Many incidents and losses of all kinds can expose workers to obvious health and safety risks from handling chemicals. Regardless of whether they are gaseous, solid or liquid, when there is an environmental emergency, all the knowledge of the responders is brought to bear.
If you want to know what means to use to contain chemicals in the event of an environmental emergency. It is strongly recommended to know the various basic physico-chemical properties of chemicals. If you do not know the product you will have to contain, you must do everything possible to characterize the product(s) in question. Throughout this article, we invite you to review the types of hazards that you may encounter and, consequently, the means to intervene effectively in the event of a recovery.
What means or intervention tools will you need?
Handling or recovery problems can arise from several events. Accidental spills; emergency response; disposal of hazardous and residual products; sorting, segregation and storage; transportation of residual hazardous materials (HRM); entry into confined spaces in the presence of an environmental emergency; WHMIS. So, what is the protective equipment that will have to be used to ensure that workers are well prepared to respond? Minor spills and the management of hazardous materials are increasingly sensitive issues for businesses. What do you have to do in the event of a minor spill? How do you respond using the spill MSDS?
There are risks associated with every operation
– How to identify the nature of your hazardous materials.
– What is your risk assessment.
– Are you aware of the incompatibility between the various products involved if any?
– In case of an emergency, do you know what to do?
– Do you know the procedures to follow and the equipment required to respond?
– Residual or virgin chemicals all have different properties. Do you know the general rules of intervention (control, containment, recovery, treatment and disposal of residues)?
SO MANY QUESTIONS TO WHICH
SOONER OR LATER YOU’LL HAVE TO KNOW.
BETTER SOONER THAN LATER!
Certain recommendations of use are necessary.
But we’re not going to list them all, which is really too long.
I. Do not mix chemicals before checking their compatibility.
II. Always ask for a pre-identified representative for advice on these matters.
III. Always use equipment and materials designed to withstand the products being used or handled.
IV. When transferring, always use equipment to contain a possible spill;
V. Always check whether the container can withstand the chemicals and clearly distinguish its contents.
VI. Check the location of showers or another water source if, in case of skin contact, the chemical used or handled requires immediate rinsing.
VII. Read the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the chemicals used or handled before starting work AT ALL TIMES, THIS IS NOT DESIRABLE. MAKE IT AN OBLIGATION.
VIII. When dispensing flammable liquids, a grounder must be used as follows: ground at the primary container and from the primary container to the secondary container.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VARIOUS COMMON CHEMICALS. THIS WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY THE RECOVERY METHODS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO HANDLE THESE PRODUCTS.
1) Corrosive products.
2) Acids and exceptions.
3) Bases.
4) Vehicle batteries.
5) Batteries.
6) Flammable/liquid combustible residues.
7) Paints.
8) Solvents.
9) Oils.
10) Other organisms.
11) Toxic substances.
12) Factors influencing toxicity.
13) Cyanides.
14) Pesticides.
15) Drugs.
16) Toxic substances.
17) Aerosols.
18) Propane tanks.
19) Compressed gas bottles.
20) Barrels.
When hazardous products no longer have a useful life and come from the industrial sector or are household hazardous waste, these products have certain characteristics that make them harmful to the environment.
PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS
Products can be grouped under various characteristics. The different chemicals can be grouped into categories based on and subdivided according to the different types of treatment and disposal applicable:
| Acids | Pesticides |
| Bases | Oxidizers |
| Paints | Batteries |
| Solvents | Automotive batteries |
| Oils | Medicines |
| Cyanides | Other organism |
| Reagents | Propane tank |
How to dispose of these chemicals.
(These modes of disposal may vary according to the regulations in force).
| Category | Acids |
| Treatment | Re-use |
| Use | Industrial wastewater. ph neutralization |
| Category | Bases |
| Treatment | Re-use |
| Use | Industrial wastewater. ph neutralization |
| Category | Paints |
| Treatment | Recycling |
| Use | Resale of paint |
| Category | Solvents |
| Treatment | Recycling |
| Use | Multiple use |
| Category | Oils |
| Treatment | Valuation |
| Use | Auxiliary fuels for furnaces |
| Category | Cyanides |
| Treatment | Disposal |
| Use | Detoxification/Stabilization |
| Category | Pesticides |
| Treatment | Disposal |
| Use | incineration |
| Category | Reagents |
| Treatment | Disposal |
| Use | Detoxification/Stabilization/incineration |
| Category | Oxidants |
| Treatment | Re-use |
| Use | Water treatment |
| Category | Batteries |
| Treatment | Recycling |
| Use | Recycling of battery components |
| Category | Automotive batteries |
| Treatment | Recycling |
| Use | Lead recycling |
| Category | Drugs |
| Treatment | Disposal |
| Use | Incineration |
| Category | Other organisms/liquids |
| Treatment | Valuation |
| Use | Auxiliary fuel for cement kilns |
| Category | Propane tanks |
| Treatment | Recycling |
| Use | Reconditioning to metal recycling |
To contain any spill of these products, you can use absorbents in the form of: booms for containment, sheets for absorption and containers for recovery and transport. All this equipment is available at Sylprotec in Montreal. You can also obtain them via their website for delivery anywhere in Canada.
Sylvain Patrice f.p.t
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