Document 2NNb8J9vzZy1MDxdzmD00J4BR

vit aitui rx tui ANY WAY YOU MEAsmmn T o e r MAY 19 1955 RSITY OF CAUFOR . TREIOLITE PERFORMANCE OS CONSISTENTLY SUPERIOR : ^m^^emulsihcafaonmm^ki "r;yCtiJTREf1t0.-*.L|nfEemu1sifiers. `7/;.. tFORMANCE Always h^ILiAaBbLiEE nINr i ^itiTRETAOIUIEIjlSSS;iSI%#: #^^:^A."tiPc-,vbcjctericiaes^;^^^%.-- pblems MBmmmmm mmBmmmmmmincerning wa8^EMBBfflatesfiaMB. ^S^DIHiDR^fep'ait^ilii&vJis^^l-. fKCTOUTl SIR VICl |?g7W KEY TO PERIOR PERFORMANCE TRETOUTE COMP Am A DIVISION OF PET POLITE CORPORATlOf 369 Marshall Avenue, St. Louis 19, Missouri 5515 Telegraph Road, Los Angeles 22, Californio mgeJ The midget impinger, on injtrument which draws a measured volume of air through a trap containing a liquid collecting medium. Here, the midget impinger is being used to sample atmospheric concentration of toxic dust. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE in the Petroleum A. C. Pabsf, industrial hygienist, Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc., is called in at the blueprint stage where basic hygiene meas ures can be incorporated into plants, processing units and other installations, helping to save time, money and problems for management. iEKCtUSIVE E-2 The petroleum industry has made re markable and enviable progress not only in developing new and better products, but equally in anticipating market demands in terms of both qual ity and quantity. It has an extraordinary record for providing the customer with what he wants, where and when he wants it. New processing methods have been necessary, of course, to achieve these results. Many of these processing methods represent highly complex chemical op erations that present problems and situ ations new to the industry. With fore sight and planning, the petroleum in dustry is solving these problems, and, in fact, anticipating situations so that they do not become problems. To ac complish this, comparatively new sci ences like health engineering are studied with the same zeal as other types of research. Practically unknown 20 years ago, today's occupational health includes the fields of industrial hygiene an<| industrial medicine. Because industrial hygiene is one of the newest phases, many people do not know the meaning of the term, or the functions of the industrial hygienist. Nevertheless, the safeguarding of in dustrial health already is on a business basis, with labor and management recognizing its importance. Govern ment, too, takes an active interest, and 19 states have health department rules on industrial hygiene. Today, there are only about 800 industrial hygienists in the United States, and a large number of this group are not in industry, but are working for the federal govern ment or state departments. People hearing the word "hygiene" usually recall they had a hygiene course in high school which dealt with per sonal habits such as bathing, clear-^ the fingernails, teeth, etc., and jjik mediately jump to the conclusion thaf^S an industrial hygienist in industry musi^i be interested in keeping employees1; clean. In my first visit to many of OUf /sL refineries, it seemed that I was always'?* taken first to the locker rooms anii toilets to inspect shower and lavatory'ifel facilities. Of course, industrial hygicn-;ifft ists are interested-in the employee's cleanliness as it is necessary to protect "/vS his health, but their primary interest is not in sanitary facilities. They are moriTjf interested in keeping an employee's'll lungs, skin, and other organs free from'/JIs exposure to hazardous gases, liquids, dusts, and other harmful substances./,,'.?' The petroleum industry is becoming^' increasingly involved in the handling;^1, of all kinds of chemicals having various ^ degrees of physiological effects on man/;?: These chemicals might be described by/p quoting from a publication issued by/y duPont's Haskell Laboratory of Toxkyw cology." ".<j|s -j'i "it Takes All Sorts" "Chemicals, like people, can be mild, fractious and often exas- perating. :p "Like people, chemicals are of Sp, many types and dispositions. Most if are uncomplaining, law-abiding citizens who present no special problems. Some are unstable and /if unpredictable. Some are out-and- out neurotics, requiring a sharp `:u and observant discipline. Others, ... harmless by themselves, may be lp, influenced bv bad company. Still others are troublemakers in soli tary, but docile and helpful in tandem. Some are just plain bad /Ay actors.'' THE PETROLEUM ENGINEER, May. 7955j ASA*\.iy 1b concerned or are being studied more '/- -j-jjg industry's concept of in- '-trial hygiene compares favorably, ver, with similar activities in' S^ical and other industries, which ^'worked many years on these prob- -^?Jhe advent of catalytic cracking re- :^jtcd in the production and handling if'aromad- hydrocarbons with health * oblems similar to those long asso rt,^ with the coal-tar industry. The of new chemical catalysts, inhibi- 'tfirj and other chemical compounds Vfea'tes health problems that the chemijfjl industries have faced for years. To Illustrate this trend we need only look ft the modern gasolines, fuel oils and '` -0j0r oils. Years ago motor oils were ^practically' 100 per cent petroleum in `nature with little, if any, additives; itoday they contain up to 15 to 20 per '-`jit of chemicals, additives and in"bltors. This trend doubtless will con tinue because there is no question that ^IdUives contribute much to improve 'erformance characteristics. With change in formulation, any busi ness makes careful studies regarding ijhe health and safety of personnel and ^Customers. Problems that may arise garb solved, many of them by industrial ' .`hygiene. % Hygiene is defined as that branch of fmedical science that relates to preser vation of health, and therefore, indus trial hygiene may be defined as the ^Science of prevention and control of ocjjcupational illness. It resolves itself into Jthc problem of looking for any factors j&Or conditions in work places that could |,Cause or contribute to illness or serious ^discomfort of employees, and of de^hing the methods and means of elimi- j|nating or controlling such conditions. SgpThe typical industrial hygienist ^sually started out as a chemist or '^Chemical engineer who became in terested in and studied toxicological ^effects of chemicals on man. Conse quently, he has a good background of ^Chemistry and engineering combined $ith some medical knowledge--a sort apf pne-third doctor, one-third engineer, one-third chemist. His objectives IK, the protection and improvement of the health and safety of workers in the ndustrial environment from all manner ^..harmful exposures related to occu- .^n. In the petroleum industry, ingustrial hygienists usually function as uuportant part of the medical de- and 'n c^ose collaboration fflth the safety department for the proicchon of employees. -^Basically, the practice of industrial vff^e in the petroleum industry is the as in any other industry, and it `.>?;-,be boiled clown to four general Principles; Jh. 1. A knowledge of the toxicology of chemicals and materials. 2. A review of all chemicals or ma terials used or produced, how handled and the tabulation of toxic or potentially hazardous substances. 3. The measurement of worker ex posure to toxic substances. 4. The recommendation and instal lation of adequate control meas ures and the evaluation of the effectiveness of such corrective steps where indicated. Toxicology of Chemicals In regard to Item l,.the toxicology of chemicals, it is difficult to give an adequate definition of a toxic material because practically anything can be safe or harmful depending upon how it is used or where it is used. For example, air and water are not regarded as harmful, but both are quite deadly under certain conditions--air if in jected into the blood stream and water if introduced into the lungs. In the same manner, the use of carbon tetra chloride in a process having proper ventilation would not be hazardous, while the use of carbon tetrachloride for mopping floors would be quite dan gerous. In other words, a toxic ma terial may be hazardous or nonhazardous, depending on the conditions of its use. In regard to toxicology, there are three ways in which a harmful sub stance can cause adverse effects upon man: 1. It can be ingested or swallowed. 2. It can come into direct contact with the skin or parts of the body. / 3. It can be inhaled as a gas, vapor, mist, or dust. Ingestion Fortunately, petroleum materials are not commonly or intentionally taken in ternally and therefore, trouble from this is rather rare in a refinery, although it occasionally does occur unknowingly. I recall watching a worker who had been complaining of stomach trouble. PETROLEUM ENGINEER, May, 7 955 whose duties involved the compound ing of litharge or lead oxide in a doc tor solution--this man proceeded to empty the bags of litharge into an out door mixing tank and, because of the dust and mists generated, he correctly wore a respirator. Of course, his hands were covered with lead oxide, and to my amazement, the first thing he did when he came down from the catwalk was to take from his lunch box an orange which he started to peel and eat, probably one of the most effective ways to get lead poisoning. When petroleum products get to the consumers, ingestion is more frequent, but nearly always its occurence is a result of carelessness or mishandling. Small children whose parents care lessly leave products within easy reach may have unhappy experiences. We have had hurry calls from doctors in volving children drinking kerosine or such products as penetrating oil and fly sprays. Sometimes adults are even worse. There are cases of anti-freeze poisoning, drinking of brake fluid and one, I recall, of a radiator flush that contains muriatic acid and chlorinated hydrocarbons. This occurred despite the fact that the product was fully labeled, including poison warning with skull and cross bones. It should be emphasized that hardly a substance exists that is not capable of producing adverse effects on the human body if taken in sufficient quantity or ..------------- :r re-r-r- :------ --------- TABLE 1. Average effect of alcohol level in blood.* Ounce* r.f whiskey consumed i:. I hr rr alcohol or ie iu blood U 0.0! 1 0 02 2-5 0-.0.5 A-r t> t - -i r. behavior Normal Feeling of warmth, pleasant social behavior. Judgment blunted, boastful, impulsive, Officially still sober. Fumbling, staggering gait, clumsiness,slurred speech. Officially drunk. Kespon.^s and motor coordination strongly 0.3 4-0 5 t- U 7 Stupor Coma Paralysis of the respir atory center--btath. Pfizer Spectrum, JAMA. March 27, 195-1. V m m Problem for the industrial hygienist: instructing employees in the proper handling of toxic materials. This posed shot represents an actual instance where a worker, handling lead oxide, neglected to wash his hands before eating. If his careless habit had not been corrected, he would have had a real health problem. li'iiCJas It should be a part of any occupational health program to em employees in the correct handling of materials and to warn of jjj hazards of excessive exposure. Here, a kettle is being chafgl with a chemical which generates toxic dust. Note use of respired gloves, ventilating equipment, and coverall. under wrong circumstances. Even com are primary irritants but are usually tains a lot of lead because the case vvii^ mon table salt is toxic if taken in suffi weak irritants since prolonged or. ex diagnosed as resulting from an execssf cient amounts. It is reported that many tensive contact is generally required of lead tetraethyl in the special gY6i[ years ago, the Chinese used table salt to cause skin irritation. The petroleum line. We thought this strange beenus^p- as a means of committing suicide. industry now is handling large quan lead tetraethyl is not a primary skid^i Every chemical, therefore, has a non tities of chemical additives and inhib irritant and never has been known'tjfM toxic dose and at toxic dose. This can itors, many of which arc strong pri cause dermatitis, although it is knownM be well illustrated by Table 1 on a mary irritants and are active chemical to be a poison and can be absorbcd*i$ widely used commodity. compounds. through the skin. Skin and Body Contact It should be a part of any occupa tional health program to educate em A review of records of gasoline shipt^ ments into the particular area showed^' In the petroleum industry, skin con ployees in the correct handling of such the regular gasoline actually contained^ tact is not generally experienced to the materials and to warn of the hazards the same or sometimes more lead extent that it is, for example, in the of exposure. Recommendations and in the special gasoline, clearly indicating^ metalworking industries where a daily structions also are given for protective that lead tetraethyl was not to blam$|y eight-hour contact with cutting oils equipment like respirators, goggles, but that some other material was rc*fs|j often takes place. Cases of oil derma gloves, and aprons. sponsible, possibly the coloring agcnWT titis are uncommon among our em This applies to concentrated or un ployees but they are reported not in diluted inhibitors. Finished petroleum Inhalation .. i'kp frequently among industrial users of products should and usually do con Of the three avenues by which chcifl^1 petroleum products. tain such a small quantity of additives icals can be taken into the body, It is definitely established that skin and in such dilution that there is halation probably has received is not an impermeable barrier to chem scarcely more harm in the finished most study and investigation because^ ical substances. In fact, it is increas product than there would be from it is the avenue of greatest importance' ingly important as a route of absorp straight mineral oil itself. in industrial operations. From a vas|5 tion for many materials. Regarding ex Bizarre and erroneous conclusions amount of research has come publics^, ternal or local skin effects, chemicals sometimes are drawn in industrial der lion of very useful data on safe humati-|| may be classified either as primary ir matitis cases as to their cause, even by exposure levels known as Threshold^ ritants or sensitizing agents. those who should know better. I recall Limit Values or Maximum Allowables A primary irritant is a chemical that a case of a young man who worked in Concentrations. This is a list of several^, may cause dermatitis in individuals, a gasoline station and developed a hundred commonly encountered chenjij< frequently after only one contact. It severe dermatitis. He went to a physi icals, solvents, dusts, etc., the tows may have a strong chemical action, cian who made patch tests on him and cology of which has been carefully* like acid, alkalis, amines, etc., or it may found he had a sensitivity to special studied by medical research and -ij3 have a weak chemical action and re gasoline but practically no reaction to dustrial experience. 1 quire prolonged contact to cause der regular gasoline. Apparently, the physi The list is compiled annually by ijffiL matitis. Most petroleum hydrocarbons cian had heard special gasoline con American Conference of Governments! bl E-6 THE PETROIF/iax cm/-'!*.*'- Industrial Hygienists and is published by the American Medical Association in AMA Archives of Industrial Hy giene and Occupational Medicine. In troductory paragraphs define the values as follows: "Values are given in the following tabulation for the maximum average atmospheric concentration of con taminants to which workers may be exposed for an eight-hour working day without injury to health. These values are based on the best available information from indus trial experience, from experimental studies, and, when possible, from a combination of the two. They are not fixed values but are reviewed an nually by the Committee on Thres hold Limits for changes, revisions, or additions as further information becomes available. Threshold Limits should be used as guides in the con trol of health hazards and should not be regarded as fine lines between safe and dangerous concentrations. They represent conditions only They represent conditions only within which it is felt that workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without their health being ad versely affected. It is felt, at the pres ent time, that workers should not be exposed to a working environment containing any of these substances in excess of the value indicated. These values are not intended for use, or for modification for use, in the evaluation or control of com munity air pollution or air pollution nuisances." A few of the materials encountered in the petroleum industry and their Threshold Limits are listed below: Gases and Vapors Substance Parts per million Bcnczene (benzo!).................................... Carbon dioxide......................................... Carbon monoxide................................... Carbon tetrachloride....................................... Gasoline.......................................... Hydrogen sulfide..................................... Naphtha (petroleum)............................. Octane........................................................ Sulfur dioxide........................................... 35 5000 100 25 500 20 500 500 10 Toxic dusts, fumes, and mists Substance Milligrams per cubic meter Iron oxide fume........ ............. Lead........................................... Sulfuric acid............................. 15 0.15 1 Mineral dusts Substance Millions of particles per cubic foot Asbestos................................................ 5 Dust (nuisance, no free silica).......... 50 ilica high (above 50% free SiO:)........... 5 medium 5 to 50% free SiO:).......... 20 low (below (5 % free SiO:)............ .................. 50 Nineteen states observe Threshold Limit Values in their laws or regula tions, and more are sure to follow. In dustrial hygienists, as part of their duties, advise management of the ex istence of these requirements in order that precautionary measures may be taken to avoid excessive exposure of personnel. Industrial hygienists undertake meas urement of air contaminants for com pliance with states' codes. Even a com mon material like gasoline has a maxi mum safe level which is 500 parts per million. The following are just a few of the hazardous materials that are en countered in petroleum refinery opera tions: terial by customers. However, this quires extensive work, knowledge " product, and toxicological informa'tio to determine what products must."0 labeled and how they should labeled. Prior to 1932, only a handful of sons were engaged in industrial ly giene procedures. By the end of 'ffi; next decade, there were industrial Materials encountered in petroleum refinery operations Respiratory irritants Acrolein Acetaldehyde Aluminum chloride Ammonia Asbestos Ditcrtiary butyl para cresol Dusts, physiologically inert, general Dusts, attapulgus day Dusts, bauxite Dusts, catalyst Formaldehyde Fluorides Furfural Inhibitors Dime Nitrogen oxides Ozone Pine oil Silica* Smoke Sulfur dioxide Welding fumes Toxic materials AnPine, liquid Aniline, dyes Benzol (Benzene) Cadmium Carbon monoxide Chlorinated hydrocarbons Chrome compounds Cobalt, metal Hydrogen sulfid* Inhibitors Lead, metal & fumes Lead, oxide, litharge Lead, tetraethyl Lead,soaps Mangauesc Mercury Methanol Radioactive materials, general Toluol (Toluene) Xylol (Xylene) Zinc Skin irritants Acids--all kinds Amines Benzol (Benzene) Caustics Chromium salts Coal-tar compounds Cobalt, metal and cnm;>min>U Dyes Inhibitors Nickel salts Oils, general Oils, high boiling aromatic Oils, insolunblc cutting Phenol Pitch Solvents Ultra violet radiation Wax, untreated Product Labeling One very important function of the industrial hygienist in the petroleum industry concerns precautionary label ing of products. This is receiving more emphasis as state after state passes la beling regulations. One of the most re cent is the State of New York, where on February 26,1954, the Council on Pub lic Health passed labeling regulations which became effective August 26, 1954, as Chapter IX-A of the New York State Sanitary Code. These label ing regulations have the force and effect of law and require precautionary label ing on any product that entails a haz ard in a reasonably anticipated use. A hazard is defined as "the risk of injury or illness which may be en countered during or as a result of any reasonably anticipated type of handling or use of a substance, or during its specified use, if any, by reason of toxicity of the substance through in gestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin, or due to its corro siveness or irritating properties, or be cause of its flammability or explosive ness." Somewhat similar labeling regula tions already exist in California, Illi nois, New Jersey, Oregon, and the Territory of Hawaii and are in the making in many other states, so more can be expected. Most state regulations are guided by recommendations of the Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc., and with some exceptions, con formity in one state results in conform ity in other states. It is recognized that, as a rule, label ing of many products is advisable and results in safer handling of the ma giene divisions in nearly every i trial state, and in many insurance panies. Industries themselves, howcv have made the greatest expansion in dustrial hygiene units over the past year period. Today, in most large dustries, industrial hygiene is being c ducted under the guidance of incrc ingly well-trained, professional sonnel. No longer is industrial hygiene s by industry as an "aimless effort ( tellcctuals collecting bottles filled V nothing so that they can prepare' and useless discourses that few or understand or would know what; tion to take". Instead, the safeguard of health is assuming a new signifk cance. It not only saves time, mortCjf and problems for management, but'U actually improves employee and efficiency by eliminating appi hension in occupational environment Instead of telling what mistakes been made and how to correct with costly changes, industrial hyg' ists now are called in at the bluep stage where their ideas can be in porated into factories, machines' other installations to accomplish . most good easily and inexpensively. Industrial hygiene at its best in petroleum industry requires the operation and skills of industrial ph cians, industrial nurses, toxicologi chemists, safety men, and indust hygienists working together as a t American industry, particularly the industry, is aware of the benefits, more and better production den from environmental control and promotional activities. It needs only, be guided in the application * <