India is the sixth-largest producer of chemicals in the world with an annual production of around 50 MMT ( chemicals and petrochemicals) making chemical sector contribute significantly towards the industrial and economic growth. Chemicals have all become an integral part of human life be it either in the production of Chemicals, Plastics, Agrochemicals, Textiles, or for energy needs.
Chemicals exhibit more than one hazard or combinations of several hazards during their life cycle ranging from manufacturing, storage, handling, transportation, export, import, usage, recycling, disposal and waste management. Hazards arising out of chemicals are
Physical hazards: These are the physical or chemical hazards of the chemical (substance or mixture) which pose risk to workers. They are the outcome of inappropriate handling or usage - Physical hazards are encountered during handling of Explosives, Flammable gases, Aerosols and chemicals under pressure, Oxidizing gases, Gases under pressure, Flammable liquids, Flammable solids, Self reacting and heating substances, pyrophoric liquids and solids, substances which emit flammable gases on reaction with water, Oxidizing solids and liquids, Organic peroxides, corrosives
Environmental hazards: They are hazards to the aquatic environment, hazards to the ozone layer
Health hazards: These are the properties of a chemical that have the potential to cause adverse health effects which are long term (chronic) or short term(acute) like
o Asphyxiation: Chemical asphyxiants interfere with the oxygen transport system and cellular respiration and thereby cause tissue hypoxia resulting in asphyxiation. Ex., Carbon monoxide, Hydrogen sulphide and Cyanide
o Systemic intoxication: Chemicals targeting specific organs of a body for example metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons on the liver, carbon tetrachloride on the gastric system etc
o Pneumoconiosis: Any lung disease caused by dust that is inhaled inside and then deposited deep in the lungs causing damage. Diseases that fall under pneumoconiosis include asbestosis, silicosis and coal workers’ pneumoconiosis – also known as “black lung disease.” The risk is generally higher when people have been exposed to mineral dusts in high concentrations and/or for long periods
o Carcinogenicity: Cancer-causing substances or chemicals, some well-known chemicals are asbestos, nickel, benzene, vinyl chloride.
o Irritation: Chemicals like acids, solvents, dust and welding fumes produce inflammation or irritation in eyes, skin or
respiratory tract.
o Mutagenicity: Chemicals like radioactive substance which cause permanent changes in the amount or structure of genetic material
o Teratogenicity: Chemicals like polychlorinated bi phenols which cause birth defects
Health effects are due to chemicals entering the body in various ways.
· Inhalation: Hazardous chemicals in the air are inhaled
· Ingestion: Hazardous chemical making way into the body while taking or drinking contaminated foods.
· Injection: Hazardous chemicals entering through skin punctures or cuts
· Skin contact: Some hazardous chemicals are absorbed through the skin
CHEMICAL HAZARDS CONTROLS
Where hazardous chemicals are used controls must be established and implemented to safeguard the health and safety of the persons who are liable to be exposed, some of the important steps in this direction are
MSDS ( Material safety data sheet ): The MSDS should be made available at all times as it acts as the main hazard communication tool between the chemical manufacturer and end-users as it provides complete information of the properties about the chemical.
Transportation of chemicals: Fire, explosion, toxic spillages or releases are the consequences during accidents involving chemicals, It has to be ensured that proper labelling as per the required regulatory guidelines to be done to ensure proper identification, the hazards involved and the precautions to be taken.
Personal Protective Equipment: To ensure effective protection against chemicals, PPE should be properly selected, correctly maintained and used.
Storage of chemicals: A proper system of storage of hazardous chemicals to be ensured taking into consideration the properties of chemicals, incompatibility, amount of storage, and environmental conditions.
Risk assessment and control: Proper risk assessment to be done to analyze the risks arising from the use of any hazardous chemicals and implementation of control and preventive measures.
CHEMICAL REGULATION IN INDIA
The most important chemical regulation in India is “Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (Amendment rules, 1989, 1994 and 2000)” which regulates the manufacture, storage and import of hazardous chemicals in India given under schedule 1, 2, and 3
o TOXIC CHEMICALS: They are classified into extremely toxic, highly toxic and toxic based on oral, dermal and inhalation toxicity
o FLAMMABLE GASES: Gases that are ignitable when in a mixture of 13 per cent or less by volume with air (OR ) have a flammable range with air of at least 12 percentage points regardless of the lower flammable limits.
o FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS: Liquids with flash points below 90° C, they are further differentiated into Extremely Flammable liquids which have flash point lower than or equal to 23°C and boiling point less than 35°C, Very highly flammable liquids which have a flash point lower than or equal to 23°C and initial boiling point higher than 35°C and highly Highly flammable liquids which have a flash point lower than or equal to 60°C but higher than 23°C.
o EXPLOSIVES: It is a solid or liquid or pyrotechnic substance (or a mixture of substances) or an article Which is in itself capable by chemical reaction of producing gas at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause damage to the surroundings (or) designed to produce an effect by heat, light, sound, gas or smoke or a combination of these as the result of a non-detonative self-sustaining exothermic chemical reaction.
As per the act, the site owners must meet the following obligations
· Provide adequate resources to identify hazards associated with industrial activity and take adequate steps for prevention and control
· Provide relevant information to persons liable to be affected by a major accident
· Concerned authorizes to be notified within 48 hours of the occurrence of a major accident.
· Safety data sheets to be provided and every container of hazardous chemicals to be labelled during the time of transportation
· All details of hazardous chemicals import coming under schedule 1 to be provided to the chief controller before 30 days or as reasonably possible.
Article by PJ Mohan
Sr.Faculty, NIFS
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