Ethylene oxide safety precautions

An explosion and fire (March 13, 1991) occurred at an ethylene oxide unit at Union Carbide Chemicals Plastics Co. s Seadrift plant in Port Lavaca, TX, 125 miles southwest of Houston. The blast killed one, injured 19, and idled the facility, that also produces ethylene, ethylene glycol, glycol ether ethanolamines, and polyethylene. Twenty-five residents were evacuated for several hours as a safety precaution. The plant lost all electrical power, for a few days, because its cogeneration unit was damaged. The Seadrift plant, with 1,600 workers, is capable of making 820 million lb per year of ethylene oxide which is one-third of Carbide s worldwide production of antifreeze, polyester fibers, and surfactants Seadrift produces two thirds of Carbide s worldwide production of polyethylene. 

The addition of a gas to a reaction mixture (commonly the hydrogen halides, fluorine, chlorine, phosgene, boron trifluoride, carbon dioxide, ammonia, gaseous unsaturated hydrocarbons, ethylene oxide) requires the provision of safety precautions which may not be immediately apparent. Some of these gases may be generated in situ (e.g. diborane in hydroboration reactions), some may be commercially available in cylinders, and some may be generated by chemical or other means (e.g. carbon dioxide, ozone). An individual description of the convenient sources of these gases will be found under Section 4.2. 

What safety precautions should you take with the ethylene oxide format tion discussed in Example 4-6 With the bromine cyanide discussed in Example 4-11 ... 

What should you do if some of the ethylene glycol spla.shed out of reactor onto your face and clothing itiinr. Recall ivnH. stVi.nrg/.) What safety precautions should you take with the ethylene oxide forn tion discussed in Example 4-6 With the bromine cyanide discussed E.xampie 4-9 ... 

Ethylene oxide is a low boiling, flammable liquid, whose vapors easily form explosive mixtures in air [1]. It is to be labeled as a cancer hazard and a reproductive hazard [2]. It is prudent to handle propylene oxide and other three-membered ring organic oxides with safety precautions similar to those used for ethylene oxide. 

Work should be carried out in well-ventilated hood areas behind safety shields. Full protection against explosive hazard associated with this compoimd is not achieved by this. It also should be kept in mind that the density of ethylene oxide is greater than that of air and therefore, may not necessarily be carried up and out of the hood. Also, the problem of air pollution downwind from the hood s vent needs to be addressed. Special precautions must also be taken for the problems that may arise should there be a release of high levels of ethylene oxide as a result of an explosion. 

Since ethylene oxide is flammable, care must be used in handling it near heating mantles. Reactions that may be carried out under pressure require additional safety precautions. 

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