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Other physical forms are aerosols, fumes, smokes, and fogs. Chemicals can change forms or “states” depending on temperature and pressure. For instance, water is liquid between 0-100 degrees Celsius (°C). Above 100°C it is in a gaseous state (steam) and below 0°C it is ice, a solid state. As a general rule, when the temperature of a solid is increased, it turns into a liquid (i.e. it melts). If the liquid is further heated, it boils and evaporates, generating smoke or fumes and turning into vapour or gas. If the surrounding pressure upon gases is increased without changes in temperature, they move from a gaseous state to a liquid one. Substances can change from one physical form to another, depending upon temperature and pressure. It is crucial to be aware of the possible movement of chemicals between physical forms due to surrounding and external changes, since some physical forms have a much greater negative impact than others. A substance, which might not represent a risk 14 in a solid state, for example, can become hazardous to a worker in a liquid or gaseous form. PHYSICAL PROCESSES They refer to the properties that chemicals have and which allows them to change from one form to another without involving a change in chemical composition. This happens through the following processes: • The boiling point, which is the temperature at which a substance changes from liquid to gaseous state; • The melting point, which is the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid state; • The flash point (open or closed cup), which describes the temperature at which a substance gives off enough vapour to form a mixture with air that can be ignited –causing it to burn- by a spark or flame; • The auto-ignition temperature, which is the lowest temperature at which a substance burns without a spark or flame. To contrast these two types of properties, the flash point for gasoline (petrol) is 62°C (143°F); their respective auto-ignition temperatures are at 246°C (475°F) and 210°C (410°F). The key physical properties are: • Solubility in water designates the amount (by weight) of the substance that can dissolve in one litre of water to form a solution (homogenous mixture). This property is particularly relevant to possible water pollution and the potential impacts on aquatic organisms. In other words, high solubility compounds are normally a greater threat to aquatic organisms than low solubility compounds because they dissipate more quickly. • Insolubility often refers to poorly soluble compounds, rather than to nonsoluble compounds. In a stricter sense, there are very few cases where absolutely no material dissolves. Other properties to mention are vapour pressure, relative vapour density, flammability, octanol/water partition coefficient, among others. 14 It is important to distinguish risk from hazard. For a detailed explanation, see “Unit 3: Prevention, the best antidote to chemical exposure / Assessing hazards, risks and safety: safer handling, what else?” 20
PHYSICAL HAZARDS The physico-chemical hazards encountered in the workplace level generally arise from explosive, flammable, extremely flammable, highly flammable or oxidizing 15 substances. Often, of course, such substances will also present health hazards due to their toxicity. Box 1.1. What are hazardous chemical substances? A hazardous chemical substance is one that represents a risk for the safety and security of workers and the environment, due to: • its physicochemical, chemical and toxicological properties; • the form in which it is used (dust, aerosol, liquid…); and • the form in which it is found in the workplace. For example, using water at room temperature might not be a risk, whereas if it is heated up to a 100°C, contact with that liquid or vapour could be very dangerous. Source: IPCS (International programme on chemical safety) (1996). “Users’ manual for the IPCS health and safety guides” http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsgguide.htm (last accessed 14 April 2008) WHY ARE CHEMICALS TOXIC? HOW TOXIC CAN A SUBSTANCE BE? WHAT IS TOXICOLOGY? There is an array of toxic substances, whether manufactured (synthetic) chemicals like medicines, pesticides and solvents used in the industry, or substances occurring naturally in the environment. They have the potential to cause harmful effects on human beings and the environment, referred to as toxic or adverse effects. Examples of toxic effects range from headaches, nauseas, vomiting, or irritations, to cancer, alterations of the reproductive system, or death. Nature is also capable of producing toxic substances which can also have adverse effects on human health and the environment: certain types of naturally occurring gases, or via fungi, viruses, bacteria, plants and animals like certain species of snakes, fishes or insects, among others. However, the far-reaching scope of injury caused by naturally produced elements does not come anywhere close to the devastating effects that some synthetic chemicals can have on human health and the environment. 15 Strong oxidizing agents are often very reactive chemicals, and, in contact with combustible material such as paper, sawdust, fabrics or powdered metals, may form unstable mixtures, which constitute a risk of fire or explosion. A variety of substances can act as oxidizing agents. Oxygen on its own is a reasonably strong oxidizing agent, but other materials, such as fluorine, metal nitrates, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), or sodium dichromate are very effective. 21
Page 1 and 2: Sound and Sustainable Management of
Page 3 and 4: SOUND AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF
Page 5 and 6: Training Manual Prepared by the Int
Page 7: UNEP Review / Editon Team: • Oliv
Page 10 and 11: BACKGROUND The Training Manual on S
Page 12 and 13: NOTES: 10
Page 14 and 15: world. According to the Internation
Page 16 and 17: (f) capacity for rehabilitation of
Page 19 and 20: MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICALS
Page 21: There are different international i
Page 25 and 26: Although some chemicals are less ha
Page 27 and 28: Below are listed some of the most t
Page 29 and 30: These effects may appear at extreme
Page 31 and 32: LD 50 (lethal dose) refers to the a
Page 33 and 34: accumulative substances (TPB). For
Page 35 and 36: Box 1.8. Asbestos: the world’s bi
Page 37 and 38: • Dermal absorption: skin contact
Page 39 and 40: • The nervous system is sensitive
Page 41 and 42: ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Page 43 and 44: fall on earth as rain, snow, mist,
Page 45 and 46: maximum “tolerable” levels. Add
Page 47 and 48: • Substitution of equipment and p
Page 49 and 50: The production and use of chemicals
Page 51 and 52: Box 1.15. Clean Production Cleaner
Page 53 and 54: Module 1 references Official websit
Page 57 and 58: MODULE 2: SAFE USE OF CHEMICALS IN
Page 59 and 60: Box 2.1. Collective agreements and
Page 61 and 62: In this case, they should first ide
Page 63 and 64: Manufacturers and suppliers, in par
Page 65 and 66: Every chemical container in the wor
Page 67 and 68: 14. Transport information: provides
Page 69 and 70: In drafting this list, workers and
Page 71 and 72: The risk factors, i.e. the conditio
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Unit 3: IS YOUR JOB PUTTING YOU AT
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What to do? 1. Check the hazard pot
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Box 2.9. Benefits associated with r
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A personal protective equipment pro
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Several factors need to be taken in
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When a spillage occurs, suitable pr
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Unit 5: SAFE CHEMICALS - SAFE PRODU
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Questions to raise, among others:
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Box 2.16. Informative matrix on the
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Unit 6: KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT IS HAPP
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A chemical leak or spill can have d
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NOTES: 93
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UN RECOMMENDED SYMBOLS FOR THE TRAN
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R 22 R 23 R 23/24 R 23/24/25 R 23/2
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still appear in cards not modified
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R 68/21/22 R 68/22 Harmful: possibl
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S 34 S 35 S 36 S 36/37 S 36/37/39 S
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Annex 2: CARDS The following cards
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Card 4 - Risk evaluation On a scale
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9. Have you suffered or are you suf
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7. Are workers told of the hygienic
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Annex 4: EXAMPLE OF A BASIC CARD TO
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116
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Unit 1: INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE OF
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The main working areas are Occupati
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In the late 1980s, a tightening of
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Likewise, old ships are exported to
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What still needs to be done… 42 T
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Examples of substances regulated…
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national policy of chemical safety
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It is important, then, to demand th
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What still needs to be done… REAC
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Social dialogue, which includes all
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Box 3.10. ITUC Annual Survey of vio
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Box 3.14. Successful alliances on p
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Collective bargaining serves a dual
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Module 3 references Official websit
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146
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EP 05/08#2008-40693
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