Health and Safety in the Manufacture of Propylene - Term Paper Example

Health and Safety in the Manufacture of Propylene Introduction: Propylene is an important chemical that finds use as an industrial chemical and in the manufacture of products. It is a colourless gas under ambient conditions. Propylene is essentially obtained as a co-product of the refinery catalytic cracking process and from steam cracking in pyrolysis furnaces in olefins plants. Distillation in multi-ray columns enables obtaining propylene in purity rates of 99.5% or more. Propylene is liquefied under high pressure for transportation purposes. The physical and chemical properties of propylene calling for caution in the handling of propylene. The industrial uses of propylene include use as a feedstock for the manufacture of polypropylene, acrylyonite, propylene oxide, 2-propanol and alkylated fuels. Propylene is also used in the production of numerous products including automobile components, carpets, compact discs, clear film food wrap, eyeglasses, polyurethane foams, impact resistant and bullet proof windows, moulded plastic goods, nitrile rubber hoses, paints and protective coatings, grocery bags and synthetic fibres (Propylene). Safety and Health Hazards in the Manufacture of Propylene: Propylene is a colourless gas that disperses easily in air and is an inflammable and explosive gas. Mixture of air with propylene makes for an explosive combination with a high risk of explosion. The density of propylene is slightly higher than that of air, making for any propylene that escapes into the atmosphere hovering closer to the ground and dispersing in the air. The critical temperature of propylene is 91.4 degrees centigrade and critical pressure 4600kPa. The inflammable nature of propylene and its explosive potential when mixed with air makes the manufacturing area posses safety hazards. Safety thus is a critical factor in the manufacturing environment of polypropylene (Refined Oil Products). Besides the flammable nature of propylene, which marks it out as a highly flammable gas and a dangerous fire hazard, propylene also poses health hazards, when exposed to it or due to contact with it. Due to its easy dispersal in air propylene can be inhaled into the body during exposure to propylene. High levels of propylene in the air can cause acute health effects of dizziness and unconsciousness. There is also the risk of death occurring due to the lack of sufficient oxygen in the air for the human body. There are many chronic health effects associated with repeated exposures to propylene. Repeated exposure to propylene has the potential to damage the liver and hence it is considered hepato-toxic. There is also the possibility of the heart and the nervous system being affected due to repeated exposure to propylene. While it is not known to be a potential health hazard for cancer, its impact on the reproductive system is yet to be evaluated. With its potential to cause damage to some of the major organs and vital systems of the body, propylene poses health hazards when present in the air environment of the manufacturing area and the neighbouring sites. Storage and transportation of propylene is in the liquefied form. Coming in contact with liquefied propylene causes frost bite leading to the possible loss of extremities (Common Name: PROPYLENE). Environmental Hazards: Propylene can enter the environment as a result of spills and leaks from the storage tanks and in transportation, as propylene is stored and transported as a liquefied gas under high pressure. There are short term and long term effects to the environment that could result from presence of propylene in the environment. The acute toxic effects include the possibility of the death of animals, birds and fish and the death or slow growth rate in plants, as a result of contact with propylene and occur in the range of two to four days from the time of contact. There is insufficient data to clearly predict or evaluate all the possible long terms effects on plants, birds and land animals, though moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life is associated with propylene. The chronic toxic effects of propylene to birds and animals include shortened lifespan, problems associated with reproductive system, lowered fertility and alterations to appearance or behaviour of the birds and animals. Propylene does not persist in water resources of the environment for long periods of time, as a result of volatilization, with a half-life of less than two days. As a result, finally all the propylene that leaks and spills into the environment ends up dispersed in the air, closer to the ground and poses a health hazard to life forms through the essential process of respiration (Common Name: Propylene CAS Number: 115-07-1). Minimizing Safety and Health Hazards in the Manufacture of Propylene: Though no there are no occupational exposure limits that have been established for exposure to propylene, keeping in mind the health and safety hazards that it poses safe work practices need to be put in place. The presence of large amounts of propylene in the air would lead to reduced oxygen content in the air and place the workers in a potentially fatal environment. Hence the first step is to continuously monitor the air quality of the working environment to ensure that the oxygen content is at least 19.5%. To ensure this engineering controls are the most effect solution. The best way to ensure air quality in the working environment is to enclose the operations and providing adequate local exhaust ventilation at possible sites of propylene leaking into the air. Isolating possible sites of chemical release from other areas of operation limits the released propylene to these sites with proper venting to reduce the levels of propylene. Workers required to operate in these areas have top provided with respirators to avoid inhalation of propylene and providing adequate oxygen during respiration. Transfer of propylene from process containers to storage containers is an area with high potential of propylene leakage. Hence this process needs to be automated avoiding the requirement of worker involvement in the transfer process and avoiding unnecessary risk to the workers. There are several other factors involved in reducing the potential hazards of exposure to propylene in the manufacturing area that arise out of good working practices. Workers should be educated on the hazards of propylene and the way to minimize these risks. Workers should continue to use clothes that have been contaminated by exposure to propylene, with immediate changing into clean clothing an essential practice. Adequate eye was fountains and shower facilities should be located for use in emergencies due to exposure to propylene. When the work shift us over workers should be encouraged to was or shower to remove any presence of propylene on the body, even if there is no contact. Eating, smoking and drinking should be discouraged in any of the areas, where propylene is processed, handled or stored along with encouraging proper hand washing hygiene prior to any of these activities (Common Name: PROPYLENE). Good engineering controls and good working practices by themselves may not be fully adequate to minimize the hazards of propylene at the work place and good work place controls are needed to augment good engineering controls and good working practices. Personal protective equipment is a part of such work place controls. Where there exists the possibility of exposure to cold equipment, vapours or liquid, workers need to be provided with special clothing to ensure that body tissues do not get frozen. The protective clothing consisting of suits, gloves, footwear and headgear has to be maintained in a clean manner and available every day for donning prior to work. Employees working with propylene need to be provided with chemical goggles and face shields in case full face piece respiratory protection is not used. The employing of respirators requires proper use of the same, for improper use of respirators could be dangerous to the user. Thus use of respirators may be restricted to essential areas and workers only and the workers should be trained in its use and their ability to use the respirators tested prior to employing respirators The storing of propylene is also a factor in reducing the risks associated with propylene. Propylene has to be stored away from any oxidizing agent to prevent the possibility of violent reactions. The storage containers of propylene should be closed tightly and the storage area should be cool and well ventilated. The containers should be stored away from any heat source and direct sunlight. Smoking is to be prohibited in the propylene storage area and any other area where propylene is processed or handled. The tools employed should be non sparking tools and explosion proof electrical equipment and fittings used in any area where propylene is manufactured or handled or stored (Common Name: Propylene CAS Number: 115-07-1). Environmental Hazards: The best means to minimize environmental hazards due to propylene is to minimize the venting of propylene into the atmosphere by removing any possible leaks in the manufacturing, handling and storage of propylene. Yet in case of a spill contingency information of the spill is to be passed on to the local authorities to take necessary action to prevent the local populace from being affected by the propylene spill. Populations downwind of the spill are the populations that are at the greatest risk of the hazards due to the propylene spill. The sources of the release responsible for propylene being let into the atmosphere have to be immediately identified and the sources of release stopped. Propylene should not be flushed down the sewer and drainage systems (Propylene). Literary References ‘Common Name: PROPYLENE’. 2004, HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE FACT SHEET, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services [Online] Available at: http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1609.pdf (Accessed March 10, 2008). ‘Common Name: Propylene CAS Number’: 115-07-1. 1986. [Online] Available at: http://gis.wvdep.org/tri/cheminfo/csfs49.txt (Accessed March 10, 2008). ‘Propylene’. Shell Chemicals [Online] Available at: http://www.shellchemicals.com/propylene/1,1098,1113,00.html (Accessed March 10, 2008). ‘Propylene’. 2007, MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET, HESS, [Online] Available at: http://www.hess.com/ehs/msds/15026Propylene.pdf (Accessed March 10, 2008). ‘Refined Oil Products’. 2005, Sinopec Shanghai Petroleum Company Limited Available at: http://www.spc.com.cn/enspc/spc/pslook.php?Did=71&Cid=54&Dlev=2 (Accessed March 10, 2008). Read More