Standards: chemical hazards

GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The GHS provides a common approach to defining and classifying chemical hazards and standardizes chemical hazard communication on container labels and Safety Data Sheets. OSHA, along with other Federal agencies, is adopting the GHS. 

OSHA Act of 1970, Air Contaminants Standard chemical hazards, researching, 852 chemical industry exposure limits... 

Open flame Personal behavior Standards of conduct Pipetting Smoking Other standards Chemical hazard control Chemical classification Carcinogens Caustics or corrosives Explosives Flammables Poisons Disposal Labeling Storage... 

Two standard estimation methods for heat of reaction and CART are Chetah 7.2 and NASA CET 89. Chetah Version 7.2 is a computer program capable of predicting both thermochemical properties and certain reactive chemical hazards of pure chemicals, mixtures or reactions. Available from ASTM, Chetah 7.2 uses Benson s method of group additivity to estimate ideal gas heat of formation and heat of decomposition. NASA CET 89 is a computer program that calculates the adiabatic decomposition temperature (maximum attainable temperature in a chemical system) and the equilibrium decomposition products formed at that temperature. It is capable of calculating CART values for any combination of materials, including reactants, products, solvents, etc. Melhem and Shanley (1997) describe the use of CART values in thermal hazard analysis. 

The toller needs to be familiar with all raw materials, intermediate materials, products and wastes, used, produced or generated, respectively, while operating the process. Tollers in the U.S. should comply with the Federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, codified as 29 CFR. 1910.1200 and any similar state right-to-know laws that are currently in force or may be enacted during the term of the contract. This is often stated in the contract. The contract may require the toller to inform its employees of the chemical hazards associated with products or chemicals and may also be responsible for training its employees in the proper handling methods. The toller has an obligation when in doubt about a product or chemical, to seek further information from the product s manufacturer. 

Employers must ensure that their workers know the potential hazards of the chemicals they work with, how to protect themselves against those hazards (e.g., safe practices, personal protection equipment, etc.), and what to do in case of an emergency. Accordingly, OSHA has established basic communication requirements under the Hazard Communication Standard to inform workers about chemicals in use in the workplace. Under this standard, chemical makers must meet the following requirements ... 

HACCP is one of the minimum standards that is often required in a food processing enterprise to ensure that products do not contain harmful levels of biological, physical or chemical hazards such as pathogenic microorganisms or toxins. The overall idea of HACCP is to identify specific CCPs, which are those steps in the production process where the safety of the final product can be controlled most efficiently, and then define systematic procedures for monitoring and corrective action, to ensure that the risk is controlled at each... 

There are OSHA standards designed to protect employees from acute chemical hazards resulting lfom reactive incidents-including fires, explosions, and toxic releases. The Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires chemical manufacturers to evaluate chemicals produced or handled in their workplace and to communicate the hazards associated with the products they produce via labels and MSDSs. The standard also requires all employers to provide information to employees about the hazardous chemicals to which they could be exposed. The PSM Standard (29 CFR 1910.119) requires employers to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of highly hazardous chemicals, including highly reactive chemicals. 

Processes that are covered by the OSHA PSM Standard due to the presence of flammable substances may, in fact, have significant reactive hazards as well. An example is a polymerization reaction involving the flammable chemical 1,3-butadiene. Such processes are required to address all chemical hazards, including reactive hazards. 

The PSI element of both the OSHA PSM Standard and the EPA RMP regulation can be improved by requiring the inclusion of all existing information on chemical reactivity. Examples of such information are chemical reactivity test data, such as DSC, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), or accelerating rate calorimetry and relevant incident reports from the plant, the corporation, industry, and government. OSHA and EPA should require the facility to consult such resources as Bretherick s Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards,Sax s Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, and computerized tools (e g., CHETAH, The Chemical Reactivity Work Sheet). 

This chapter covered only a small proportion of the vast number of chemicals that can be found in the workplace. For more definitive information on a wide variety of toxic substances, the reader is referred to standard references on industrial toxicology. Of these, one of the most useful for a quick summary of toxic effects and management is Chemical Hazards in the Workplace by N. H. Proctor and J. P. Hughes. Definitive reviews of many chemicals are published by the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the National Safety Council among others. Sources are given in Appendix III. 

Subpart W Equipment leaks of VOCs In the Synthetic Organic Chemicals Manufacturing Industry (SOCMI)-chemlcals produced by affected facilities National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories Yes 40 CFR 60.489 ERA 1983a... 

NIOSH. 1990. NIOSH pocket guide to chemicals hazards. Washington, DC U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Standard Development and Technology Transfer. NIOSH publication no. 90117. 

NIOSH Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards n-Butyl Glycidyl Ether Supplement II-OHG, pp 184. Division of Standards Development and Technology Transfer, US Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, OH, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No 89-104, 1988... 

Entry into Confined Spaces. In 1993 OSHA adopted a confined space entry rule (93) requiring employers to evaluate the workplace to (/) determine if it contains any confined spaces, (2) mark or identify such confined spaces, and (3) develop and implement a permit program for entry into such spaces. The program must include a permit system which specifies the steps to be taken to identify, evaluate, control, and monitor possible electrical, mechanical, and chemical hazards select and use equipment institute stand-by attendance and establish communications. The reference standard (93) should be studied for details. 

As can be seen from the Global Reactive Chemicals Standard, all existing chemical processes will have a Reactive Chemicals/Process Hazard Analysis review on a predefined periodic basis. In addition, every new plant Production Leader should review their process with the Reactive Chemicals Committee within 90 days of assuming responsibility for a pilot or production plant. Prior to the review, the Leader should acquire training on the chemistry and processes that they are working with. This should include an evaluation of raw materials, processes, products and waste to understand any potential reactive chemical hazards. They should review and be prepared to answer questions from the completed and updated RC/PHA protocol questionnaire as well as other relevant materials in their plant Process Safety Folder, such as F EI, CEI, etc. The review should cover all auxiliary operations to the process such as raw material and product storage drum, tank car and truck loading. 

Technical requirements on treatment and disposal of spent fuel, high-level waste, and transuranic waste established under AEA should be largely unaffected by the presence of waste classified as hazardous under RCRA Some of these wastes meet technology-based treatment standards for hazardous chemical waste established by EPA (e.gvitrified high-level waste is an acceptable waste form under RCRA). Alternatively, a finding that disposal of the radioactive component of the waste complies with applicable environmental standards established by EPA under AEA can serve to exempt the disposal facility from prohibitions on disposal of restricted hazardous chemical wastes under RCRA [e.g., disposal of mixed transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. 

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