Explosion injuries

Source This information is compiled from Centers tor Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Explosions and blast injuries A primer for clinicians. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved June 16, 2006, from http //www.bt.cdc.gov/masstrauma/explosions.asp and Linsky, R., Miller, A (2005). Types of explosions and explosive injuries defined. In D. C. Keyes, J. L Burstein, R. B. Schwartz, and R. E. Swienton (Eds.), Medical response to terrorism Preparedness and clinical practice (pp. 198-211). New York Lippincott, Williams Wilkins. 

RCA grenades or canisters, which are picked up before, or as, they detonate, may cause bums as well as explosive injuries. In addition, if they are projected into enclosed spaces (e.g. rooms) they may cause bums secondary to ignition of... 

Chemical reactions of substances, materials etc. lead to fire, explosions, injuries, health impairments, poisoning, environmental damage etc. 

The theory of practical drift postulates that even though organizations develop elaborate plans and procedures for dealing with routine and emergent situations, when a situation (e.g., a fire, explosion, injury, etc.) occurs, these plans and procedures fall prey to on-scene modification due to conditions encountered at the scene. 

CAUTION. Ethers that have been stored for long periods, particularly in partly-filled bottles, frequently contain small quantities of highly explosive peroxides. The presence of peroxides may be detected either by the per-chromic acid test of qualitative inorganic analysis (addition of an acidified solution of potassium dichromate) or by the liberation of iodine from acidified potassium iodide solution (compare Section 11,47,7). The peroxides are nonvolatile and may accumulate in the flask during the distillation of the ether the residue is explosive and may detonate, when distilled, with sufficient violence to shatter the apparatus and cause serious personal injury. If peroxides are found, they must first be removed by treatment with acidified ferrous sulphate solution (Section 11,47,7) or with sodium sulphite solution or with stannous chloride solution (Section VI, 12). The common extraction solvents diethyl ether and di-tso-propyl ether are particularly prone to the formation of peroxides. 

Plant Safety. Of the many ferroalloy products produced in electric furnaces, ferromanganese has the greatest potential for furnace emptions or the more serious furnace explosions. The severity of the explosions increases with the size of the furnace. Such incidents are infrequent, but can occur, and when they do are often disastrous. Explosions usually result in extensive damage to the furnace and surrounding area, and often severe injuries or death to personnel in the immediate area. An emption is the sudden ejection of soHds, Hquids, or gases from the furnace interior. A more violent and instantaneous ejection of material, accompanied by rapid expansion of burning gas, is considered an explosion (38). 

Plant Fireproofing. There is a growing practice in the chemical industry of locating principal equipment out of doors and to enclose only a control room where all instmments and control equipment are centered. The control room should be resistant to potential explosion, fire, and toxicity ha2ards of processes in the vicinity. Prompt and ordedy shutdown of processes following a serious incident is essential in order to minimise personnel-injury and property-loss ha2ards (65,66). 

Hot Work. The objective of a hot work standard is to prevent fires, explosions, and other causes of injury which might result from workplace ignition sources such as welding (qv), cutting, grinding, and use of electrically powered tools. The OSHA standards have specific requirements (36,94) for fire prevention and protection and a permit system. 

The pneumatic classification system should be designed to handle ha2ardous dust (28). A ha2ardous dust is one which, when finely divided and suspended in air in the proper concentration, bums, produces violent explosions, or is sufficiently toxic to be injurious to personnel health (see Air pollution control methods Powders, handling). At the least, almost any dust can be irritating to personnel because of inhalation or skin or eye contact. Fully oxidi2ed and hydrated materials are generally considered safe. 

Whereas an explosion from methane tends to be localized, it may start coal dust explosions resulting in more widespread injury and loss of life. AH coal breaking operations result in formation of fine coal particles some are controlled with water during the mining operation. Breakage associated with hauling disperses dust, and dust accumulations can be made safe by rockdusting. Powdered limestone is spread over the mine surfaces to cover the dust. 

Materials that on shor t exposure could cause death or major residual injury 4 Materials that will rapidly or completely vaporize at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient temperature, or that are readily dispersed in air and will burn readily 4 Materials that in themselves are readily capable of detonation or of explosive decomposition or reaction at normal temperatures and pressures... 

Materials that on intense or continued hut not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury 2 Materials that must he moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur 2 Materials that readily undergo violent chemical change at elevated temper atiires and pressures or which react violently with water or which may form explosive mixtures with water... 

Catastrophic Incident An incident involving a major uncontrolled emission, fire or explosion that causes significant damage, injuries and/or fatalities onsite and have an outcome effect zone that extends into the surrounding community. 

Some occupational hygiene aspects of man-made mineral fibres and new technology fibres Safe handling requirements dunng explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic manufacture Simplified calculations of blast induced injuries and damage Laboratory work with chemical carcinogens and oncogenes Rosin (colophony) a review... 

A. Tanuary 17, 1986 explosion at a Diamond Shamrock Chemical plant near Ashtabula, Ohio, killed two employees, critically injured another, and caused lesser injuries to at least a dozen other workers. The blast involved 2,000 lb of ammonium dichromate in the unit for its production at the plant,... 

The cause of the explosion, which also left four people seriously injured and 31 others with minor injuries, is unknown. A Hoechst Celanese spokesman says that the first blast occurred near a gas-fired boiler and the second blast at a nearby reactor in which butane is reacted with steam to produce acetic acid. The 35-year-old plant employs 600 persons, 150 as contract maintenance and construction workers, but the blasts on Saturday only involved a weekend crew of 60. 

The explosion and fire (May 1,1990) caused eight deaths (including a vice-president and site manager), 120 injuries, extensive damage to buildings in the area, and evacuation of an entire small town. The cause of the explosion, at the Angus Chemicals Plant, was the blowout of a compressor line on the nitroparaffin unit. 

The chemical process industry is vast and varied. The value of chemicals and chemical products in 1993 was 0.5 trillion for the Ll.S," involving 67,000 chemical engineers, 98,000 chemists. There were 5.5 non-fatal occupational injuries per 100 employees in 1995 involving chemical and allied products, and 4.8 per 100 workers in petroleum and coal products, There were 101 fatalities due to exposure to caustic, noxious or allergenic substances and 208 deaths from fires and explosions in 1995. 

To develop a safe design, it is necessary to first design and specify all equipment and systems in accordance with applicable codes and standards. Once the system is designed, a process safety shutdown system is specified to assure that potential hazards that can be detected by measuring process upsets are detected, and that appropriate safety actions (normally an automatic shutdown) are initiated. A hazards analysis is then normally undertaken to identify and mitigate potential hazards that could lead to fire, explosion, pollution, or injury to personnel and that cannot be detected as process upsets. Finally, a system of safety management is implemented to assure the system is operated and maintained in a safe manner by personnel who have received adequate training. 

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