Level 1 - Course 2 - Unit 1 - Slides

SAChE® Certificate Program
Level 1, Course 2: Hazard Recognition

Unit 1 – Hazard Recognition Part 1
Narration:
[None]
Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

1
Getting Started
Narration (female voice):

If this is your first time taking a SAChE course, please take a few minutes to explore the interface.
This slide will explain how to use the controls to navigate through the course. All of the units in
the course use the same interface. This interface has four main features that you should be
aware of:
• Here is the left navigation bar. It contains a list of the slides as well as the narrative
transcript. At any point in the course, if you would like to revisit any content, click the
slide title to jump back.
• You may also use the Previous button on the bottom of the player. To advance forward,
use the Next button.
• The Search feature allows you to search for content using any word in the current unit.
• On the top menu bar you will find the Help, Abbreviations, Glossary, Resources and Exit
options.

2
• The resources included in this course include any unit-specific attachment as well as a
printable copy of the unit slides and narrative.
• Use the Exit tab to leave this unit at any time.
Click the arrows if you want to learn more about the interface features. Click ‘Next’ when you’re
ready to continue.

3
Objectives
Narration (male voice):

This is the first unit in the three-part Hazard Recognition course. By the end of this unit you will
be able to:
• Identify the types of hazards associated with hazardous materials;

Identify the ways in which hazardous materials can affect workers and members of the
public;
• Identify where information on material hazards can be found;
• Use sources of information on material hazards to identify hazardous properties;
• Recognize and name hazards that are inherent properties of hazardous materials; and
• Use basic information, such as the information contained in a Safety Data Sheet (or SDS),
to identify hazards.

4
SECTION 1: What is a Hazard?
Narration:
[None]

5
What is a Hazard?

A hazard is some property that makes an object or situation dangerous. There are many kinds of
hazards. For example, a hole in a sidewalk is a hazard because someone might trip or fall in. But
this is an example of a personal safety issue, not a process hazard.

6
Process Hazards

The kinds of hazards that are of concern in the operation of a process (and that are explained
further in this course) are those that are:
• Inherent properties of the materials used or manufactured in the process; or

• Related to the physical conditions of the materials or the process; or
• Associated with the size of the system; or
• Associated with the surroundings or other conditions.

7
Process Hazard Recognition

Process hazard recognition involves identifying and understanding the hazards that apply to a
process. Part of the process of hazard recognition is to obtain information on known hazards.

8
SECTION 2: Hazards that are Inherent Properties of Materials
Narration:
[None]

9
Hazardous Properties of the Materials

Materials used or manufactured in a process can be hazardous because they are:
• Toxic;
• Corrosive;
• Reactive; and/or
• Flammable.
They can also be hazardous for other reasons. For example:
• They can cause long-term health effects, like cancer; or

• They can be asphyxiants.
It’s not unusual for materials to have more than one hazardous property. The nature of these
hazards and their impact will be explained and illustrated as you proceed through this unit.

10
Health Effects

Materials can be dangerous in a number of different ways, depending on how humans come in
contact with them. Health effects can result from:
• Inhalation;
• Ingestion (that is, by eating or drinking);
• Direct contact with skin or eyes;
• Entry into the blood stream through cuts;
• Thermal burns; or
• Explosions of flammable or reactive materials.

11
Health Effects (continued)

A worker in a chemical plant can experience any of the possible health effects depending on
how he or she is exposed.
Health effects suffered by members of the public would most likely be the result of:
• Inhalation of a volatile toxic substance;

• Inhalation of, or contact with, an airborne mist or airborne particulates;
• An explosion; or
• Ingestion of a toxic chemical that enters a public water supply.

12
Quantitative Measures of Toxicity

There are number of quantitative measures that express how safe or lethal an ingested or
inhaled toxic material is. Click the numbered dots to learn about these measures.
[When Dot 1 is clicked…]

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) IDLH (which stands for
“Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health”) value can be found in the NIOSH pocket guide.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) REL (or “Recommended
Exposure Limit”) can be found in the NIOSH pocket guide.

The Threshold Limit Value (TLV) is a measure published by the American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists (or ACGIH) which defines safe exposure limits for workers.

LD50 is the dose which causes death in 50% of the animals tested.

13
[After all four dots clicked…]
There are other toxicity measures; these aren’t the only ones. If you would like to explore some
of these measures in more detail, click the book icons.
Book icons

14
Acute vs. Chronic Exposure

Exposure to hazardous materials can occur in two ways:
• Acute exposure in a sudden one-time event; and

• Chronic exposure.
It’s good practice (and in many jurisdictions, a legal requirement) to prevent or limit chronic
exposure. If chronic exposure can occur, it may be safe at low levels defined by standards,
regulations, and guidelines prepared by ACGIH, NIOSH, and other organizations.

15
Acute vs. Chronic Exposure (continued)

Determining safe long-term exposure is primarily the responsibility of industrial hygienists, but
engineers should recognize situations in which chronic exposure might exceed safe limits.
Acute exposure occurs during unintentional or catastrophic releases and similar events, which
engineers try to anticipate and prevent.

16
Corrosivity

Corrosivity may be thought of in more than one way.
A material may be corrosive to skin and eyes, but it may also be corrosive to the vessels and
pipes in which it’s contained. Sulfuric acid and other sulfur compounds, for example, attack
certain metals. So, in addition to being hazardous if it comes in contact with eyes or skin, a
corrosive material can also cause an unintended release of a hazardous material by corroding
away piping and vessels in which it’s present. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to
whether corrosive materials are compatible with the pipes and vessels they’re contained in.
It’s also important to recognize that the materials used for pipes or vessels may be safe for a
limited period of time (usually many years) when they’re in contact with corrosive substances.
The reason for this is that some materials used in pipes and vessels corrode, but at a slow rate.
They can be used, but they do not have an indefinite lifetime.
Obviously, materials used for pipes and vessels cannot be used safety if they have no resistance
to corrosion. On the other hand, materials that resist corrosion indefinitely are the best choice,
but such materials do not always exist or they may not be economical.

17
In the next section we’ll learn how to use a material’s Safety Data Sheet to identify hazards
associated with that material.

18
SECTION 3: The Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Narration:
[None]

19
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

So far, we have discussed two hazardous properties of materials: toxicity and corrosivity.
Information on toxicity, corrosivity and other hazards can be found on a Safety Data Sheet, or
SDS.
An SDS, formerly known in some countries as an MSDS (or Material Safety Data Sheet), is a
common, valuable, and essential source of information about the hazardous properties of
materials.
In many countries it’s a legal requirement for SDSs to be available for materials present in a
process. SDSs document toxicity, corrosivity, reactivity, flammability, and other potential
impacts on health.
[Female voice]
Click the book icon if you would like view a printable sample SDS.

20
Sample SDS (Slide Layer)

21
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Sections

There are 16 sections covered in the standard SDS:
• Section 1: Identification – this includes the:

o Product identifier;
o Manufacturer or distributor name, address, and phone number;
o Emergency phone number;
o Recommended use; and
o Restrictions on use.
• Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification – this includes all hazards regarding the chemical as
well as required label elements;
• Section 3: Composition/Information on Ingredients;
• Section 4: First-aid Measures;
• Section 5: Fire-fighting Measures;
• Section 6: Accidental Release Measures;
• Section 7: Handling and Storage;
• Section 8: Exposure Controls and Personal Protection;
• Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties;

22
• Section 10: Stability and Reactivity;
• Section 11: Toxicological Information;
• Section 12: Ecological Information;
• Section 13: Disposal Considerations;
• Section 14: Transport Information;
• Section 15: Regulatory Information; and
• Section 16: Other Information – this includes the date of preparation or last revision.

23
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Accessing

It’s often possible to find an SDS for a particular material simply by searching for it online.
However, the information in it is generally more reliable if the source of the SDS is a company
that produces or sells the material in the form in which it’s used (for example, railcars of
anhydrous ammonia).

24
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Accessing (continued)

This document, published by The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), describes the typical content of an SDS in detail. To view a copy of this document, click
the book icon. Note, however, that the content of an SDS can vary slightly from country to
country.

25
Phosgene SDS (Slide Layer)

26
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Physical Properties Section

The Physical Properties section of an SDS lists important properties related to safety. Any of
these can be significant for a particular situation. However, for flammable substances, you
should pay special attention to upper and lower flammable limits, flash point, and auto-ignition
temperature. We’ll learn about these terms on the slides that follow.

27
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Important Terms

There are some important terms on an SDS that you must understand. Click each term to learn
what it represents.
[When UEL/UFL is clicked…]

The upper explosive limit (UEL) or upper flammable limit (UFL) is the maximum concentration of
a flammable vapor in air that can be ignited. At higher concentrations there is not enough
oxygen to support combustion.
[When LEL/LFL is clicked…]

The lower explosive limit (LEL) or lower flammable limit (LFL) is the minimum concentration of a
flammable vapor in air that can be ignited. At lower concentrations there is not enough fuel to
support combustion.

28
After Both Terms Clicked

29
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Important Terms (continued)

Note that the UEL/UFL and LEL/LFL change as a function of concentration of oxygen. Typically, a
fuel in the presence of pure oxygen has a higher UEL/UFL than in air, but the LEL/LFL changes
only slightly.

30
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – Important Terms (continued)

Here are two additional terms you need to know. Again, click each term to learn what it
represents.
[When Flash Point is clicked…]

The flash point is the minimum temperature at which a flammable liquid gives off enough vapor
to support combustion.
[When Auto-ignition Temperature is clicked…]

The auto-ignition temperature is the minimum temperature at which a substance will burn
without the presence of an ignition source (like a spark).

31
After Both Terms Clicked

32
Other Sources to Find Information

SDSs are not the only source of information on the hazardous properties of materials.
Professional and industrial organizations are great sources of information on the hazardous
properties of chemicals.
For example:
• The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) publishes information on toxicological

hazards and safe exposure limits; and
• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes codes of practice and information
on flammability and other hazardous properties of chemicals.

33
Other Sources to Find Information (continued)

There are also some good reference books available on the hazardous properties of materials.
Two of the best are:
• Hamilton and Hardy’s Industrial Toxicology; and

• Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials.
[Female voice]
Click the respective book image to learn more about the content of these books. Your academic
institution or employer may have copies of these references.

34
SECTION 4: Reactivity and the CAMEO Website
Narration:
[None]

35
Reactivity

An important characteristic of chemicals is their reactivity. Reactivity is sometimes a useful
property, since it allows new materials to be made from reacting two or more chemicals.
However, the unintended mixing of reactive chemicals can be disastrous. An SDS may not always
be capable of anticipating all the combinations of chemicals which can be mixed together or the
consequences of mixing them together.

36
The CAMEO Chemicals Website

Great tools for evaluating the reactivity of mixtures of chemicals and the hazards of
unintentional mixing are the CCPS Chemical Reactivity Worksheet and the CAMEO Chemicals
Website. Also, Bretherick’s Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards contains useful and detailed
information on reactive chemical hazards.
[Female voice]
On the next few slides, we’re going to explore the CAMEO Chemicals Website. We could instead
focus our attention on the CCPS Chemical Reactivity Worksheet, but because CAMEO Chemicals
is available online, we will focus on using it for this course.
If you would like to first learn a little bit more about Bretherick’s Handbook, click on the book
image. Your academic institution or employer may have a copy of this reference.

37
The CAMEO Chemicals Website (continued)

The CAMEO Chemicals Website allows you to enter a list of chemicals. The CAMEO software will
determine how the chemicals in the list will interact with each other.
For instance, if you enter the following list of chemicals - acetylene, nitric acid, copper, water,
aluminum oxide, and ethanol - the CAMEO software produces a table that shows the potential
hazards of mixing them.

38

The CAMEO Chemicals software also produces a report which explains the hazards in more
detail.
[Female voice]
Take a few minutes to scroll through this sample report now.

39

Instructions for using the CAMEO Chemicals software can be found on the CAMEO Chemicals
Website.

40
SECTION 5: Example Cases
Narration:
[None]

41
Example Case: Hydroxylamine

The hazardous properties of materials can be and have been overlooked. Let’s look at a case.
On February 19th, 1999 an explosion occurred in a Concept Sciences facility that was
manufacturing hydroxylamine, or HA, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. This incident shows how
important an SDS can be to understanding the hazardous properties of a material.
The Concept Sciences SDS for hydroxylamine noted that “Danger of fire and explosion exists as
water is removed or evaporated and HA concentration approaches levels in excess of about
70%.” However, the process for producing hydroxylamine at the facility allowed it to be
concentrated to 85% or greater.

42
Example Case: Hydroxylamine (continued)

As in most accidents, there are multiple factors which contributed to the explosion and loss of
life. Nevertheless, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (or CSB) concluded that the knowledge of the
fire and explosion hazards of hydroxylamine (available from the SDS) “was not adequately
translated into the process design, operating procedures, mitigative measures, or precautionary
instructions for process operators.”
By not applying the information in the SDS, the inherent hazards of the materials were not
accounted for. As a result, five people, including one person who did not work for Concept
Sciences, lost their lives, and fourteen people were injured.
[Female voice]
A full report by the CSB is available online. Click the book icon if you would like to review this
report.

43
Example Case: Nitrogen

Even the well-known hazardous properties of common materials are not always accounted for.
Consider, for example, nitrogen.
Nitrogen is almost always inert, and in fact is widely used in industry to purge vessels containing
flammable materials in order to prevent fires and explosions. Many people would not consider
nitrogen to be dangerous (if they thought about it all). Nevertheless, there are many examples
in industry of fatalities resulting from asphyxiation by nitrogen.
Humans can often sense the presence of dangerous chemicals in the atmosphere because they
have a characteristic color or smell. However, one of the properties that makes nitrogen more
dangerous than it would otherwise be is the absence of odor or color.
[Female voice]
The CSB has prepared a short presentation which summarizes some of the incidents involving
asphyxiation by nitrogen. Click the book icon to view this presentation now.

44
Things to Keep in Mind

Other incidents where failures to account for the hazardous properties of materials can be
found on the CSB’s web site.
Normally companies should have SDSs on file, and you should be able to review them if you’re
working in an environment where the materials are used or manufactured.
Many of the incidents investigated by the CSB involve SDSs that do not fully explain the hazards
(for instance, see the CSB’s Barton Solvents report).
Because SDS’s may have omissions, it’s worth looking for other sources of information on
hazards, especially if the material is one that a company has little experience with.

45
Things to Keep in Mind (continued)

Remember these important points presented in this unit:
• Hazards inherent to materials include toxicity, corrosivity, reactivity, flammability, and others;
• SDSs, books, and online resources can be used to identify hazardous properties of materials;
and
• SDSs do not always completely describe all the hazardous properties of materials so it’s wise
to consult supplementary sources of information.

46
Unit 1 Summary

We’ve reached the end of the first unit in the Hazard Recognition course. Having completed this
first unit, you should now be able to:
• Identify the types of hazards associated with hazardous materials;

• Identify the ways in which hazardous materials can affect workers and members of the
public;
• Identify where information on material hazards can be found;
Use sources of information on material hazards to identify hazardous properties;
• Recognize and name hazards that are inherent properties of hazardous materials; and
• Use basic information, such as the information contained in a Safety Data Sheet (or SDS),
to identify hazards.
Before closing the unit, please take the end-of-unit quiz. The quiz introduction is on the next
slide.

47

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SAChE® Certificate Program

Level 1, Course 2: Hazard Recognition

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (female voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

• Use the Exit tab to leave this unit at any time.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

• Identify the types of hazards associated with hazardous materials;

• Identify where information on material hazards can be found;

• Use sources of information on material hazards to identify hazardous properties;

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

• Inherent properties of the materials used or manufactured in the process; or

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

They can also be hazardous for other reasons. For example:

• They can cause long-term health effects, like cancer; or

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

• Inhalation of a volatile toxic substance;

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (female voice):

[When Dot 1 is clicked…]

[When Dot 2 is clicked…]

[When Dot 3 is clicked…]

[When Dot 4 is clicked…]

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

• Acute exposure in a sudden one-time event; and

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

• Section 1: Identification – this includes the:

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (female voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (male voice):

Copyright ©American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2016. All rights reserved.

Narration (female voice):

[When UEL/UFL is clicked…]

[When LEL/LFL is clicked…]