Essential Practices for Managing Chemical Reactivity Hazards

1
Essential Practices for Managing Chemical
Reactivity Hazards

• EFCOG/DOE Chemical Management Workshop
• Scott Berger
• Nov 7, 2002

2
Objectives and Timing

• Publish a general guide for managing reactive
  chemical hazards
• Fast track project CCPS sub-committee met for
  the first time in Jan., 2002
• Published book available at March, 2003 AICHE
  convention
• Currently at peer review stage
• A 10 pager on reactive chemicals published by
  CCPS in October, 2001

3
Sub-committee Members

• Chairman Pete Lodal, Eastman Chemical
• Sub-Committee members from 17 companies
• CCPS Project Managers Gary Phillips (Dow,
  retired) replaced John Bresland

4
Recent Reactive Chemical Incidents

• Toulouse, France Ammonium Nitrate
• Concept Sciences, Allentown, PA
• BP Amoco, Augusta, GA
• Georgia-Pacific, Pennington, AL

5
Book Coincides with High Level of Interest in the
Subject

• OSHA NPRM
• EPA
• Chemical Safety Board Study and report October
  2002
• Unions requesting improvements
• Some Congressional support for industry
  improvement

6
Purpose of the Book

• Contribute to the aim of having no accidents,
  injuries or harm to the environment from
  uncontrolled chemical reactions in industry or
  the workplace

7
What are the essentials of managing chemical
reactivity hazards?

• Commitment to managing the hazards
• Identification of the hazards
• Communication of the hazards
• Understanding the process
• Reducing the hazards, where feasible
• Prevention of incidents by proper design,
  construction, operation and maintenance
• Reducing impact of incidents that may occur

8
Key Considerations for Managing Chemical
Reactivity Hazards

• Know the chemistry (can you have a hazardous,
  undesired reaction?)
• Know the consequences of such a reaction
• Know what safeguards are needed to prevent it
  from happening
• Know how to respond if it does happen

9
Key Considerations for Managing Chemical
Reactivity Hazards - 2

• Educate all affected personnel about the
  potential hazards
• Train appropriate personnel on how to respond and
  prevent incidents
• Inform customers, suppliers and trade
  organizations about potential hazards of
  materials
• Train Emergency Responders

10
Contents of Book

• 1. Introduction and overview
• 2. Chemical reactivity hazard management
• 3. Preliminary screening method for chemical
• reactivity hazards
• 4. Essential management practices
• 5. Worked examples
• 6. Future work on chemical reactivity hazards
• 7. Supplemental CD ROM with best practice
• examples other practical information

11
Management Systems that Partially Address
Reactive Chemicals

• CCPS Management System
• OSHA PSM program
• EPA RMP program
• Seveso II Directive

12
Different Types of Operations Require a Variety
of Approaches

• Storage, handling and packaging
• Mixing and physical processing
• Intentional chemistry

13
Some Questions to Ask in a Preliminary Screening

• Intentional chemistry?
• Mixing or combining of different substances?
• Any hazardous substances present?
• Any net heat generation?
• Pyrophoric materials?
• Water reactive materials?
• Self-reactive materials?
• Incompatible materials?
• Effects of size scale of process?

14
Question 1
YES
5
Chapter 3 text gives information on each numbered
Question
NO
NO
2
NO
YES
YES
3
6
NO
YES
YES
NO
7
4
YES
YES
NO
NO
8
YES
NO
9
YES
- STOP - Chemical reactivity hazards not likely
to be present

NO
10
YES
NO
11
YES
NO
12
NO
YES
Figure 3.1 Preliminary Screen for Chemical
Reactivity Hazards Summary Flowchart
15
Incompatible Materials

• What Could be the Consequences?
• Examine the Possible Mixing Scenarios?
• Implement Key Lines of Defense
• (Common Example Mixing household bleach with
  ammonia to make a cleaning solution.)

16
Ten Essential Management Practices

• 1. Develop management system and obtain
  management commitment
• 2. Collect reactivity hazard information
• 3. Identify reactive chemical hazards
• 4. Test for chemical reactivity
• 5. Assess the chemical reactivity risks

17
Ten Essential Management Practices

• 6. Identify process controls
• 7. Document the risks and management decisions
• 8. Communicate and train appropriate personnel
• 9. Investigate and communicate incidents to
  leverage learning
• 10. Review, audit and improve management system

18
Additional Information Sources

• CCPS Guideline books
• Material Safety Data Sheets
• Data from manufacturers or suppliers
• DOT Emergency Response Guidebook
• NFPA 49, Hazardous Chemical Data
• Brethericks Handbook
• U.S. Coast Guard CHRIS Database
• NOAA Chemical Reactivity Worksheet
• SAXs Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials

19
The Future of Chemical Reactivity Management

• More information on reactive hazards
• New safeguards to avoid or prevent reactive
  hazards
• Improved emergency response planning
• Better communication of hazards to operators,
  customers and emergency personnel