A308 Environment, Health and Safety

Problem 09: It is so irritating!

6th Presentation

Activity Owner: Ishir Lim, Francis Zheng, Jayne Loh Inputs by: DENV Team Approved by: Soh Thian Ping (Dr) Module Chair: Jayne Loh
Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Todays Problem
You are a new Insurance Claim Investigation Officer. You were shocked by the claims sent in by a chemical manufacturing company insured by your Company. You are tasked to look into the trend of the claims and suggest to your boss and client what can be done to improve the current situation.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

What Do You Recognize?

Summary of the claims for the past three years was given. The number of claim cases and claim amount varied from illness to illness. The illnesses could be due to different chemicals and some chemicals can be more harmful than others. Toxic chemicals can enter the human body in different ways. Different chemicals have different effects on humans. The effects are also different at different doses. There must be a limit to human exposure. Measures should be in place to ensure that the exposure to toxic chemicals are controlled.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

The Approach
Obtain relevant information on toxic chemicals using GHS SDS.
- Globally Harmonised System of Classification (GHS) - Labeling - Classes of Chemicals

Find out how toxic chemicals can enter the human body and how to prevent that from happening. Use the Hierarchy of Controls to evaluate the toxic chemical as a hazard. Identify the limits set for human exposure if the chemicals cannot be eliminated. Identify the laws and regulations related to use of toxic chemicals in the workplace.
Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Globally Harmonised System (GHS)

It covers classification and labelling of hazardous chemicals according to their physical, health and environmental hazards.

Hazardous Chemicals
Physical Hazard
- Explosives - Flammable gases - Flammable aerosols - Oxidizing gases - Gases under pressure - Flammable liquids - Flammable solids - Self-reactive substances and mixtures - Pyrophoric liquids - Pyrophoric solids - Self-heating substances and mixtures - Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases - Oxidizing liquids - Oxidizing solids - Organic peroxides - Corrosive to metals

Health Hazard
- Acute toxicity - Skin corrosion / irritation - Serious eye damage / eye irritation - Respiratory or skin sensitization - Germ cell mutagenicity - Carcinogenicity - Reproductive toxicity - Specific target organ toxicity single exposure - Specific target organ toxicity repeated exposure - Aspiration hazard

Environmental Hazard
Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment - Acute toxicity - Chronic toxicity

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

GHS Safety Data Sheet (GHS SDS)

Why is GHS SDS important?
Ensure safe use of hazardous chemicals by enabling users to: - Identify the hazards of the chemical - Assess the risk involved in handling the chemical - Take the precautionary measures to eliminate or minimize the risk

A Hazard Communication Tool?

SDS provides a communication link between chemical manufacturers / suppliers and factory occupiers / employers who purchase the chemicals, and between employers and employees who use or handle the chemicals.

What Information can be Obtained?

Identification of the chemical, hazard identification, composition / information on ingredients, first aid measures, fire fighting measures, accidental release measures, handling and storage, exposure controls / personal protection, physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicological information, ecological information, disposal considerations, transport information, regulatory information and other information.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Labelling to Communicate Chemical Hazards

GHS Pictogram Hazard Class

Flame over Circle

y Oxidizer

Flame
y Flammable y Self-reactive y Pyrophoric y Self-heating y Emits flammable gas y Organic peroxide

Exploding Bomb
y Explosive y Self-reactive y Organic peroxide

GHS Pictogram Hazard Class

Skull and Crossbone

y Acute toxicity (severe)

Corrosion
yCorrosive

Gas Cylinder
y Gases under pressure

GHS Pictogram Hazard Class

Health
y Carcinogenicity y Respiratory sensitizer y Reproductive toxicity y Target organ toxicity y Germ cell mutagenicity y Aspiration toxicity

Environment
yEnvironmental toxicity

Exclamation Mark
yIrritant ySkin sensitizer yAcute toxicity (harmful) yNarcotic effects yRespiratory tract irritation

Classes of Chemicals
Oxidizer
An oxidizer or material gives up oxygen easily or can readily oxidize other materials. These chemicals will support a fire and are highly reactive.

Hazardous Chemicals
Irritant
A chemical, which is not corrosive, but which causes a reversible inflammatory effect on living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact.

Toxic / Carcinogenic
Toxic means able to cause harmful health effects. A carcinogenic material is one that is known to cause cancer.

Corrosive
A corrosive material can attack (corrode) metals or human tissues such as the skin or eyes.

Systemic poison
Toxicity that is not limited to adverse effects at the site of contact between the body and a device.

Teratogen
An agent or factor that causes malformation of an embryo.

Hepatotoxic (liver)
The capacity of a substance to have damaging effects on the liver

Nephrotoxic (Kidney)
The capacity of a substance to have damaging effects on the kidney

Neurotoxic (nervous system)

A toxin that damages or destroys nerve tissue.

Genotoxicity
A chemical or other agent that damages cellular DNA, resulting in mutations or cancer.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Routes of Entry
Route of Entry
Ingestion Organ of Form of entry chemical (Physical State) Mouth / Solid / liquid Stomach Method of control / prevention

Strict rules on no eating and drinking in places where chemicals may be present. No smoking in places where chemicals may be present. No putting on of make-up in places where chemicals may be present. Proper PPE (Gloves). Wash hands after lab work (proper hand washing techniques). Use of fume hoods, respirators, and face masks for volatile substances / gases. Ventilation systems. Cuts should be cleaned and bandaged immediately. Proper PPE (clothing). Proper PPE (Clothing / eye protection). Emergency shower / eye wash available in labs.

Inhalation

Mouth / nose Cuts in skin

Vapour

Injection

Liquid / vapour Liquid / vapour

Dermal Skin absorption

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Acute Effects and Chronic Effects

Acute effects are the effects of a single exposure or a series of multiple exposures close together in a short period of time. Chronic effects are the effects of multiple exposures occurring over a long period of time.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Dose-Response Curves
Effective Dose is used when the response to the chemical is minor and reversible (e.g. skin irritation that goes away). Toxic Dose is used when the response to the chemical is toxic (i.e. an undesirable response that is not lethal but is irreversible, such as liver damage). Lethal Dose is used when the response to the chemical is death.
100

ED
Response (%) 50

TD

LD

LD50
0 Logarithm of the Dose

Increasing Dosage (Concentration) of Chemical

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

TWA Calculation

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Threshold Limit Values (TLV)

Type of TLV TLV-TWA Description Time-Weighted Average (TWA) for a normal 8-day workday or 40-hr work week, to which nearly all workers can be exposed, day after day, without adverse effects. Excursions above the limit are allowed if compensated by excursions below the limit. Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL). The maximum concentration to which workers can be exposed for a period of up to 15 minutes continuously without suffering (1) intolerable irritation, (2) chronic or irreversible tissue change, (3) narcosis of sufficient degree to increase accident proness, impair self-rescue, or materially reduce worker efficiency, provided that no more than 4 excursions per day are permitted, with at least 60mins between exposure periods and provided that the daily TLV-TWA is not exceeded. Ceiling (C) limit. The concentration that should not be exceeded, even instantaneously.
Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

TLV-STEL

TLV-C

Permissible Exposure Level (PEL)

Term Permissible Exposure Level Description The maximum time weighted average concentration of a toxic substance to which any person may be exposed.

PEL (Long Term) PEL (Short Term)

The permissible exposure level over an 8-hour working day and a 40-hour work week The permissible exposure level over a 15-minute period during any working day

Extracted from WSH (General Provisions) Regulations, Regulation 2: Definitions

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

Legislation
Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations Workplace Safety and Health (Medical Examinations) Regulations Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Wastes) Regulations
Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore

What You Have Learnt?

GHS SDS ensures safe use of hazardous chemicals by users. Labelling helps to communicate the hazards of a chemical under normal handling or use. Toxic chemicals enter the human body in through various means, i.e. ingestion, inhalation, injection and dermal absorption. The effects of chemical toxicity can be classified as acute toxicity and chronic toxicity. Responses to varying doses (concentrations) of toxic chemicals is known as the Dose-Response Relationship. It can be used to determine the dosages that elicit a certain response by a certain percentage of the test subjects and is a guide to set exposure limits. Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) are used to as guidelines for exposure to toxic chemicals. Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) is another limit used and are compared with TVL-TWA values. TLV-TWA values are usually more conservative.

Copyright 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, Singapore