PRACTICAL GUIDE

TO INDUSTRIAL
SAFETY
Methods for Process
Safety Professionals

Nicholas P. Cheremisinoff
N&P Consultants, Ltd.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

MARCEL

MARCEL DEKKER, INC.

D E K K E R

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

NEW YORK BASEL

ISBN: 0-8247-0476-2
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Copyright 2001 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

PREFACE

This volume has been written for process safety professionals. The intent of the
volume is to provide supplemental information to assist safety specialists in managing operations in industrial settings. The subject areas covered highlight some of

the more important health and safety problems involved in the chemical and allied
industries. It is not intended as a handbook, and indeed many safety subjects such
as hearing protection, back injuries, and stress fatigue are not covered. Instead, the
book concentrates on areas of high-risk personal exposure, with emphasis on inhalation hazards and direct chemical exposure. The volume provides a large number
of useful references and points the reader to a number of Web sites where a wide
variety of health and safety and emergency preparedness information can be accessed. There are eight chapters, each covering commonplace occupational risks
that OSHA standards regulate. Subjects covered include an overview of occupational safety problems (both physical and chemical), specific hazards encountered
in selected industry segments within the chemicals and petroleum industries, indoor
air quality management issues, the use of personal protective equipment, process
safety considerations and emergency preparedness, laboratory safety, bloodborne
pathogens, and heat stress.
It is assumed that the reader has a professional background in the area of safety
management and engineering, and hence, many commonplace terms are not defined. Instead, the reader may also refer to some of the following books by the
same author to facilitate reading and subject understanding:

Handbook of Industrial Toxicology and Hazardous Materials, Marcel

Dekker, Inc., 1999;
Safety Management Practices for Hazardous Materials, Marcel Dekker,
Inc., 1996;
Toxic Properties of Pesticides, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1994;

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

iv

PREFACE

Dangerous Properties of Industrial and Consumer Chemicals, Marcel

Dekker, Inc., 1994.

Although the author has relied on well-known and authoritative sources to compile

the information in this book, neither he nor the publisher guarantees the designs or
procedures that are discussed. Application of safety engineering principles and
emergency response practices must closely follow local, state and federal regulations, which are often specific to industry sectors and parts of the country.

The author wishes to thank Marcel Dekker, Inc., for the fine production of this
volume.

Nicholas P. Cheremisinoff, Ph.D.

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1.

in
Introduction to Industrial Safety 1

Introduction 1
Environmental and Occupational Diseases 2
Repetitive Stress Injury 8
Regulations, Laws, and Agencies 14
Overview of Pollution Issues 16
Injury and Illness Statistics 29
Chapter 2.

Hazards in the Chemical Process Industries 33

Introduction 33
General Terminology 34
Polymer Production 58
Rubber Products Manufacturing Industry 67
Sulfuric Acid Manufacturing 75
Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing 81
Insecticide Manufacture 85
Concepts of Industrial Hygiene 93

Sources of Information 97
Chapter 3.

Inhalation Hazards in Refineries 99

Introduction 99
Inhalation and Fire Hazards 100
Pressure Relieving Systems 125
Inhalation Hazards from Tanker Operations

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vi

CONTENTS

Oil-Water Effluent Systems 139

Air Emissions from Valves 143

Cooling Tower Operations 144

Miscellaneous Air Emissions 147
Chapter 4.

Indoor Air Quality Management 149

Introduction 149

HVAC Systems 151

Building Occupants and IAQ Issues 156
Auditing Practices and the IAQ Profile 160
Management Plans 167

Diagnosing IAQ Problems 175

Controlling Indoor Air Problems 190
IAQ Measurement Techniques 200
Chapter 5.

Personal Protective Equipment 244

Introduction 244

Eye, Face and Head Protection 246

Foot and Hand Protection 248
Chemical Protective Clothing 250
Levels of Protection 291
Working with Asbestos and Other Synthetic Mineral Fibers 307
Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation 316
Web Sites for Additional Information 326
Chapter 6.

Safety and Emergency Preparedness 328

Introduction 328

Emergency Preparedness and Response 330

Accident Investigation Principles 349
Assessing Hazards on the Job 354
Assessing Confined Space Operations 359
Using the Internet 368
Chapter 7.

Safety in the Laboratory 381

Introduction 381
Compressed and Liquefied Gases 381

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

CONTENTS

Flammables and Combustibles 388

Corrosives 395

Ethers and Other Peroxide-Forming Chemicals 399

Oxidizers 402

Carcinogens, Highly Toxic Chemicals, and

Controlled Substances 404
NFPA Hazard Ratings 413
Chapter 8.

Select OSH Facts 418

Introduction 418
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 418
Mercury Fact Sheet 423
Beryllium 427

Lead 431
Facts About Heat Stress 437
Index 451

Copyright 2001 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

vii