol is a mixture of
solid or liquid droplets
suspended in a gas
An ammonia aerosol is
droplets of ammonia liquid
suspended in ammonia gas
 An aerosol is a mixture of solid or
liquid droplets suspended in a gas
An ammonia aerosol is droplets of
ammonia liquid suspended in
ammonia gas
An ammonia aerosol may be lighter
than air, neutrally buoyant or
heavier than air, depending on
density
 Common belief is aerosols can
only be formed when liquid is
part of the release
(a release of liquid from the
system)
 Common belief is aerosols can
only be formed when liquid is
part of the release
(a release of liquid from the
system)
Because compressed gas chills as
pressure is reduced ammonia
vapor can condense into liquid
droplets forming an aerosol
 Anaerosol can be formed
from any release and an
aerosol may rise, hover or fall
depending on its density.
 When the temperature of
ammonia liquid is increased
the liquid expands.
 When the temperature of
ammonia liquid is increased
the liquid expands.
When contained with no room
for expansion (trapped)
pressure increases at the rate
of 100 to 150 psi per degree
temperature increase
 20F
liquid trapped and
warmed to 70F =50F T
 20F liquid trapped and
warmed to 70F =50F T
50F x 125psi = 6250 PSI
GOTCHA
1. I can build you an ammonia
refrigeration system that
does not need operators
2. I dont need to worry about
PSM or RMP if I dont have
10,000 pounds of ammonia
on-site
 Started as a 1 year program
Is now a permanent program
 Changes the entire approach
to PSM audits
More documentation oriented
than previous PQV protocol
 Willbe triggered by any OSHA
visit to covered facility
Routine visit
Accident
Employee complaint
 Expect a team of 2 to 4
inspectors to spend 40 to 60
hours on-site
Compliance must be proven
with documentation
3. The only training my
operators need is O.J.T., and
my senior operator has 20
years experience. He can
train the others.
4. This ammonia system is just
like your refrigerator at
home, you dont have
somebody watching it all the
time.
 We have been operating this
way for years and havent
killed anybody yet. That
proves we are OK, right?
 Threepurposes
1. Protect people
 Threepurposes
1. Protect people
2. Protect product
 Threepurposes
1. Protect people
2. Protect product
3. Protect property
 Protectpeople
Very low alarm level
Located where people are
4 to 6 off floor
In work areas
 Protect product
Still low concentration alarm
Located where product is
Low and elevated locations
 Protect property
High concentration alarm
Located high and low,
throughout areas where
ammonia is present
Tied to ventilation system
Possibly tied to select power
systems (shunt trip)
 Eachpurpose has different
requirements
 Each purpose has different
requirements
Each purpose uses different
placement and function
strategy
 Each purpose has different
requirements
Each purpose uses different
placement and function
strategy
There are no effective, simple,
one alarm does it all answers
 Totalautomation of alarm
response can cause a more
serious release
 Shutting down compressors
due to a leak in the low
pressure part of the system
can cause higher pressure and
a larger release
 Shuttingdown condensers
during a release from the high
pressure area can cause higher
pressures and a larger release.
 Response to ammonia alarms
must be planned, but with
flexibility to allow adaptation
to the actual situation
 Requires procedures for
handling small releases
Must define a small release
Steps to handle those defined
small releases
During a release, when should
we shut down everything, and
when should we leave at least
part of it running?
When your well trained,
experienced operator
evaluates the proper response