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EDITORIAL BOARD

R Parameswaran

W A Balakumaran

P Manoharan

G S Swaminathan

Printed at Sunitha Printers, Chennai – 600 002

VOL: 16 No. 2 APRIL – JUNE 2017

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF SAFETY ENGINEERS ASSOCIATIONG1, Vinoth Foundations, 95/5, Sundaramurthy Gramani Street, Virugambakkam, Chennai-600092.

Tel : 044-2377 4060 E-mail: info@seaindia.org Website: www.seaindia.org

INDIAN SAFETY ENGINEERSEA (INDIA)

Inside... Page

16th Anniversary of SEA (India) 1

From the Desk of President 2

Annual General Body Meeting 3

The Road Safety Week (RSW) 3

Industrial growth, not at thecost of Environmentaldegradation 4

Computer Vision Syndrome 6

Six Emergency ResponseHabits Employees Need toDevelop 7

Toluene 9

Treating Chemical Burns 10

How CDs and DVDs CanImpact the Environment 11

CASE STUDY 12

Fire due to sight glass leak

Flash fire during charging offlammable powder

Furnace Explosion duringtempering process

IN THE NEWS 14

Foundation of labour institutelaid in Shillong by the Hon’bleLabour Minister, Govt. of India

ILO focuses on stress forWorld Day for Safety andHealth at Work

(Regn No: 1391 / 2000)[Registered under Societies Act, 1975]

16TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEA (INDIA)

Sixteenth Anniversary Celebrations of Safety Engineers Association washeld on 24th June 2017. Mr. K. Kaliannan, Director, Industrial Safety &Health, Government of Tamil Nadu was the Chief Guest and hecongratulated the safety engineers on the occasion. He advised them tofocus on Behavioral corrections of workers towards improving industrialsafety. He also emphasized the need to improve safety education andtraining in unorganized sectors and advised SEA to extend necessarysupport. Mr. C.J. Ilanahai, Managing Director, Cetex Petrochemical Ltd& Vice President, Manali Industries Association delivered Keynote address.He reiterated the need for Safety education among young engineeringgraduates who later take up several jobs in industry and suggestedUniversities to include a full paper on Industrial Safety in their curriculum.Dr. S. Sankar, Head of Environment Health Engineering Department, SriRamchandra University, in his Special Address recalled their longassociation with SEA in conducting different Health, Safety & Environmentprogrammes. Several batches of NEBOSH-IGC course were conductedby SEA in the University premises in addition to many Safety & Environmentworkshops held jointly with SEA. He briefed on their long association andinteractions with world organizations such as ILO, WHO, OSHA, UNO onHealth, Safety and Environment activities. He informed that manyOccupational Health & Environment standards are being reviewed andmade strict.

Earlier, Mr. S. Selvaganapathy, President, Safety Engineers Associationextended welcome address and at the end of the function, Mr. S.M. Ravi,Secretary proposed a Vote of Thanks.

Anniversary celebration concluded with two Special Technical lectures on“KPI for enhanced Process Safety” by Dr. M. Surianarayanan, PrincipalScientist, CISRA, CLRI, Chennai and “Psychological aspects relating toIndustrial Safety” by Mrs. Lima Peter, Trichy.

SEA Members and Invitees participated in large numbers and interactedactively during the Special Technical Lecture programmes.

Annual General Body Meeting of SEA was held at the end of the 16thAnniversary function of SEA.

Mr K Kaliannan, Director, Industrial Safety & Health, Govt of Tamilnadu delivering the inaugural address.(Sitting L-R:) M/s S Selvaganapathi, President, SEA India, S G Ilanahai, MD, Cetex Petrochemicals, Dr S Sankar,Head, EHE Dept, SRU, Chennai, S M Ravi, Secretary, SEA India are in the dias.

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16TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEA (INDIA)

Dr M Surianarayanan delivering the talk on “Laggingand Leading indicators for extended process safety”during the Sixteenth Anniversary Celebration of SEA

India held on 24 th June 2017 at Chennai

Mrs Leema Peter delivering the talk on“Psychological aspects contributing to industrial

safety” during the Sixteenth Anniversary Celebrationof SEA India on 24 th June 2017 at Chennai

FROM THE DESK OF PRESIDENTDear SEA India members,

Greetings to all.

At the outset, I thank you all for co opting meas President of SEA India, a respectable position.

I assure that I will do my best for the bettermentof our association and to sustain the scope ofour association, "Safety for All and Safety byAll" for ever.

In this connection, I request all our members tosend your suggestions, ideas, comments and alsocriticism about the functioning of SEA India andnew ways to do better for our members.

All suggestions will be fully entertained and

efforts will definitely be taken to execute thesuggestions for the betterment of our association.

Members are also requested to send case studies,safety and hazard alerts, and EHS related articlesfor publication in our journal.

Members who can deliver talk in ourProfessional Development Programme oninnovative EHS topics can also contact us formaking suitable arrangement.

Expecting your fullest co operation,

R ParameswaranPresident, SEA (India)Phone 94440 09819Mail ID : paramesh48@msn.com

A view of the participants

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The Road Safety Week (RSW) was observedthroughout India under the guidance of theMinistry of Road Transport & Highways, Govt.of India during 11-17 January.

The mounting toll of deaths on Indian roads isa matter of great concern for all stakeholders.Speeding vehicles, drunken driving, low useof helmets & seat belts and child restraints invehicles have resulted in most of the accidentson the roads.

Road safety education plays an important rolein shaping the attitudes and behaviors ofchildren and young people - ensuring theybecome responsible drivers, passengers,pedestrians, and cyclists. As the old sayinggoes; you are never too young to learn.

ELEVEN Rules To Ensure Road Safety

1. Know all the Signals

2. Stop, Look, and Cross

3. Pay Attention - Listen

4. Don't Run on Roads

5. Always use Sidewalks

6. Wear Your Helmets, Seat Belts always

7. Never Exceed Speed Limit

8. Good Maintenance of your Vehicle

9. Awareness Through Hoardings

10.Be Seen, Stay Safe

11.Proper Road Maintenance and Warnings

Alert today! Alive tomorrow!! Be Safe!!!

The Road Safety Week (RSW)

ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETINGSixteenth Annual General Body meeting was heldon June 24th 2017 at Chennai.

Mr S M Ravi, Secretary, SEA India welcomed themembers and briefed the activities carried on duringthe year 2016-17.

Mr G Varadarajan, Treasurer submitted theaccounts for the year 2016-17 and the proposedthe budjet for the year 2017-18 and it was approved.

After brief discussion, the following decisions weretaken.

It was decided to amend the existing Bye law tomake provision for

• E Voting as part of ongoing trend ondigitalization

• To co-opt EC members whenever necessityarises

• To update the SEA Web page

• To issue ID cards to members with all detailson request.

• To issue SEA India membership certificate toMembers only.

• To conduct safety training programmes in MultiStoreyed Apartments, Housing Colonies,Schools and Colleges to create awarenessamong the public as part of CSR

For the effective functioning of SEA India, thefollowing changes were made in the existing setup:

R Parameswaran President

S Ulaganathan Vice President

P Janardhanam Joint Secretary

S SelvaGanapathi Teasurer

The meeting concluded with vote of thanks.

Kind Attention of Members....Of late, Safety Alert by e-mail and Journal through post return to the sender. Hence, SEA(India) members are requested to send their current postal address and active email ID(personal) to us at the earliest to:

seaindiachennai@rediffmail.com / safetyengineersindia@gmail.com

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INDUSTRIAL GROWTH NOT AT THE COST OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

We admit that Industrialdevelopment had substantiallycontributed to the moderncivilization and humandevelopment. We should knowthat as country keeps developing,the disease patterns that affect thepeople also keeps shifting fromtraditional to modern diseases.With the technology and sciencedevelopment, we have managedto control the traditional diseasessuch as infectious, diarrhea andpneumonia but managing themodern diseases such as CVD,diabetics and cancer has posed asignificant challenge to thegoverning stakeholders.

Traditionally few decades back,industries were major contributorfor ambient air pollution.Investment on interventions andcompliances by industries hadbrought down the air pollutionlevels significantly to the setstandards. But, over a period oftime, explosion of automobileshad contributed substantially toambient air pollution and stillcontinues to be the major cause.Other sources of air pollution areemission from household energyuse, coal fired power stations,garbage burning and agriculturalburning in rural areas.

Ministry of Health and FamilyWelfare, in their report states that

Industries contribute to 20% oftotal emissions and Vehiclescontribute to 45% of emissions.Similarly 65% of exposures toPM2.5 are contributed by vehicleswhile industries contribute to 12%of exposure. Central PollutionControl Board report 2012, statesthat out of 497 monitoring stationsin India, 307 locations exceed thePM10 NAAQS of 60µg/m3. Thismeans, 125 cities in the countryare exceeding the NationalAmbient Air Quality Standard.

Ambient air pollution was rankedfifth as leading cause of mortalityin the year 2015. With referenceto PM2.5 exposure, there is anestimated 4.2 million deaths and103.1 million disability adjustedlife years representing 7.6 percentof total global deaths and 4.2% ofDALYs. Around 60% of these arein east and South Asia.

Today's leading risks for mortalityin the word are High BP (13% ofdeaths), tobacco use (9%), highblood glucose (6%), physicalinactivity (6%), overweight andobesity (5%). These are theprimarily responsible forincreasing the chronic diseasessuch as heart disease, diabeticsand cancers.

In India around 9 deaths per100,000 occurs due to ambient air

pollution. Ambient air pollutionranks third leading risk factor fordeath and disability. In India, theleading cause of death is Ischemicheart disease an increase of 16.7%from 2005 to 2015, followed byCOPD 4.3%, cerebrovasculardisease7.3%. There is an increasein chronic kidney disease by20.6% and diabetics by 34.8 %. Interms of disability life years, irondeficiency anemia (-24.2%), lowback and neck pain (7.6%) senseorgan disease (9.8), depressivedisorder (5.5%) and othermuscular disease (8.5%). Lowback and neck pain andmusculoskeletal disorder ranks intop 5 disabilities indicating poorwork postures at occupational andnon occupational settings.

While we have given much focuson reducing air pollution emissionfrom industries, we have notattended much on people's lifestyle risk factors such as alcoholuse, tobacco use, high bloodpressure, high body mass index,high cholesterol, high bloodglucose, low fruit and vegetableintake and physical inactivity.These are primarily responsible forcardiovascular disease anddiabetics, and depressiondisorders.

(Contd. on next page)

During the 16th SEA India Anniversary function, Dr S Sankar, Head, EHE Dept., Sri RamachandraUniversity, Porur, Chennai delivered the special address The gist of his special address is given belowfor the benefit of SEA India members.

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There is always an overlapbetween environmental risks andoccupational risks, because theremay be a common source. Today,we do have estimates for most ofthe occupational disease burdensin employees. Annually, there arearound 350,000 deaths due tooccupational injuries, 12% deathsdue to COPD from occupationalairborne particulates exposure,ergonomic stressors (37% backpain due to occupational risks),occupational noise (16% of adultworldwide have hearing loss),unsafe health care injections(417,000 deaths due to bloodborne infections) and childabuses. More than half the diseaseburdens occur in developingcountries.

Industries growth should notoccur at the expense ofenvironmental or healthdegradation. Recently, we hadheard in news papers about thepollution of water by around 170pharmaceutical industries(Patancheru-Bollaram Industrialzone) in Hyderabad. A constantand chronic level in water makesbacteria to develop resistance toover 90 antibiotics. When thesebacteria enter human system theydo not respond to several

antibiotics. One classic example ismultiple drug resistant TBbacteria. It's a great challenge tothe health ministry to eradicateTB. Today in India 40% areinfected with TB and we have anincidence of 2.2 million active TBor latent TB cases (new cases2015). Other consequences arenew born babies dies fromresistant infection each year. Soit's a huge responsibility onindustries not only to focus onquality of the product oremployees' health and safety butalso pay attention to manage themicro and macro environments.

Currently, we do not havedischarge standards to range ofchemicals. Also, the exposurelimits (TLV-TWA) for chemicalsin occupational setting areoutdated and need to be updatedfrom the evidence generatedthrough scientific research.

We have to build an environmentwhere we live happily, bothpersonal and social. A goodenvironment around us isimportant. GDP per capita,Health life expectancy, Socialsupport, Sense of freedom i.e. tomake life choices, Generosity,Freedom from corruption, Positiveeffect, Negative effects are all

indicators of happiness. Thedifferences in happiness areexplained not only by incomeinequality, but also differences inmental health, physical healthand personal relationship. Are wein good mental health (we workwith stress at work and even athome)? Are we in good physicalhealth (no time for physicalexercise to keep our bodyhealthy)? Are we having goodpersonal relationship (we aresending rocket to sky not knowingour neighbors)? According toHappiness Report 2014-2016,India ranks 122nd in worldhappiness index and we arebehind Pakistan (80) and China(79), Bhutan (97).

One good news is that lifeexpectancy for men increasedfrom 57.8 to 65.2 and female from58.5 to 69.5 years. But still we arefar away from top three countriesMonaco 89.5 years, Singapore 85years, Japan 85 years.

Health is not all about improvingthe workplace, it's also incredibleto keep our surrounding safe,sound and healthy. That's thereason the WHO/ILO redefinesOccupational Health as WorkersHealth. Let's seriously thinkbeyond workplace as well.

Industrial Growth ....(Contd. from previous page)

DISCLAIMER: All information contained in this Journal, were obtained from sources, believed to be reliable and are collated, based ontechnical knowledge and experience, currently available with the Editorial Board of SEA (India). While SEA (India) recommends referenceto or use of the contents by its members and subscribers, such reference to or use of contents by its members or subscribers or thirdparties, are purely voluntary and not binding. Therefore the Editorial Board of this Journal or SEA (India) assumes no liability or responsibilitywhatsoever towards any bad or undesired consequences.

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COMPUTER VISION SYNDROMEComputer vision syndrome (CVS)is a condition resulting fromfocusing the eyes on a computeror other display device forprotracted, uninterrupted periodsof time. Some symptoms of CVSinclude headaches, blurred vision,neck pain, redness in the eyes,fatigue, eye strain, dry eyes,irritated eyes, double vision,vertigo/dizziness, polyopia, anddifficulty refocusing the eyes.These symptoms can be furtheraggravated by improper lightingconditions (i.e. glare or brightoverhead lighting) or air movingpast the eyes (e.g. overhead vents,direct air from a fan).

Prevalence: According to theNational Institute ofOccupational Safety and Health,computer vision syndrome affectsabout 90% of the people whospend three hours or more a dayat a computer. Another study inMalaysia was conducted on 795college students aged between 18and 25. The students experiencedheadaches along with eyestrain,with 89.9% of the studentssurveyed feeling any type ofsymptom of CVS.

Therapy: Dry eye is a majorsymptom that is targeted in thetherapy of CVS. The use of over-the-counter artificial-tearsolutions can reduce the effects ofdry eye in CVS.

Asthenopic symptoms in the eyeare responsible for much of theseverity in CVS. Proper rest to theeye and its muscles isrecommended to relieve theassociated eye strain. Variouscatch-phrases have been used tospread awareness about giving rest

to the eyes while working oncomputers. A routinelyrecommended approach is toconsciously blink the eyes everynow and then (this helpsreplenish the tear film) and tolook out the window to a distantobject or to the sky-doing soprovides rest to the ciliarymuscles. One of the catch phrasesis the "20 20 20 rule": every 20mins, focus the eyes on an object20 feet (6 meters) away for 20seconds. This basically gives aconvenient distance andtimeframe for a person to followthe advice from the optometristand ophthalmologist. Otherwise,the patient is advised to close his/her eyes (which has a similareffect) for 20 seconds, at leastevery half-hour.

Decreased focusing capability ismitigated by wearing a small plus-powered (+1.00 to +1.50) over-the-counter pair of eyeglasses.Wearing these eyeglasses helpssuch patients regain their abilityto focus on near objects. Peoplewho are engaged in otheroccupations-such as tailorsengaged in embroidery-canexperience similar symptoms andcan be helped by these glasses. APacific University research studyof 36 participants foundsignificant differences in irritationor burning of the eyes, tearing, orwatery eyes, dry eyes, and tiredeyes, that were each improved byfiltering lensepla

Eye strain: Eye strain also knownas asthenopia which is an eyecondition that manifests itselfthrough nonspecific symptomssuch as fatigue, pain in or aroundthe eyes, blurred vision, headache

and occasional double vision.Symptoms often occur afterreading, computer work, or otherclose activities that involvetedious visual tasks.

When concentrating on a visuallyintense task, such as continuouslyfocusing on a book or computermonitor, the ciliary muscletightens. This can cause the eyesto get irritated anduncomfortable. Giving the eyes achance to focus on a distantobject at least once an hourusually alleviates the problem.

A CRT computer monitor with alow refresh rate (<70Hz) or aCRT television can cause similarproblems because the image has avisible flicker. Aging CRTs alsooften go slightly out of focus, andthis can cause eye strain. LCDs donot go out of focus but are alsosusceptible to flicker if thebacklight for the LCD uses PWMfor dimming. This causes thebacklight to turn on and off forshorter intervals as the displaybecomes dimmer, creatingnoticeable flickering which causeseye fatigue.

A page or photograph with thesame image twice slightlydisplaced (from a printing mishap,or a camera moving during theshot as in this image) can causeeye strain by the brainmisinterpreting the image fault asdiplopia and trying in vain toadjust the sideways movements ofthe two eyeballs to fuse the twoimages into one.

Causes: Sometimes, asthenopiacan be due to specific visualproblems, for example,

(Contd. on next page)

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SIX EMERGENCY RESPONSE HABITS EMPLOYEES NEED TO DEVELOPEmployees need to refresh theirknowledge and have drillsregularly so they will be able torely on both their knowledge andtheir experience whenemergencies happen.

If safety glasses, ear plugs, andsteel-toed shoes are required in aproduction area, most employeeswho work there every day willeventually get into the habit ofwearing them-especially whenthey receive coaching and positivereinforcement for rememberingthem. When the same start-upprocedure is used at the beginningof the shift every day, it willbecome habitual, too.

Developing good safety habits canhelp reduce the chance of injuries.But what happens when there isan emergency or something out ofthe normal happens? Employeesneed to be just as prepared for theunexpected as they are for routineoperations.

Training employees on the typesof emergencies that could happen

at or around the facility and whattheir role is during thoseemergencies are essential firststeps in preparing them torespond appropriately. Drills helpeveryone to apply what they havelearned and actually walk throughthe response process so that itbecomes familiar. The trick ishaving drills often enough thatemployees can develop emergencyresponse habits.

Many professional respondersagree that when there is anemergency, people's actions don'trise to the occasion-they fall backto their highest level of training.This happens because it is whatthey know, which makes themcomfortable with the actions theyneed to take. That's one of thereasons why even the mostseasoned responders train anddrill regularly, so that they knowwhat they are going to do, whichmakes them ready to actinstinctively when the need arises.

Given that even professional

responders continually train anddrill so that they will be preparedto act, it is wrong to assume thatemployees will instinctively knowwhat to do when there is anemergency. Just like thefirefighters, hazmat team,ambulance crew, or anyone elsewho may be called for assistance,employees need to refresh theirtraining and have drills regularlyso that they will be able to rely onboth their knowledge and theirexperience when emergencieshappen.

While it is probably not realisticto train every employee to be acontingency planner who isprepared for any time ofemergency that could everhappen, each employee needs tospecifically know what they areexpected to do during differenttypes of emergencies. Here are afew of the basic emergencyresponse habits every employeecan develop.

(Contd. on next page)

uncorrected refraction errors orbinocular vision problems such asaccommodative insufficiencyorheterophoria. It is often causedby the viewing of monitors such asthose of computers or phones.

Treatment

While preventive measures, suchas taking breaks from activitiesthat cause eye strain are

suggested, there are certaintreatments which a personsuffering from the condition cantake to ease the pain or discomfortthat the affliction causes. Perhapsthe most effective of these is toremove all light sources from aroom, and allow the eyes to relaxin darkness. Free of needing tofocus, the eyes will naturally relaxover time, and relieve thediscomfort that comes with thestrain. Cool compresses also help

to some degree, though careshould be taken to not useanything cold enough to damagethe eyes themselves (such as ice).A number of companies havereleased “computer glasses”which, through the use ofspecially tinted lenses, helpalleviate many of the factorswhich cause eye strain, thoughthey do not completely prevent it.Rather, they just make it harder tostrain the eye.

Computer Vision ....(Contd. from previous page)

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Exit Routes

Some facilities have multiple typesof alarms, but for many facilities,an alarm means that something iswrong and everyone shouldevacuate. Each employee shouldknow where the exit routes areand where the closest exit is. Inaddition, they should also be ableto leave the building at least twodifferent ways.

Be sure that evacuation drillsallow employees to practice usingboth primary and alternativeroutes so that they are less likelyto panic if they aren't able to usetheir primary route in anemergency. Employees also shouldknow where to go after they leavethe building and whom to reportto after they have evacuated.

Chemical Splashes

Hazardous chemical containersneed to be properly labeled. Theinformation on the label providesbasic information about achemical's hazard. But when anemployee has been splashed orunsafely exposed to a hazardouschemical, Safety Data Sheets(SDS) can provide more details tobetter help the affected employee.Knowing where to locate SDSand how to quickly find the onethat is needed allows fasterresponse and can lessen theextent of an injury.

Eyewash Stations and DrenchShowers

In areas where corrosivechemicals are used, knowing howto get to eyewash stations anddrench showers quickly canliterally mean the difference

between a first aid incident and arecordable injury with a longrecovery time. Try blindfoldingemployees to see whether theycan reach the nearest eyewash ordrench shower in less than 10seconds.

Fire Extinguishers

Most building codes require fireextinguishers; because they needto be checked monthly, most arefully charged and ready to use.However, whether or notemployees should actually usethem is sometimes a debate. Somefacilities develop "do not use"policies because they feel thathaving an employee attempt toput out an incipient fire with anextinguisher is too big of a risk.Instead, they want theiremployees to pull the fire alarmand exit the building.

For facilities that do not have thistype of policy, annual fireextinguisher drills can help themto remember to pull, aim, squeeze,and sweep. Be sure that thesedrills also include instruction onexiting the building if they haveexhausted an extinguisher buthave failed to put out the fire.

Spill Response

Most spills that happen in fixedfacilities are small and can besafely cleaned up by employees inthe immediate area. When a spillcreates an unsafe atmosphere orthreatens the health of employees,it is most likely an "emergencyspill" and needs to be cleaned upby employees who have beentrained in Hazardous WasteOperations and EmergencyResponse (HAZWOPER)Standard.

All employees need to be taughthow to quickly determine whetherthey are capable of cleaning up aspill or need to call in trainedemergency spill responders.Volume, location, chemicalproperties, and levels of trainingare all factors that need to betaken into consideration whentraining employees how todetermine whether a spill isincidental.

Injury Response and Reporting

Facilities that are not located inclose proximity to hospitals orinfirmaries need to haveemployees who are trained toadminister first aid. While it is notnecessary for every employee toreceive first aid training, it isimportant for every employee toknow what to do when someoneis injured. At a minimum, everyemployee should know whom toreport an injury to, as well as theprocess that will be used toinvestigate the root cause of anincident. Even elementary skillssuch as being able to retrieve thefirst aid kit or AED, or being ableto meet the ambulance at thedoor and direct them to aninjured employee, are helpful.

Few people ever reach the pointwhere responding to emergenciesis as instinctive as tying theirshoes. But without regularemergency training and drills,response actions will neverbecome familiar, let alone becomehabits. The more comfortableemployees are with their roles inemergency response, the morelikely they will be to followestablished plans and avoidinjuries.

Six Emergency ....(Contd. from previous page)

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TOLUENE

Toluene is a clear, colorless liquidwhich becomes a vapor whenexposed to air at roomtemperature. Toluene vapor has asharp or sweet odor, which is asign of exposure.

Toluene is typically used in amixture with other solvents andchemicals such as paint pigments.Products that may containtoluene-such as paint, metalcleaners and adhesives-are used inmany industries and can be foundin many workplaces. Gasoline andother fuels also contain toluene.Workers using toluene-containingpaints, varnishes, shellac, nailpolish, glues and adhesives, rustpreventives or printing inks maybe exposed to toluene.

Workers can be exposed totoluene by breathing it in, gettingit on their skin, getting it splashedinto their eyes, or swallowing it.These types of exposures maymake workers sick immediately orcause effects over time. Tolueneexposures have been studied innail salons and printingestablishments, auto repair, andconstruction activities.

Without proper ventilation andsafety precautions, toluene cancause irritated eyes, nose, andthroat; dry or cracked skin;headache, dizziness, feeling ofbeing drunk, confusion andanxiety. Symptoms worsen asexposure increases, and long termexposure may lead to tiredness,slow reaction, difficulty insleeping, numbness in the handsor feet, or female reproductive

system damage and pregnancyloss. If swallowed, toluene cancause liver and kidney damage.

Toluene is also flammable, and itsvapors can be ignited by flames,sparks or other ignition sources.

Health Hazards and ProtectiveMeasures

Employers SHALL train allworkers who use materialscontaining toluene about thehealth and safety hazards oftoluene, how to recognizeexposure to toluene, and theprotective measures that apply tothe use of toluene in the specificwork area.

Health Hazards of Toluene

Exposure to toluene may be , bybreathing in, getting it on theskin, getting it splashed into eyes,or swallowing it.

Symptoms of toluene exposureinclude: irritation of the eyes andnose; weakness, exhaustion,confusion, euphoria, dizziness,headache; dilated pupils,lacrimation (discharge of tears);anxiety, muscle fatigue, insomnia;numbness or tingling of the skin;dermatitis. Toluene exposure maycause liver and kidney damage.

Toluene affects the centralnervous system, eyes, skin,respiratory system, liver, kidneys.Breathing high levels of tolueneduring pregnancy has shown toresult in children with birthdefects and to retard mentalabilities and growth. There isevidence that exposure to toluene

at work is associated withspontaneous abortion.

High concentrations of toluene,usually from use in a confinedspace or unventilated area, cancause loss of consciousness,respiratory depression and death.Long term and repeatedworkplace exposure to tolueneaffect the central nervous system.

How to Detect the Presence orRelease of Toluene in the WorkArea

Toluene is used frequently inmany work operations involvingpaint, metal cleaners, adhesivesand other products. The safetydata sheets provided by thesupplier must disclose thepresence of toluene, andemployers must provide workerswith copies of these safety datasheets upon request. Employersmust provide workers training andinformation about a product'spotential hazards and how to useit safely.

Many people can smell toluene atlevels below established limits.But, if you can smell it, then it isgetting into the air. Your employershould collect air samples todetermine if you are beingexposed to toluene at or above thepermissible exposure limits (PEL).

The concentration of toluenevapors in the work area may bemeasured by a gas badge (passivediffusion sampler), a solvent vaportube attached to an air samplingpump, or a direct reading

(Contd. on next page)

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indicator tube.

Methods of Protecting AgainstToluene

• For cleaning and degreasingapplications, substitute awater-based material that doesnot contain toluene.

• Substitute a water-based paintor adhesive for toluene orsolvent based products.

• Substitute brush, roller or flowapplication for sprayapplication.

• Use the smallest amount ofthe product that will get thejob done.

• Ventilation is the mostimportant protective measureto reduce the inhalation of

toluene vapors where safersubstitutes are not feasible.Ventilation can be acombination of local exhaustsuch as spray booths orenclosing and exhaustingprocesses where toluene isevaporating, and roomventilation to capture thosevapors that escapecontainment.

• Make sure the roomventilation in the area workersare using the material providesthe air volume required byyour local building code.

• Spray application should bedone in a spray booth withlocal exhaust ventilation andno ignition sources in the area.

• If the use of toluene ormaterials containing toluene

causes wetting of the hands,impervious gloves should beused. Toluene is likely to comein contact with workers’ skinif the gloves used to protectagainst toluene wear outquickly, get holes or becomediscolored. Neoprene or nitrilegloves are preferred.

Occupational Exposure Limits

The amount of toluene that aworker breathes over a work dayis determined by theconcentration in air, and thelength of time the worker is inthat atmosphere.The exposurelimit varies from country tocountry and the employers areexpected to adhear to therespective local rules andregulations.

Toulene....(Contd. from previous page)

TREATING CHEMICAL BURNSChemical burns can be caused bya variety of substances, includingstrong acids, drain cleaners, paintthinners and gasoline.

A worker who receives a severechemical burn may go into shock- a life-threatening condition thatrequires emergency medical care.Signs of shock include fainting, apale complexion and very shallowbreathing.

Other reasons to seek medicalcare for a chemical burn includethe following:

• The burn penetrated the firstlayer of skin.

• The burn area may bealarming.

• The burn “encircles a limb orinvolves the eyes, hands, feet,

face, groin or buttocks, or amajor joint.”

Chemical burns can be tricky.Sometimes you may not realizewhat caused a burn becausesymptoms develop hours afterexposure. However, if youimmediately recognize that youhave suffered a mild chemicalburn, it is recommended to takethe following steps.

• Get the chemical off of you.For dry chemicals, put ongloves and brush off anymaterial with a towel orsimilar item.

• Take off any contaminatedclothing or jewelry to helpprevent further injury.

• Immediately rinse the burn

area by running a gentle butsteady stream of cool waterover the affected area for atleast 10 minutes. As you cleanyourself, be sure to protectyour eyes.

• Apply a loose gauze orbandage to the affected area.

• Take a pain reliever , if needed

• Check with Health careprovider to see if you shouldreceive a tetanus shot orbooster. Medical expertsrecommend getting a tetanusshot every 10 years.

In all the cases, it is always betterto consult a competent Physicianin case of chemical burns as it maygive rise to health issues later.

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HOW CDS AND DVDS CAN IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT

The environment is a hot topicnow-a-days.

How are you helping or hurtingthe environment with yourduplication or replication of CDs?

Working with CDs and DVDs hasan impact on the environmentand it is important to understandhow you are impacting the worldaround you. Not only that, butyou must realise the various waysyou can counteract the damagethat you put on the environmentdue to your use of CDs or DVDs.

How are you impacting theenvironment?

Whenever you create a CD youbuild one kilogram of carbondioxide that is released into theatmosphere.

Unfortunately most people don'tthink that this will affect much.However, since the world'spopulation is so large, 2,455,000metric tons of carbon dioxide arecreated every year from the

combination of people's CDcreation.

This statistic is just from themusic industry alone. With theaddition of promotional CDs,DVD movies, computer gamesand everything else that is used onCDs the numbers most likely todouble.

The aftermath

What happens to a CD after youdispose of it?

They typically end up in a landfill.Due to their makeup, they cannotbe recycled. In fact, if they areaccidentally recycled they candamage the equipment that isused to recycle materials.

An alternative

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a greatalternative to the plastic used inCDs. It is biodegradable and canreduce the effect of typical plasticsused in CDs.

The material used in CD cases isalso a great burden on the

environment. In order tocounteract the effects of CDcases, you can use PLA cases. Youcan also use cases that are madeout of paper that many musicproducers have used to createCDs. The only problem with usingpaper cases is that they are not asdurable as the usual plastic cases.

What can you do?

Every small act helps. If you wouldlike to prevent the problems ofCD pollution you can send yourCDs to private companies whorecycle them. A great CDrecycling company in the UK isPolymer Recycling Ltd.

You can also choose to work withenvironmentally friendlycompanies when choosing yourCD duplication and replicationoptions. There are many optionsout there, but don't forget thatDuplication Centre recycles itspackaging materials, so it is anenvironmentally responsiblechoice for CDs.

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CASE STUDY 1:

FIRE DUE TO SIGHT GLASSLEAK:

Description of Incident

A leak originating from a crackedlevel sight glass led to a fire at aflash tower of an oil refinery. Thefire damaged part of the side ofthe flash tower and melted theinsulation material on some of thepipe fittings. No worker wasinjured in this incident.

Possible Causes andContributing Factors

Mission

• The oil leaked from the levelsight glass as it had crackeddue to thermal fatigue. Thesight glass was subjectedto severe temperaturefluctuations each time theplant was shut down and re-started.

Medium

• The temperature of the oilleaking from the flash towerwas above its auto-ignitiontemperature.

Management

• The sight glass was neitherregularly inspected normaintained.

Recommendations and LearningPoints• Glass components are

susceptible to damages onceinstalled. Therefore, anappropriate material that isable to handle operationalconditions such as fluctuatingtemperature and pressuremust be selected at the designstage.

• Implement a risk-basedinspection and maintenanceprogramme for all fixtures thatare part of the processincluding sight glasses.

• Set up a replacementprogramme for all sight glassesbased on manufacturerrecommendations, and/orafter going through a fixednumber of operational cycles.

• Where feasible, put in placeengineering measures (e.g.,

excess flow check valve) in thesight glass assembly to preventleakage of vessel contentsthrough the sight glass in theevent of glass breakage.

• Explore deploying longercycles of ramped heating andramped cooling to avoidextreme temperaturefluctuations. It is important toknow that while glass isgenerally able to withstandhigh temperatures, it may beweakened when it is prone tosevere temperaturefluctuations.

• Establish an emergencyresponse plan, and carry outperiodic drills and exercises foremployees to practicepreliminary fire control, leakcontainment, evacuation,rescue and first aid.

CASE STUDY

Causal Analysis

Evaluation of loss • Property damage

Type of contact • Fire

Immediate cause(s) • Oil leak from cracked level sight glass

Basic cause(s) • Sight glass cracked due to thermal fatigue• No regular inspection and maintenance for the sight glass

Failure of OSHMS • Mechanical integrity and reliability

(Contd. on next page)

CASE STUDY 2:

FLASH FIRE DURINGCHARGING OF FLAMM-ABLE POWDER:

Description of Incident

An operator was pouring a sack ofchemical powder manually intothe hopper of a blending machine.The charging process took placewhile a welder was installing aproduct specification board (signboard) within the vicinity of thehopper. When the welder starteda test spark, a spark fell into thehopper and a flash fire occurred.The operator who was loading thechemical powder suffered burnsand sustained cuts while escapingfrom the fire.

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(Contd. on next page)

Flash Fire....(Contd. from previous page)

Possible Causes andContributing FactorsMedium• The chemical powder being

charged into the hopper wasflammable.

Management• There was no PTW issued for

this hot work to ensure that

the necessary checks weremade before commencing thewelding works.

• There was no enclosure toisolate the welding sparks fromthe hopper.

• Proper means ofcommunication (e.g., viawalkie-talkies) were notprovided to the workers.

Recommendations and Learning

Points• Conduct a general workplace

risk assessment to identify allsources of flammable material.

• A PTW must be issued toensure that the necessaryworksite checks are made, agas test is performed and thework has been authorisedbefore any hot work is allowedto proceed.

• Set up a fire blanket enclosurearound the hopper opening toshield against sparks generatedfrom any nearby weldingworks.

• Improve communication andcoordination betweendifferent teams of workers byproviding walkie-talkies orportable radio handsets to theworkers.

• Equip all workers handlingflammable substances withsuitable PPE (e.g., a fireretardant uniform) for basicprotection against fire.

CASE STUDY 3:

FURNACE EXPLOSIONDURING TEMPERINGPROCESS:

Description of Incident

An explosion occurred at afurnace used for temperingtubular metal components. Eachpiece of metal component hadearlier been masked with a layerof liquid chemical (a flammable

Causal Analysis

Evaluation of loss • One worker injured

Type of contact • Flash fire

Immediate cause(s) • Introduction of sparks into a flammable atmosphere

Basic cause(s) • Failure to conduct risk assessment

Failure of OSHMS • Hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control• Operating procedures and safe work practices• Consultation and communication• Control of hazardous substances

substance) at both its ends. Themasking and subsequent dryingwas carried out by a contractor athis premises prior to delivering itto the client’s furnace location.The explosion occurred 25minutes after the metalcomponents were loaded into thehot furnace. The explosionblasted away the furnace door andcaused damages to the sides, topand rear parts of the furnace. Noworker was injured in thisincident.Possible Causes andContributing FactorsMission• The work involved tempering

of metal components partiallymasked with a layer offlammable chemical.

Medium• There was an accumulation of

flammable vapour in thefurnace due to evaporation ofthe residual masking chemicalfrom the metal components.

Machine• The furnace in use was meant

specifically for the temperingprocess and not suitable fordrying the metal componentsas there was no internalventilation system to clearaway the accumulated vapour.

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Flash Fire ....(Contd. from previous page)

Management• The management failed to

communicate to the workersand contractors on the safework procedures and theimportance of checking forsufficient air drying time priorto loading metal componentsinto the furnace.

• The management hadapproved the use of thefurnace as it was larger andcould accommodate moremetal components in line withgrowing business demand.

• As there was a lack ofprocedure for management ofchange, no risk assessmentwas carried out to determinethe impact of shortening theair drying time, switching to a

Causal Analysis

Evaluation of loss • Property damage

Type of contact • Explosion

Immediate cause(s) • Ignition of the flammable vapour accumulated insidethe furnace

Basic cause(s) • Insufficient air drying time for the masked metalcomponents prior to loading into the furnace.

Failure of OSHMS • Hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control• Operating procedures and safe work practices• Management of change• Contractors

larger furnace, and increasedmetal component loading onthe furnace operation.

Recommendations and LearningPoints• Communicate the importance

of critical safety checks such assufficient air drying time orlevel of dryness to all workersand contractors, and clearlyindicate the need for suchchecks in the safe workprocedures. Implement system

(e.g., regular audit) to ensurecompliance by all parties.

• Ensure that all changes to theprocess workflow (e.g.,shortening the air drying time,switching to a larger furnaceand increased metalcomponent loading) aresubject to management ofchange procedure and processhazard analysis beforeimplementing.

IN THE NEWS

Foundation of Labour Institute laid in Shillong

On 6th January 2017, Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister of State (Independent charge)Labour and Employment, laid the foundation stone of Regional Labour Institute, Shillong atRynjah in the presence of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

This will be the sixth labour institute under the Directorate General, Factory Advice Serviceand Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. The other fiveinstitutes are located in Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur, Kolkata and Faridabad.

Labour Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, Shillong MP Vincent H Pala, Labour Department SecretaryM Sathiyavathy, Director General of DGFASLI Avneesh Singh and the Central and Stategovernment officials, among others, were also present.

The objective of establishing the institute is to strengthen the industrial safety and health inthe northeastern states coming under the jurisdiction of the institute.

The institute will impart training and consultancy services in the area of occupational safetyand health and run the long-term educational courses and professional programmes on thesame.

(Contd. on next page)

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IN THE NEWS

ILO focuses on stress for World Day for Safety and Health at Work

“Workplace Stress: A Collective Challenge” is the theme of this year's World Day for Safetyand Health at Work, set to take place April 28.

To mark the day, the International Labor Organization would release a report that addressesthe effects of workplace stress, ways for preventing and managing hazards and risks, and"global trends." The report would contend that work-related stress is a global issue that hasan impact on all professions and workers. "Psychosocial hazards" are workplace factors thatcan result in stress and can include interactions, conditions and culture that affect workerperformance, health and job satisfaction.

Stress can lead to disorders such as anxiety, exhaustion and cardiovascular disease, whilefactors such as high job demands, lack of support and conflict with co-workers are connectedto higher risk of workplace injury, according to research. Greater competition, loftier expectationsand longer hours are making workplaces more stressful. Effects of recession - including layoffs,unemployment and fewer job opportunities - also can affect worker health.

An effective program to prevent workplace stress includes "proper identification of psychosocialrisks and assessment of work performance and personal problems resulting from stress," thereport states. Workers should be empowered to share concern about circumstances that causestress.

"Employers should be aware of the negative effects of the psychosocial hazards that may affectworkers as a result of overwork and lack of control over their tasks, with the consequencesof work-related stress and related coping behaviors and health outcomes," the report notes.

ILO has celebrated World Day for Safety and Health at Work (which coincides with WorkersMemorial Day) every year since 2003. The campaign is intended to promote prevention ofworkplace incidents, injuries and fatalities.

The new Regional Labour Institute will have jurisdiction in the northeastern states of Assam,Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

The institute will have divisions such as industrial safety, industrial hygiene, industrial medicine,industrial physiology/ergonomics, major hazard control and chemical safety, health andenvironment exhibition centres.

It will be equipped with modern classrooms, a library-cum-information centre and a webinarcentre.

Besides, the institute hostel will have a 50-bed executive building comprising 22 double andtriple bedrooms.

The construction of the building has been entrusted to CPWD Shillong to be built at a costof Rs 17.40 crore and the institute will start functioning in 2020.

(Contd. from previous page)

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