Need of Safety in Chemical Industry

Note by Dr. K U Mistry

The safest and simplest way to avoid chemical hazards and their ill-effects is to avoid chemical industry itself. But is it possible? A place of chemical industry can be selected or shifted but it has to run somewhere on the earth and its place in our life has become inevitable because of the following reasons In homes we need cement, plaster, tiles, paint, plywood, glass, plastic, curtains, TV, tubes etc. In kitchen we want gas, fuel, matches, heating appliances, metal or ceramic dishes etc. For health we need drugs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, talc etc. Agriculture needs fertilisers and pesticides. Construction requires minerals, metals, lime, cement, explosives etc. Transportation needs petrol, diesel, gas, paints, rubber etc. Clothing requires dyes, colours, soaps, detergents and a variety of chemicals. In offices we want paper, ink, adhesives, photo-copies, computer etc. Basic needs like air, water, food, clothing and shelter are the product of chemistry. Our human body itself is an astounding chemical industry carrying wonderful chemical processes within it. All above materials are made from elements and their compounds and by direct chemical processes or indirect chemical treatment. Therefore, human life is becoming more and more dependent on chemicals making the place of chemical industry in society inevitable. It is, therefore, not possible to avoid or prevent chemical industry and the only way remains for us is to run this industry safely by identifying, avoiding and controlling its hazards. This, in turn, suggests the following ten-point safety programme:-

1. Study and identify chemical hazards using material safety data sheet (MSDS) and a system of classification, packaging and labelling should be developed. 2. Select safer technology. 3. Select safer siting of chemical industry for minimum loss to men, material, environment etc. 4. Design and construct the factory with all safety precautions from the very beginning. 5. Workplace hazards inside the factory should be controlled by good engineering controls, safe work methods or operating procedure and using personal protective equipment. 6. All requisite safety devices, fittings, instruments, equipment, machines etc., must be provided and well maintained. 7. Workers must be properly trained for safe operation of the plant and their role in emergency planning and control. 8. Safe transportation and handling of hazardous chemicals within and out-side factory premises. 9. Safe disposal of hazardous wastes within and outside factory premises. 10. Well monitoring and control of hazardous substances at work places and of occupational ill-effects and diseases by pre and periodical medical examinations of the workers. Table below gives injuries due to explosions, fire, gassing, molten material and hot or corrosive substances as under : 1990 Fatal 170 25.64% Nonfatal 4369 3.42% Fatal 126 26.03% 1991 Nonfatal 2651 4.4%

Fatal accidents due to chemical causes (Sr. no. 6,7,8) given therein are : 1993 49 26.63% 1994 47 24.2% 1995 24 12.5% 1996 30 16.39% 1997 33 13.46%

causation No. 118 to 121, gives chemical accidents in Gujarat in 1994 as under : Causation Total Accident (%)

118. 119. 120. 121.

Explosions Fires Gassing Hot substances Total

0.23 0.61 1.02 3.16 5.02

The Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, Factory Inspectorate, Gujarat, took 2900 air samples during the year 1997-98 from 237 hazardous factories and listed the major air pollutants. They are SO2, Cl2, NO2, HCl, NH3, Melethion, dust and solvent. More number of factories were found emitting SO2 and dust. This statistics concludes that about 12% to 25% fatal and 3% to 13% nonfatal accidents take place due to chemical causes. Among them most of the accidents are due to hot/corrosive substances and gassing. Sulphur dioxide and dusts are predominant pollutants. US figures of fatal injuries in 1996 are 10.44% due to chemical poisoning and 3.42% due to firs and burns. A break-up of fatal injuries for three years is as under : Causes Poisoning by solid & liquids Poisoning by gases & vapours Fire & Flames 1994 9.08 0.74 4.35 1993 8.7 0.72 4.30 1992 7.43 0.72 4.56

1 2 3

The leading cause is poisoning by solids and liquids (Accident Facts, 1997, NSC, USA). Basic Concepts of Chemistry and Chemical Technology : Before understanding safety aspects of a chemical industry, it is utmost necessary to study or refresh basic concepts of chemistry and chemical technology. For this purpose, please refer Chapter-32, Tables 1 to 4 before proceeding further. NEED OF SAFETY IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY Though safety in each field is of equal importance, safety in chemical field needs more attention because of its specific nature. Chemical safety seems more complicated than civil, mechanical or electrical safety because each chemical has many properties, many processes, many hazards and many controls. The state, pressure, temperature, process parameters etc., are also changeable. Many hazard data and complete reaction documents

are still not available. Many hazards are known after the accident only as in case of Bhopal and so many incidents. Engineering controls may not be possible or available at many places. Control devices and personal protections are inadequate many times. Warning devices may either not be available or not be functioning well. All these diversified working conditions and operational situations pose many dangers which need their proper knowledge and attention followed by proper safety measures and proper preventive as well as corrective maintenance. Once upon a time textile factories were dominating in our country, but chemical factories, small and big, have been extensively increased. Process wise the highest number of factories in Gujarat are of chemical and chemical products. Table 5.16 of Chapter-5 shows 4290 (Total of NIC Group No. 30 & 31) out of total 19770 i.e. 21.69% chemical factories in the State in 1998. Employment wise it is second (next to textiles) and employ 188469 workers out of total 870786 i.e. 21.64% in the State. Table 5.21 states that accident wise also it is second (next to textile) contributing 1090 out of 12031 i.e. 8.98% accidents. The percentage of fatal accidents in chemical factories was 30.89% in 1997 in Gujarat. Indian statistics of 1979 states that there were 9485 (Total of NIC Group No. 30 & 31) out 135173 i.e. 7.01% chemical factories and 609000 out of 6797000 i.e. 8.95% workers in these factories. As the latest all India statistics is not available, it is estimated that this percentage would have reached up to 10%. During 1992 there were 4141 out of 64631 i.e. 6.40% accidents in chemical factories which can also be estimated to rise up to 8% during last 6 years. Thus it can be concluded that there are about 10% chemical factories in India, employing 10% of total manpower and contributing @10% of total accidents. In Gujarat chemical factories are @21%, employing @21% of total manpower, contributing @9% of total accidents and @31% of fatal accidents. Bhopal accident is remarkable. It caused more than 2500 deaths, many more injuries and became world famous attracting everybodys attention toward chemical safety. It has opened the eyes and shaken the governments and all safety people to wake up. Many expert committees have been formed and safety reports are published. The Factories Act is rapidly amended to include many matters on chemical safety. Many

seminars have been held and the chemical wave is still continued. This shows the significance of chemical safety.