Nitrogen Hazards

psrawat@parabolicdrugs.
com
psrawat@parabolicdrugs.com
Nitrogen! Discovered in 1772, nitrogen is non-detectable by any of the human senses (no smell, no taste, invisible, no sound, no feeling). Nitrogen is non-flammable and weighs approximately the same as air.
psrawat@parabolicdrugs.com 6
THE QUESTION AGAIN
WHAT IS NITROGEN?
Composition of Air
Component
Nitrogen Oxygen Argon Carbon Dioxide
Neon Helium Krypton Sulfur dioxide Methane Hydrogen Nitrous Oxide Xenon Ozone Nitrogen dioxide Iodine Carbon monoxide Ammonia
Symbol
N2 O2 Ar CO2
Ne He Kr SO2 CH4 H2 N 2O Xe O3 NO2 I2
Volume
78.084% 20.947% 0.934% 0.033%
18.2 parts per million 5.2 parts per million 1.1 parts per million 1.0 parts per million 2.0 parts per million 0.5 parts per million 0.5 parts per million 0.09 parts per million 0.07 parts per million 0.02 parts per million 0.01 parts per million 9
99.998%
CO trace psrawat@parabolicdrugs.com NH trace

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"While nitrogen is a major component of air we breathe and is not toxic, we should NEVER assume it's safe" "Nitrogen does (repeat) not support life, and when nitrogen displaces the oxygen we breathe, it can prove very deadly. Since nitrogen is odorless and colorless, our senses provide no protection against nitrogen-enriched atmospheres. Good safety management practices are essential if we are to avoid nitrogen-related deaths and injuries."
78.084% , . . , . ,
Nitrogen is an inert gas, which means that it does not react with other chemicals under most normal circumstances.
Nitrogen is often used in industries to displace other gases that are mainly fire or explosion hazards, thus making processes safer. Using nitrogen to remove oxygen from process equipment decreases the chances of a fire or explosion, but it also can make the atmosphere - in and around the equipment hazardous for humans to breathe. If anybody breathes Nitrogen, he is asphyxiated- RESULT: POSSIBLE DEATH-certain death
A number of nitrogen asphyxiation incidents have occurred in the past decade.

Findings from a study done by Chemical Safety Board (CSB), USA, included the following:
85 incidents occurred in the past decade that resulted in an average of eight deaths and five injuries each year. Causes of the incidents included personnel not knowing they were entering an oxygen depleted environment or not realizing that the environment had changed, and also mistaking nitrogen gas for
breathing air
Causes Contd. Almost half the incidents and more than 60 percent of the fatalities involved contractors, including construction workers; A number of deaths were caused by personnel attempting rescue without proper training and safety equipment.
WARNING!
Nitrogen gas is being used in plants for inertization purposes. It means that after nitrogen purging oxygen concentration inside the equipment or area will be very low, as well as area around the confined space opening (around manhole). This situation is very dangerous for health & safety of the area occupants as Nitrogen replaces oxygen.
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Our concentration, thinking and decision-making are impaired when the oxygen concentration falls even slightly below this norm. These effects are not noticeable to the affected individual.
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If the oxygen concentration in air decreases or, if the concentration of any other gases increase, a situation is rapidly reached where the risks of asphyxiation is very significant. For this reason any depletion of oxygen below 20.9 % must be treated with great concern:
( , , ) 20.9% ( )
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Oxygen Content (Volume %)

Maximum Safe Level OSHA Occupation Safety & Health Administration, USA - Normal O2 level in air- Minimum permissible O2 level -- A candle is extinguished. Vision may be impaired. , ( - ) Labored breathing, increased heart rate. Lack of attention and coordination. , , , Unable to think. No longer perceives danger. Ability to self-rescue is impaired. Fatigue, injury to heart, fainting. , , , , , . Fainting without warning. Nausea, vomiting, unable to stand, walk or crawl. Person is dying but does not care. It's all quite painless. , , , , () , ,
Effects of various Oxygen concentration and their Symptoms
23.5
20.9 19.5
17
12 16
11 14
8 11
6-8
8 minutes 100% fatal, 6 minutes 50% probably fatality rate
Faint almost immediately, heart may continue beating for a few minutes, resuscitation possible if immediate. , , ,
, 8 100%. 6 50%
0-6
Fainting, coma in 40 second, convulsions, respiratory arrest, death. Brain damage even if resuscitated. , 40 psrawat@parabolicdrugs.com , , , 23
/
The Real incident -1:

Two workers at a Union Carbide plant in Louisiana were inspecting a flange surface on a 48 diameter pipe using a black light to detect residual organic chemicals. They draped black plastic over the end of the pipe to create shade so the black light would illuminate surface deposits. The workers were unaware that some 50mtr. away, N2 was being injected into the system to protect new catalyst from exposure to moisture.
The Real incident
When the two men entered the black cover, they quickly lost consciousness from lack of oxygen. A passerby noticed an arm sticking out from the plastic and immediately called for help.
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The Real incident (continued): :

One man died, and the other was seriously injured. Incidentally, one of the victims had helped start the N2 purge on the system the day before.
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The Real incident - 2 :

In the early morning hours of his shift, a BP refinery employee was performing a gas test at the top manhole of a reactor while the equipment was being purged with N2, for catalyst unloading. The employee was found dead in the bottom of the reactor vessel. The N2 purge had reduced the oxygen concentration near the manhole to dangerously low levels.
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Confined Space Fatality:

While it is widely known that exposure to excessive amounts of N2 inside purged equipment can result in swift death, the fact that people- can be equally affected - while standing near openings of N2 purged equipment may be less understood. This situation must not be underestimated!
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NITROGEN - Friend or Foe?

Our success working around Nitrogen will have much to do with the way we treat Nitrogen. It is considered nonhazardous, it is listed as another utilities on some sites, thus we can often be lulled into a false sense of security and complacency. As a gas, nitrogen is a silent-killer (as noted by the effects on the body due to a lack of adequate ventilation). Because of the many recent Nitrogen exposures incidents in the chemical industry, we want to ensure that everyone understands the hazards and effects of exposure.
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1. Valero Refinery. 2. Dangers of confined spaces oxygen deficient atmosphere
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A good Safety Management can reduce Nitrogen related injuries and deaths
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What Makes Us Breathe?

Breathing is stimulated and controlled by carbon dioxide (CO2) present in the lungs.
As the CO2 level increases, the brain sends a message to increase respiration.
When the CO2 level drops, the rate of respiration will also decrease in order to maintain the proper balance.
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Everyone should understand that one deep breath of 100% N2 will be fatal.
100% N2 will displace CO2 and O2 completely.
And, in the absence of a CO2 signal to the brain, the stimulus to breath no longer exists!
You will stop breathing!!
First-Aid Measures
Nitrogen Inhalation: Call for help and remove victims to fresh air as quickly as possible. BUT: make sure, YOU are protected ! Obtain help from trained personnel immediately. If not breathing, trained personnel should administer supplemental oxygen and/or cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if necessary.
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Good Safety management Includes (but not limited to):
Identified / color coded lines. Trained manpower where nitrogen is used. Highest level of alertness Leak proofing the systems Immediate corrective action even if smallest leak Periodic preventive Leakage test Workplace monitoring oxygen level sensors Concern for others Emergency preparedness No emotional rushing to help exposed person without proper safety (SCBA)
Inhalation of a Nitrogen enriched atmosphere (i.e.: loss of oxygen) may cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, excess salivation, diminished mental alertness, loss of consciousness, and ultimately: death
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Nitrogen Hazards

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psrawat@parabolicdrugs.

THE QUESTION AGAIN

CO trace psrawat@parabolicdrugs.com NH trace

A number of nitrogen asphyxiation incidents have occurred in the past decade.

Oxygen Content (Volume %)

Effects of various Oxygen concentration and their Symptoms

The Real incident -1:

The Real incident

The Real incident (continued): :

The Real incident - 2 :

Confined Space Fatality:

NITROGEN - Friend or Foe?

1. Valero Refinery. 2. Dangers of confined spaces oxygen deficient atmosphere

What Makes Us Breathe?

Good Safety management Includes (but not limited to):

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