Acrylonitrile

1
Acrylonitrile
2
Regulated areas

• Areas where acrylonitrile concentrations might
  exceed the permissible exposure limit
• Job titles/functions allowed to access regulated
  areas

1a
3
Regulated areas

• Tour regulated areas
• Never store or use cosmetics, food items,
  beverages, or smoking items in regulated areas

1b
4
Definitions

• Ceiling limit
• 10 ppm as averaged over any 15-minute period
• Action level
• 1 ppm as an 8-hour TWA
• Permissible exposure limit
• 2 ppm as an 8-hour TWA

2a
5
Exposure control

• Engineering controls
• Work practice controls

2b
6
Monitoring

• Detects presence of contaminants in work area
• Available for all employees to observe

3a
7
Monitoring

• Ongoing monitoring depends upon
• Exposure to contaminants at or above the action
  level, but below the PEL (quarterly)
• Exposure to contaminants above the PEL (at least
  every month)
• Changes in personnel, processes, controls

3b
8
Monitoring

• Monitoring is required after clean-up operations
• Monitoring may be stopped for individual
  employees under some conditions

3c
9
Monitoring

• Employees are notified in writing of monitoring
  results within 5 working days
• Written notification must include corrective
  actions to reduce exposures to the PEL

3d
10
Monitoring

• Additional monitoring may be performed whenever
  there is a change in
• Processes
• Equipment
• Personnel
• Work practices

3e
11
Physical and health hazards

• Physical hazards
• Flammable liquid
• Moderate explosion hazard when exposed to flame
• Can react vigorously with oxidizers

4a
12
Physical and health hazards

• Physical hazards
• Potential fire hazard
• Releases nitrogen oxides and cyanide
• Fight fire with carbon dioxide, dry chemical, or
  alcohol foam

4b
13
Physical and health hazards

• Immediate (acute) health hazards
• Eye irritation
• Sleepiness
• General loss of feeling - numbness
• Cyanosis
• Diarrhea

4c
14
Physical and health hazards

• Immediate (acute) health hazards
• Inhalation is poisonous
• Skin contact is poisonous
• Poisoning is immediate
• Severe eye irritant

4d
15
Physical and health hazards

• Chronic (long-term) effects
• Carcinogen
• Reproductive health changes
• Mutagenic
• Tumorigenic

4e
16
Work practices

• Engineering controls and work practices are
  primary methods of exposure control
• Supplement engineering controls and work
  practices with respirators if necessary

5a
17
Work practices

• Storage and handling procedures include the
  following
• Keep containers tightly closed
• Never store uninhibited acrylonitrile
• Store in cool, well-ventilated place
• Keep from incompatible materials
• EX type forklifts may be required

5b
18
Work practices

• Do not wear contact lenses when working with
  acrylonitrile
• In areas where acrylonitrile exceeds the PEL, do
  not store or use cosmetics, lip balm, food items,
  or smoke

5c
19
Work practices

• Keep all surfaces free of acrylonitrile
• Inspect for leaks and spills
• Workers must wear impermeable clothing, eye
  protection, face shields, etc.

5d
20
Work practices

• Know location of washing facilities
• Keep all sources of ignition away from
  acrylonitrile
• Do not incinerate acrylonitrile cartridges,
  tanks, containers

5e
21
Emergency procedures

• Written emergency action plan is required
• Contact persons
• Phone numbers
• Remove all ignition sources

6a
22
Emergency procedures

• Evacuate the area
• Wear appropriate PPE until cleanup is complete
• Properly dispose of waste

6b
23
Emergency procedures

• Employees not involved in emergency procedures
  must be
• Notified with a general alarm
• Evacuated from the area
• Be aware of fire hazards when exposed to flame,
  heat, oxidizers

6c
24
Emergency procedures

• Keep fire extinguishers and quick-drenching
  facilities available
• Fight fires with carbon dioxide, dry chemical,
  or alcohol foam

6d
25
Emergency procedures

• Acrylonitrile is considered a Class 1B hazard
• Foam
• CO2
• Dry chemical
• NO water streams

6e
26
Emergency procedures

• First aid measures include
• Flushing eyes with water, lifting the eyelids
• Flushing skin with water, wash with soap
• Moving victim to fresh air
• Giving large quantities of water if swallowed

6f
27
Emergency procedures

• Get medical attention immediately

6g