benzene awareness safety. the following awareness level benzene safety program has been established...

BENZENE AWARENESS

SAFETY

The following Awareness level Benzene Safety Program has been established to reduce employee exposure and potential hazards that may be encountered during various operations conducted at assigned work locations.

BENZENE AWARENESS SAFETY

Employees are not expected to perform emergency response cleanup where concentrations of Benzene have the potential to be above the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 1ppm (part per million). Should employees be assigned such duties, specialize training will be provided.


Employees may work in locations such as:

1. Petroleum pipeline sites 2. Above and below ground tank removal 3. Emergency response to gasoline and oil

spills and 4. Soil remediation sites.


Employees shall be made aware of the host facilities contingency plans and programs for preventing exposure to Benzene.


What Benzene is

• Benzene is a chemical that is a colorless or light yellow liquid at room temperature. It has a sweet odor and is highly flammable.

• Benzene evaporates into the air very quickly. Its vapor is heavier than air and may sink into low-lying areas.

• Benzene dissolves only slightly in water and will float on top of water.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

Where Benzene is found and how it is used

• Benzene is formed from both natural processes and human activities.

• Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.

• Benzene is widely used in the United States . It ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume.

• Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

How you could be exposed to Benzene

• Outdoor air contains low levels of benzene from tobacco smoke, gas stations, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions.

• Indoor air generally contains levels of benzene higher than those in outdoor air. The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents.

• The air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations can contain higher levels of benzene than in other areas.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

How you could be exposed to Benzene

• Benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or from hazardous waste sites containing benzene can contaminate well water.

• People working in industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of it.

• A major source of benzene exposure is tobacco smoke.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

How Benzene works

• Benzene works by causing cells not to work correctly. For example, it can cause bone marrow not to produce enough red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Also, it can damage the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.

• The seriousness of poisoning caused by benzene depends on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as the age and preexisting medical condition of the exposed person.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

People who breathe in high levels of benzene may develop the following signs and symptoms within minutes to several hours:

• Drowsiness • Dizziness • Rapid or irregular

heartbeat • Headaches • Tremors • Confusion • Unconsciousness • Death (at very high levels)

IMMEDIATE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE TO BENZENE

LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO BENZENE

• The major effect of benzene from long-term exposure is on the blood. Benzene causes harmful effects on the bone marrow and can cause a decrease in red blood cells, leading to anemia. It can also cause excessive bleeding and can affect the immune system, increasing the chance for infection.

• Some women who breathed high levels of benzene for many months had irregular menstrual periods and a decrease in the size of their ovaries. It is not known whether benzene exposure affects the developing fetus in pregnant women or fertility in men.

Long-term exposure means exposure of a year or more.

• Animal studies have shown low birth weights, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage when pregnant animals breathed benzene.

• The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that benzene causes cancer in humans. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, cancer of the blood-forming organs.

LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO BENZENE

Benzene poisoning is treated with supportive medical care in a hospital setting. No specific antidote exists for benzene poisoning. The most important thing is for victims to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

HOW BENZENE POISONING IS TREATED

Liquefied or gaseous Benzene (C6H6) is a clear, colorless sweet-smelling aromatic highly flammable hydrocarbon that can usually be found naturally occurring in crude oil, and in processed intermediate or finished product hydrocarbon streams at petrochemical or refining operation facilities.

IDENTIFICATION

It is further described by the following physical and chemical characteristics:

Boiling Point (C 760 mmHg) 80.1C or 176FMelting Point (C) 5.5CSpecific Gravity (H2O = 1) 0.879Vapor Pressure (mm Hg) 7 4.6 @ 20CPercent Volatile by Vol (%) 99+% Vapor Density (Air = 1) 2.77Evaporation Rate (BuAc = 1) 6.0Solubility in Water (%) Insoluble

IDENTIFICATION

NFPA Hazard Ratings:

Health: 2Flammability: 3Reactivity: 0Special Hazards: None

IDENTIFICATION

SPECIAL HAZARDS

Airborne: The maximum time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 1 part of benzene vapor per million parts of air (1 ppm) for an 8-hour workday and the maximum short-term exposure limit (STEL) is 5 ppm for any 15-minute period.

Dermal: Eye contact shall be prevented and skin contact with liquid benzene shall be limited.

Toxicity

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

Appearance and Odor: Benzene is a clear, colorless liquid with a pleasant, sweet odor. The odor of benzene does not provide adequate warning of its hazard.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

Toxicity

Health Hazard Data

Ways in which benzene affects your health:

• If you inhale it;• If it comes in contact with your skin or

eyes;• If you happen to swallow it.

FACTS ABOUT BENZENE

Short-term (acute) overexposure:

If you are overexposed to high concentrations of benzene, well above the levels where its odor is first recognizable, you may feel breathless, irritable, euphoric, or giddy; you may experience irritation in eyes, nose, and respiratory tract. You may develop a headache, feel dizzy, nauseated, or intoxicated. Severe exposures may lead to convulsions and loss of consciousness.

EFFECTS OF OVER-EXPOSURE

Long-term (chronic) exposure:

Repeated or prolonged exposure to benzene, even at relatively low concentrations, may result in various blood disorders, ranging from anemia to leukemia, an irreversible, fatal disease. Many blood disorders associated with benzene exposure may occur without symptoms.


The by-products of Benzene should be considered toxic and the same precautions shall be used when around or otherwise handling Benzene containing materials.


Eye Contact: Flush with water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical assistance.

Skin Contact: Wash with soap and water thoroughly. Immediately remove soaked clothing. Wash clothing separately before re-use.

Inhalation: Move person to fresh air. If breathing has stopped, perform artificial respiration. Get medical assistance immediately.

Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Do not give liquids. Get medical assistance immediately. Small amounts that enter the mouth should be rinsed out thoroughly.

FIRST AID MEASURES

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTSACCUTE & CHRONIC

Symptoms of exposure include toxic by any route, headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, breathing difficulties, collapse. May cause anemia, liver and kidney damage. Irritation on contact with skin or eyes; may cause eye damage.

Benzene is a known, proven carcinogenic substance per NTP, IARC, & OSHA.

EXPOSURE DETERMINATION AND LIMITS

Determination of employee exposure is made from breathing zone air samples that are representative of each employee’s average exposure to airborne benzene. Representative 8-hour TWA employee exposures shall be determined on the basis of one sample or samples representing the full shift exposure for each job classification in each work area.

Determinations of compliance with the STEL shall be made from 15 minute employee breathing zone samples measured at operations where there is reason to believe exposures are high, such as where tanks are opened, filled, unloaded, or gauged; where containers or process equipment are opened and where benzene is used for cleaning or as a solvent in an uncontrolled situation.


• Initial monitoring must be conducted at each covered work place or work operation to determine accurately the airborne concentrations of benzene to which employees may be exposed.

• Periodic monitoring and monitoring frequency requirements must be met if the monitoring reveals employee exposure at or above the action level but at or below the TWA. This shall be repeated at least every year. IF the monitoring reveals employee exposure above the TWA, the monitoring shall be repeated for each such employee every (6) six months.


•The Company may alter the monitoring schedule from every six months to annually for any employee for whom two consecutive measurements taken at least 7 days apart indicate that the employee exposure has decreased to the TWA or below, but is at or above the action level. Monitoring for the STEL shall be repeated as necessary to evaluate exposure of employees subject to short-term exposures.


• Monitoring can be terminated if the initial monitoring reveals employee exposure to be below the action level, except as otherwise required. If the periodic monitoring reveals that employee exposures, as indicated by at least two consecutive measurements taken at least 7 days apart, are below the action level, then APEX may discontinue the monitoring for that employee, except as otherwise required.


• Additional monitoring shall be conducted when there has been a change in the production, process, control equipment, personnel, or work practices which may result in new or additional exposures to benzene; or when there is any reason to suspect a change which may result in new or additional exposures.

• Whenever spills, ruptures, or other breakdowns occur that may lead to employee exposure, monitoring (using area or personal sampling) after the cleanup of the spill or repair of the leak, rupture or other breakdown will be done to ensure that exposures have returned to the level that existed prior to the incident.


• Monitoring accuracy shall be accurate to a confidence level of 95%, to within plus or minus 25 percent for airborne concentrations of benzene.

• Employees shall be notified of all monitoring results, within 15 working days after the receipt of the results of any monitoring performed, in writing, individually or by posting of results in an appropriate location that is accessible to affected employees.


• Whenever PEL’s are exceeded, the written notification shall contain the corrective action taken to reduce the employee exposure to or below the PEL, or shall refer to a document available to the employee which states the corrective action to be taken.


CONTROLS

• Benzene liquid is highly flammable and its vapors may form explosive mixtures in air. Fire extinguishers must be readily available for use. Smoking is prohibited in areas where Benzene is stored or used.

• Regulated areas are then established wherever the airborne concentration of benzene exceeds or can reasonably be expected to exceed the permissible exposure limits, either the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure of 1 ppm or the short term exposure limit of 5 ppm for 15 minutes. Access to these regulated areas is then limited to authorized personnel who will be provided with appropriate levels of personal protective equipment.

CONTROLS

Safe work practices are then instituted which could consist of or involve product line removal, blinding, blanking, draining, cleaning, steaming, purging, high-pressure washing, or neutralizing. Safe-work procedures such as lock-out/tag-out, hot-work, or confined space entry are implemented to further control exposure potentials.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

PPE will be worn where appropriate to prevent eye contact and limit dermal (skin) exposure to liquid benzene.


Employees can expect to wear one or more combinations of the following provided equipment, as based on the work permit requirements, operator’s instructions, or established PPE guidelines:

• ANSI Z87.1 safety glasses with rigid side shields• Chemical splash-proof goggles• Full face-shield• Chemical/hydrocarbon-resistant suit/coverall/clothing• Chemical/hydrocarbon-resistant gloves• Chemical/hydrocarbon-resistant over-shoes/boots


This equipment will be inspected prior to use and maintained in a safe working condition. If any defects are found or occur during use, this equipment will not be allowed for use and will be provided and replaced at no cost to the employee.

Respiratory Protection• Whenever the described engineering and work

practice controls are determined to be ineffective at reducing employee Benzene exposure potentials, then respiratory protection will be provided.


Respiratory Protection

Respirators shall be used in the following circumstances:

• During the time period necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work practice controls;

• In work operations for which assessments establishes that compliance with either the TWA or STEL through the use of engineering or work practice controls is not feasible, such as some maintenance and repair activities or vessel cleaning;



• Other operations where engineering and work practice controls are infeasible because exposures are intermittent in nature and limited in duration;

• In work situations where feasible engineering and work practice controls are not yet sufficient or are not required to reduce exposure to or below the PEL’s;

• In emergency cleanup situations can reasonably be expected to be encountered;



• In work situations where feasible engineering and work practice controls are not yet sufficient or are not required to reduce exposure to or below the PEL’s;

• In emergency cleanup situations can reasonably be expected to be encountered;

REFERENCES

• Regional Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Public Response Hotline (CDC) • 800-CDC-INFO• 888-232-6348 (TTY)• E-mail inquiries: [email protected]

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0115.html

benzene awareness safety. the following awareness level benzene safety program has been established...

Documents

benzene benzene leaks

benzene slide

concentrations of benzene

benzene dissolves

benzene outdoor air

benzene awareness safety

levels of benzene higher

higher levels of benzene