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SB Nitrogen 6 11 03 PDF
SB Nitrogen 6 11 03 PDF
Bulletin
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
E very year people are killed by breathing “air” that contains too little
oxygen. Because 78 percent of the air we breathe is nitrogen gas,
many people assume that nitrogen is not harmful. However, nitrogen is
This bulletin focuses only on the
hazard of asphyxiation, though
safe to breathe only when mixed with the appropriate amount of oxygen. nitrogen also presents cryogenic
and high-pressure hazards.
These two gases cannot be detected by the sense of smell. A nitrogen-
enriched environment, which depletes oxygen, can be detected only with
special instruments. If the concentration of nitrogen is too high (and
oxygen too low), the body becomes oxygen deprived and asphyxiation Commercial
occurs.
Uses of Nitrogen
T his Safety Bulletin is pub-
lished to bring additional
attention to the continuing
l Good practices and awareness
of hazards minimize the risk
of nitrogen asphyxiation
One of the most important
commercial uses of nitrogen is as
an inerting agent to improve
hazards of nitrogen asphyxiation.1 (Figure 1). safety. Nitrogen is inert under
most conditions (i.e., it does not
l Nitrogen is widely used com- Many incidents reviewed by CSB react with or affect other material).
mercially. It is often used to were caused by inadequate
keep material free of con- knowledge of the hazard or It is often used to keep material
taminants (such as oxygen) that free of contaminants, including
may corrode equipment, N Figure 1. Sign warning of oxygen—which can corrode
present a fire hazard, or be nitrogen hazard. equipment or present a fire and
toxic. explosion hazard when in contact
with flammable liquids or
l Nitrogen asphyxiation hazards
combustible solids. In such cases,
in industry resulted in 80 deaths
a flow of nitrogen is maintained in
from 1992 to 2002. These
a vessel to keep oxygen out.
incidents occurred in a variety
Nitrogen is also used to purge air
of facilities, including industrial
from equipment prior to
plants, laboratories, and
introducing material, or to purge
medical facilities; almost half
flammable or toxic material prior
involved contractors.
to opening equipment for
maintenance.
In industrial and commercial
1
In 1998, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board settings where a nitrogen-enriched
(CSB) investigated a nitrogen environment may present a
asphyxiation incident that occurred in
Hahnville, Louisiana. As part of that
hazard, such as when using
investigation, CSB reviewed the supplied air or working in or
prevalence of asphyxiation incidents. around spaces that are confined,
2
precautions must be taken to serious and immediate effects, resuscitated, he or she risks
ensure that sufficient oxygen is including unconsciousness after cardiac arrest.
provided to personnel. only one or two breaths. The
exposed person has no warning
and cannot sense that the oxygen
N Nitrogen . . . presents a
level is too low.
N Nitrogen is safe to hazard when it displaces
The Occupational Safety and
breathe only when mixed Health Administration (OSHA) oxygen.
with the appropriate requires employers to maintain
amount of oxygen. workplace oxygen at levels
between 19.5 and 23.5 percent. As
shown in the table on page 3, the
Statistics on
Effects of
human body is adversely affected Nitrogen
by lower concentrations.
Failure to Detect Oxygen- flush equipment prior to entry. In The data provide examples of
either situation, inadequate workers inadvertently using
Deficient Atmosphere
knowledge of the hazard and nitrogen instead of air because of
Failure to detect an oxygen- failure to detect additional interchangeable couplings on lines
deficient (nitrogen-enriched) nitrogen resulted in a fatal and poor or nonexistent labeling.
atmosphere was a significant concentration of gas.
In one incident, a worker
factor in several incidents.
mistakenly used nitrogen instead
In the data evaluated for this of air to purge a confined space.
study, 67 of the 85 incidents N When fatalities and injuries An inert atmosphere was
involved circumstances where occurred in “open areas” unexpected and undetected. One
personnel were in or around a worker was killed, and a colleague
confined area—such as a railcar,
. . . the hazard of also died while attempting rescue.
room, process vessel, or tank asphyxiation was not In another case, workers
(Figure 2)—and nitrogen was expected and personnel inadvertently connected the hose
initially present in high levels or for their breathing-air respirator to
later collected in the area. These were typically caught off a pure nitrogen line.
incidents accounted for 62 guard.
fatalities and 33 injuries. In each
of the 67 incidents, personnel
N In one incident, a worker
failed to detect elevated levels of Mix-Up of Nitrogen and
nitrogen and take appropriate mistakenly used nitrogen
Breathing Air
precautions. instead of air to purge a
Confusing nitrogen gas with air
When fatalities and injuries
and problems with breathing-air
confined space . . . In
occurred in “open areas”
(including areas with ventilation,
delivery systems accounted for 12 another case, workers
laboratories, buildings, and
of the 85 incidents, and approxi- inadvertently connected
mately 20 percent of fatalities.
outside in the vicinity of the hose for their
equipment), the
hazard of breathing-air respirator
asphyxiation
N Figure 2. Confined area. to a pure nitrogen line.
was not
expected and
personnel were Fatalities and Injuries
typically caught
off guard. In
During Attempted Rescue
some cases, One of the most difficult issues
personnel concerning hazardous atmosphere
unknowingly emergencies is the human instinct
created a to aid someone in distress.
nitrogen- Approximately 10 percent of
enriched fatalities from the CSB data were
atmosphere by due to attempts to rescue injured
mistakenly persons in confined spaces.
using nitrogen
instead of air to
5
maintained, warn workers of Personnel should be trained on or legs. The attendant and rescue
hazardous atmospheres. Personal how to properly respond and personnel should be available at
monitors can measure oxygen evacuate in the event of failure of all times. Rescuers must have an
concentration and give an audible the system. effective system to communicate
or vibration alarm for low oxygen with personnel inside enclosures.
concentrations. Implement System for No one should enter a dangerous
Safe Rescue of Workers atmosphere without proper
personal protective equipment.
Rescue may be necessary in the
N Good practice calls for event of continuous monitoring, The last measure of defense
continuous monitoring ventilation failure, or another requires personnel to actually
enter the confined area to retrieve
of a confined space to emergency condition. The ability
the victim. This approach should
to immediately retrieve
detect oxygen- immobilized workers is a critical be used only when personnel are
appropriately trained, have
deficient, toxic, or component of confined space entry
preplanning. donned rescue equipment, and
explosive atmospheres. have dependable breathing air.
Approximately 10 percent of
Ensure Ventilation With N It is essential to maintain fatalities from the survey data
occurred to personnel attempting
Fresh Air continuous forced draft rescue. These deaths could have
Because the atmosphere of a fresh-air ventilation been prevented if a reliable
retrieval system was in place.
confined space or small/enclosed before the job begins Such a system would also prevent
area often changes during the
course of work, it is essential to through to completion. many entry worker fatalities
maintain continuous forced draft because it provides for quickly
fresh-air ventilation before the job removing the worker from a
begins through to completion. One method is to attach a body dangerous atmosphere to a safe
Areas with the potential to contain harness and lifeline to personnel one.
elevated levels of nitrogen gas entering confined areas. This
should be continuously ventilated procedure also benefits potential Ensure Uninterrupted
prior to and during the course of rescuers because they do not have Flow and Integrity of
the job. to enter the confined area to
retrieve the victim. However,
Breathing Air
Ventilation is also required in when a worker enters a pipeline, Breathing air must be supplied
rooms and chambers into which some furnaces, ducts, or other when workers enter environments
nitrogen may leak or vent. In a narrow-diameter confined spaces, where oxygen is or may become
few of the study cases, people who pulling on a line attached to a deficient. Workers may use either
were simply working close to the body harness may cause the a self-contained breathing
nitrogen-containing confined person to bunch up and become apparatus (SCBA) or an airline
space, room, or enclosure were stuck inside. respirator, which consists of a long
asphyxiated. hose connecting a breathing air
Depending on the situation,
Systems must be in place to supply to the respirator or hood.
wristlets or anklets attached to a
properly design, evaluate, and lifeline and a retrieval mechanism Because a worker using an airline
maintain ventilation systems. A allow the confined space attendant respirator does not control the
warning system will alert workers to pull the person out by the arms
of a dangerous atmosphere.
8
OSHA, 2002. Accident Investigation Safety Engineering, 2002. Daily U.S. Air Force, 2003. Hypoxia,
Summary Index Page, Incident Alert Archives, www.batnet.com/mfwright/
www.osha.gov, Oct-Nov 2002. www.safteng.net, Oct-Nov 2002. hypoxia.html.
OSHA, 1994. “Permit-Required The Bureau of National Affairs, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard
Confined Spaces,” Federal Inc. (BNA), 1998. Occupational Investigation Board (USCSB),
Register, 29 CFR 1910.146, May Safety and Health Reporter, Vol. 2002. Incident Data Base,
1994. 27, No. 46, April 22, 1998. www.csb.gov, Oct-Nov 2002.
Rekus, John F., 1994. Complete BNA, 1996. Occupational Safety and
Confined Spaces Handbook, Lewis Health Reporter, Vol. 25, No. 47,
Publishers/CRC Press. May 1, 1996.
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ensure the safety of workers, the public, and the environment by investigating and preventing chemical incidents. CSB
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