Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology - Essay Example

Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology We have potential exposures to the following materials: Formaldehyde An organic compound with CH2O formula, Formaldehyde, is the basic form of aldehyde and its methodolical name is methanol. This name is derived from its correspondence and relativity to formic acid itself. Formaldehyde is in its gaseous form at room temperature; it is monochrome and has a strong, annoying smell. It is an essential component to many chemical compounds such as polymers. Formalin is the saleable form of formaldehyde found in water. It was previously used for conservation of biological specimens and disinfectants. Instability, volatility and toxicity is an important concern for human health which is related to formaldehyde. According to the US National Toxicology Program, formaldehyde is called as human carcinogen (Walker, 1964). Formaldehyde is widely used in the chemical industry to make various household products and building materials. It is also used in many natural procedures such as combustion. Therefore, it can be present both outdoors and indoors in considerable amounts. To make sure that employees are protected in the work environment, combined efforts are being made for the employees and employers which will assist in creating and preserving a secure and healthy work place environment. Generally employers are accountable for carrying out a ‘hazard assessment’ of workplace to recognize and manage the health and physical problems. Also, they are responsible for providing and identifying the recognized PPE for their employees. Furthermore, employees should be trained in the care and use of PPE required (Formaldehyde, 1989). NMAM is a wide compilation of sampling and analysis methods used to find out the contamination in the work environment atmosphere, in the urine and blood of workers who are commercially exposed to risks. These methods have been adapted or developed by NIOSH and its partners and are estimated according to the recognized experimental performance and protocols standards. NMAM also takes into account the chapters on portable instrumentation, quality assertion, and sampling, etc (Formaldehyde, 1989). Naphthalene An organic compound with C10H8 formula, Naphthalene is the basic form of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. It as a prominent smell which can be detected at 0.8ppm by mass concentrations or even lower and it is a white crystalline solid. Its structure is made up of complex pair of rings made by benzene. It is known as the basic ingredient for many conventional mothballs. Short term exposure to Naphthalene causes fever, vomiting, irritation, and diarrhea. People breathe Naphthalene while working on the jobs. The permitted exposure limit of Naphthalene for General Industry is 10 ppm, or 50 mg /m3 TWA. The OSHA permitted Maritime exposure limit to 10ppm, 50 mg /m3 . People also breathe this compound when there are chemical clean up as sites, or people who take shower or do laundry with unhygienic water, or use mothballs in the surrounding area of their house (Naphthalene, 2009). People are also exposed to Naphthalene when they use unhygienic water for preparing their food or drinking. This hazardous chemical can get into the skin of an individual as well when they handle the chemical while working with it or playing in soil; also touching unhygienic water for bathing and laundry also enhances the chance of getting Naphthalene. Naphthalene is used to make many products and both consumers and workers are exposed to it at some part of the process which poses latent dangers for them. Employees should learn how to take care of themselves and take safety measures to mitigate the exposure they have with gas or liquid. The common people should also be cautious when making use of diaper pail deodorizers, mothballs because they also create severe health issues when they are not used properly (Naphthalene, 2009). Employers should maintain PPE, and should also handle damaged or worn out PPE by replacing them in time. Also, timely assessing, updating, and reviewing is required to check the efficiency of PPE Program. The employees should also wear proper PPE, attend training lessons on PPE, be concerned and maintain PPE, and notify the supervisor if there is a need to replace or repair the PPE (Kudchadker, 1978). Hexavalent Chromium Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) are a group of compounds which are comprised of chemical elements and substances that is made up of metal chromium with its positive 6 valence (Hexavalent) state. Commercial exposures to Hexavalent chromium take place during the process of chromate chemicals production, stainless steel manufacture, and also in the manufacture of chromate pigments. Hexavalent chromium is also exposed in different work activities including thermal cutting, stainless steel welding, and chrome plating (Hexavalent Chromium, 2006). NIOSH places all Hexavalent chromium compounds to be probable carriers of carcinogen. Commercial exposure to Hexavalent chromium compounds is linked with sinus cancer, lung, and nasal parts. Other respiratory effects are ulceration and nasal irritation, and also perforation of eardrum and nasal septum. If skin is exposed to Hexavalent chromium compounds, there is a risk of ulceration, skin irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, and sensitization. Hexavalent chromium compounds are highly found in marine terminals, construction industry, and at shipyard employment. The particular requirements for PPE are shown in many various OSHA standards which were published in twenty nine CFR. Some of the standards need that employers provide PPE at little or no cost to employee, but others believe that employer must give PPE (Hexavalent Chromium, 2009). Safety precautions include that IC instrument manuals should be consulted. Also a UV-vis detector maintenance manual must be bought and also any other Standard Operating Procedure or process for adequate operation of the right instruments. Also, observe the genuine safety practices and regulations. Many compounds of Hexavalent chromium are seen as carcinogens and they should be used carefully when handling these compounds. Some of the compounds are corrosive in nature. Adequate loves, face shields, goggles, safety glasses, and lab coat should be used when managing these chemicals. The spray-paint extraction and buffer/extraction are corrosive in nature so their spills should be cleaned up immediately. These solutions must be stored in polythene bottles. If these solutions are kept in a glass so impetuous salts eagerly from over time from the process of evaporation and will allow the glass stoppers to grab them. These strong solutions also hit the containers’ walls. The samples which are kept in volumetric flasks made up of glass should be examined carefully and if rightly disposed, the flasks should be washed properly as soon as analysis is done (Hexavalent Chromium, 2006). References Hexavalent Chromium. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2009. Internet resource. Hexavalent Chromium. Salem, Or: Oregon OSHA, 2006. Internet resource. Kudchadker, A P, S A. Kudchadker, and R C. Wilhoit. Naphthalene. Washington: Refining Dept., American Petroleum Institute, 1978. Print. Naphthalene. Ottawa: Pest Management Regulatory Agency, 2009. Print. Walker, J F. Formaldehyde. New York: Reinhold, 1964. Print. Formaldehyde. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1989. Print. Read More