Reactive Chemicals

1
Reactive Chemicals
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Session Objectives

• You will be able to
• Identify reactive chemical hazards
• Understand the nature of chemical reactions
• Detect and manage reactivity hazards
• Respond safely to reactive chemical emergencies

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What You Need to Know

• What reactive chemicals are
• How they can endanger health and safety
• Potential for hazardous chemical reactions in the
  workplace
• Hazard management program
• Necessary precautions on the job
• Emergency reporting and response

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What Is a Reactive Chemical?

• Solid or liquid
• Reactive to air, water, or other chemicals
• Sensitive to shock, heat, or friction
• Corrosive, poisonous, or flammable by-products

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Health Hazards

• Burn skin, eyes, nose, throat
• May be poisonous
• Irritate eyes, skin, and respiratory tract
• Cause dizziness and vomiting
• Cause asphyxiation and death
• Consult the MSDS for health hazard information

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Fire Hazard

• Friction
• Absorption of moisture
• Spontaneous chemical changes
• Retained heat
• Readily ignited

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Factors That Create Reactivity Hazards

• Intentional chemistry
• Physical processing
• Hazardous substance storage
• Processes that involve combustion
• Heat generating processes

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Factors That Create Reactivity Hazards (cont.)

• The presence of
• Spontaneously combustible chemicals
• Peroxide-forming chemicals
• Water-reactive chemicals
• Oxidizing chemicals
• Self-reactive chemicals
• Materials that are incompatible

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Detecting Hazards

• Sight
• Smell
• Air monitoring

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Intentional Reactions

• Exothermic and endothermic reactions
• Heat generation
• Addition of heat
• Losing control of the intended reaction

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Spontaneously Combustible Substances

• React with oxygen to ignite or burn without
  ignition
• DOT Hazard Class 4.2
• 4 in red part of NFPA diamond label
• Avoid exposure to air
• Examples

12
Peroxide Formers

• React with oxygen, may explode
• Inhibitor or stabilizer may be added
• Often labeled by another characteristic
• Avoid prolonged storage
• Examples

13
Water Reactives

• Heat, toxic gases, ruptured containers
• DOT Hazard Class 4.3
• W in NFPA label
• Avoid inadvertent contact with water
• Examples

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Oxidizers

• Yield oxygen or promote combustion
• DOT Hazard Class 5.1
• OX in NFPA label
• Avoid contact with combustible materials
• Examples

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Self-Reactive Materials

• Polymerizing, decomposing, rearranging
• DOT Hazard Class 1 or 5.2
• 1 to 4 in yellow part of NFPA label
• Avoid shock, friction, heat

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Incompatible Materials

• Results of uncontrolled reactions
• Potential mixing scenarios
• Consult a chemical compatibility chart
• Examples

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Reactivity Hazards

• Do you understand
• What a reactive chemical is?
• The health and fire hazards?
• Factors that could cause chemical reactivity
  hazards in the workplace and the form those
  reactions could take?

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Hazard Management Program

• Active monitoring
• Audits of procedures and practices
• Management of change
• Keeping abreast of new technology
• Corrective action

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PPE

• Gloves
• Goggles and face shield
• Chemical-resistant clothing
• Air-supplied respirator

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Investigating Incidents

• Report all incidents and near misses
• Investigate root causes
• Identify unrecognized hazards
• Identify measures to eliminate or reduce hazards
• Communicate findings

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First Aid

• Skinflush with water
• Eyesflush with water for 15 minutes
• Inhalationmove to fresh air
• Ingestionseek medical attention

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Emergency Procedures

• Leave the area
• Notify others
• Limit access to area
• Dont return until its safe
• Dont try to clean up large spills unless
  authorized

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Emergency Equipment

• First-aid kit
• Spill response supplies
• Safety showers
• Eyewash stations
• Fire extinguishers

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Hazard Management

• Do you understand
• All information that has been presented in the
  previous slides?
• All the precautions we must take to effectively
  manage chemical reactivity risks and prevent
  accidents?

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Key Points to Remember

• Know the hazards of reactive chemicals
• Be able to identify different types of reactive
  chemicals in the workplace
• Wear appropriate PPE
• Follow safe handling and storage procedures
• Learn emergency procedures