Document ev91dK93Lo46LopQBgVyY2Kzm

on at iff of radiation, by a measured on the as arbitrarily as* of the permissible he working area, j to the exposure arms in that the u permitted to be orking area, pon for several of sed radioisotopes. t, the body organs, elimination were ndard Man. These ardize the calcula- imum permissible a persons making countries. . .aken at the meet* ble for publication ek rays and compari* ^ayer main_______ Exposure of -lands Only 1.5 0.15 0.075 0.15 0.3 be assumed when arms. is to be expected sptlon of pregnant - v' --fO . . '-J . 'VV/*. Ou^LAljLjlg^ /U^jJyJI The Safe Handling of Chemicals in Industry and in the Home 0 K'o) v ....... * D. D. IRISH . - Biochemical Research Department . The Dow Chemical Company hemical injuries are actually a small deadly poison and those from which the C part of our total picture of accidental animals show no discomfort, we will classify injuries. However, like other types of acas entirely harmless. When two of the an cidental injury they are unnecessary. In imals die we examine the record and find other words, we can do something about that they received the two deadly poisons, them. Your problem, like my own, is the table salt and baking soda. The other two responsibility for many people who may animals who lived happily and contented handle chemicals. Our problem is then large were given the Innocuous substances known ly one of inducing people to handle them as strychnine and white arsenic. Now there safely that is the heart of my topic today is no trick or magic to this experiment, it rather than the details of safe practice. You is just a matter of amounts. We gave the remember the old saying "You can lead a animals more table salt and baking soda horse to water but you can't make him than we gave of strychnine and white drink." Our greatest problem is to induce arsenic. This is not a matter of a substance - him to drink. being a poison dr not a poison, but it is a * If we-are to discus 'chemical substances,' matter of whether or not the substance gets we should consider what they are. We can into the animal body in excessive amounts. certainly not rely upon the popular idea that You can readily kill an animal by an ex a chemical is a 'dangerous stuff which cessive amount of table salt or baking sodn, stinks.' Broadly, everything we use is of a but there in no reason in the world why . chemical nature. We are really dealing with you should. In the same way, we can readily practically any individual substance which kill an animal with an excessive amount . may be used in industry or in the home. of strychnine or white arsenic or nearly But, you may say, we are of course inter* any other material, but there is no reason . ested only in hazardous substances. Let us why we should. We realize of course that then consider what a hazardous substance is. the smaller the toxic dose the ensier it is In general, the term poison conjures up to get a toxic amount and the more careful lurid visions of witches' brew and black must be the handling precautions. magic. In such matters we must realize that we are dealing more often with emotional A CHEMICAL substance is not of malicious thinking than with rational thinking. * intent. It will not, with malice of fore U Let me give you my own definition of the thought, reach out and bite us. It has con In term poison: "A poison is too much." Now sistent and definable properties. If we ig vl I assure you I am not being facetious, I nore these properties and misue the sub r' am very earnest in this definition. Let me stance, we can expect trouble. We see that illustrate by describing a very simple ex we ourselves, in our own nets, contribute periment which time does not allow me to an essential part of the pattern lending to perform for you. We are frequently asked, injury. Therefore, with more knowledge, "Is this substance a poison or is it not a and less disregard for the knowledge we poison?" If we were to ask the individual have, we can eliminate to a large degree, what he means, he would simply say, "Why the hazards of misuse. give it to an animal, and if he dies it is There are three basic modes of contact poison, if he doesn't, it is not." It us out to be considered in the practical problem line a simple experiment by taking four of handling a substance. The breathing of mice and giving them by mouth one of an air dispersion (dust, vapor, mist, etc.), four different substances. Those substances contact on the skin or eyes (with either ir . which kill the animal we will classify as ritation or absorption), and entrance by mouth. The practical hazard of breathing Presented t the Gulf Coast Safety Conference, Houa* ton* Texas, October 7, 2949. air dispersions is not determined solely by i l i I I EM002 967 Pag* 118 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE QUARTERLY June, 1950 the toxic concentration. The ease of obtain* insr a toxic concentration is just as impor tant, and this depends not only on the physical properties of the substance but also -on the circumstances of use. Whatever the mode of contact and entry to the body, the ease with which excessive amounts may by contacted is more important than the toxicity alone. In other words, the toxicity is not a measure of the "practical hazard." The "practical hazard" is determined by the physical, chemical, and physiological properties of ft suhstanre plus the rlr^nm. stances of use. The subject of interest to us is actually the "practical hazards" of our contemplated use. . So far I have emphasized the toxic haz ard. We should never forget the fire hazard. -It has been by all means more damaging to life and property. As a friend of mine ex pressed it in a general discussion on hazard warnings, "We will blow more people through the windows with carbon disulfide than we will ever poison with it in spite of the fact that it is a highly toxic sub stance." In one way we are a step farther ahead in considering fire hazards than we are with toxic hazards. Most people are more realistic and less emotional in considering a fire hazard. We are in general more cognizant of the fact that something can be done about them. However, be it fire hazard or toxic hazard, the basic fault is in misuse. It is obvious then, that our problem is one of eliminating misuse. In order to do this, we must recognize what constitutes misuse of any particular substance and we must define what is proper use. Even nfter we have this information, it is neces sary that we diseminate this information to the individuals who may handle the substance and convince them to apply safe handling practice. WfliiLE there are certain basic similarities between the problems in industry and the problems in the home, there are also certain differences which make it desirable to consider each one separately. Let us then turn our attention first to our industries. In considering industries please remember that the agricultural industries are our important industries, and should not be neglected by those people whose responsi bility it is to concern themselves with in dustrial health and public health. If you are faced with a decision in regard to the design and operation of a process entirely new to your organization or area, you will probably want to investigate the known information as it appears in the literature. Let us then examine a typical case of a particular substance. I quote in part, from an abstract con cerning the use of this particular substance we will call X--"Onychia Due to Handling X." "All but two finger nails of a woman working with X were affected... Some nails were stripped off, others were split and lifted from the bed. Granular tissue could be broken away when the nail plnte was lifted.. .The condition cleared up when the woman stopped her work." I quote In part from another abstract concerning the industry manufacturing X. "Usually the disease begins with slight fever, chills, and malaise. A localized in filtrated patch appears in the healthy skin, which in a few days develops the character istic of an extremly painful boil, with lymphangitis and adenitis.. .Laborers in the X manufacture usually present a squa mous dermatitis between the fingers and on the back of the hands...X causes gin givitis... In extreme cases the teeth fall out." ' In considering the facts presented by this abstract, you might readily consider that you would be faced with some serious health problems in operating such a plant. However, we note that the substance X is `sugar.* This puts a rather different light on our interpretation of the fact. In analyz ing our own thoughts, then, we realize that we may be as much affected by a somewhat emotional consideration by which we ignore the problems associated with a familiar substance and greatly overemphasize the problems associated with the use of a sub stance with which we are not familiar. This is not entirely unjustified because we have more reason to be confident of the informa tion on a familiar substance. Too often, however, we find to our surprise that we have more information on a pew substance than on some old familiar ones'; Many of our older materials are accepted just because we are getting by. EM002968 June, 1SS0 whose responsi- , mselves with in* : health. lecision in regard ion of a process mization or area, 0 investigate the : appears in the txamine a typical wee. . an abstract con* rticular substance Due to Handling nails of a woman affected.. .Some others were split . Granular tissue hen the nail plate in cleared up when arork." * another abstract ' manufacturing X. egins with slight . . A localized in* s the healthy skin, dops the character* gainful boil, with , itis.. .Laborers in . Jly present a squa- tn the fingers and is...X causes gin* sea the teeth fall Tacts presented by it readily consider 1 with some serious ating such a plant.the substance X is ther different light the fact. In analyz* hen, we realize that ' *ted by a somewhat by which we ignore id with a familiar ' overemphasize the th the use of a sub* re not familiar. This led because we have dent of the informa* ibstance. Too often, or surprise that we . on a new substance .or ones. Many of our ccepted just because | 1 I . VOL. 11, NO. 2 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE QUARTERLY Page 11H We often observe in people handling these factors into account in the original chemicals, a respect for a substance with luyout of his apparatus, we are making the a disagreeable character such as an odor most important step towards safe operation although there are no serious hazards from at a minimum cost. its use. At the same time we see disregard The second main object to be attained in for the hazards of a substance without the industry is to convince the operator disagreeable characteristics although verbal that the proper use and handling of a warning has been given of its potential material in his operations is just as im health hazard. In a like manner a workman is often concerned over a small superficial irritation which is an obvious nuisance while apparently unconcerned over serious portant as the control of temperature and pressure in his process, or the productive output of his plant. When the operator accepts the health problems of his operation potential internal injury which may not ns part and parcel of the regular operating be physically obvious to him at the moment. duties, then we have a good chance of eliminating injuries due to exposure to the tn approaching the problem of a new substances in his process. process in industry, we obtain what in The final answer to our problem in indus formation we can from literature and from try comes from the success we have in the toxicological laboratory as to the phy putting across an understanding of the siological effects of the substances. We also problems to the people in design and in obtain as much detailed information as we operation. The attainment of the proper can about the physical and chemical proper knowledge of the subject is just the begin ties of the substances and the mechanics of ning. the operations in a proposed plant for manu- ` Please excuse me for a great over-sim . factoring or using these materials. From plification of the problem in industry. But this information we should be able to put as I want to leave these two main ap together a picture by which we can deter proaches with you, I do not want to go into mine the possibilities of exposure in the further detail in discussing the industry's operations and from the toxicological in problem. The two factors, first, of accepting formation determine whether or not these toxicological properties of a substance as potential exposures represent a practical a logical part of the problem of basic de hazard. This is of course much simpler to sign; and secondly, of accepting problems state in a few sentences as I have stated of exposure ns part of good operating tech it, than it is to accomplish in fact. The nique, are fundamental to the elimination discussion of the details of working out this of health hazards in industry. problem are beyond the time which we have available today. Let us assume that we have Tyjow let us turn to the home. The greatest accomplished this survey, and have a pretty difference we have between the industry good comprehension of the problems which and the home is the fact that in industry we may encounter and the means of safe supervision has some control over both the handling of the material. How are we going engineering of a process and the individuals to implement that in our industry so that in operation. In the home we have no di we are successful in eliminating misuse and rect control and very few channels for misoperation? passing on information concerning the safe The first and most important step in use of materials. industry is to get our chemical engineers Recognizing the possibilities of over and designing engineers to recognize that simplification, I want to reduce the problem the potential hazards involved in the manu- ns it occurs in the home to the three factors fracture and handling of the materials are that I feel are the grentest contribution to as much a part of the problem of design accidents with chemicals: and operation of a plant as are the physical We will recognize that the. label, con properties of the substance or, for that taining the information on the proper use matter, the load on the structural members of a substance and any warnings as to of his building. If we can get the designing certain misuses of the substance, is our engineer and the building engineer to take most direct channel for informing the in- t EMO 02969 Page ISO INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE QUARTERLY June, 1950 dividual in the home. Our first great dif ficulty is the fact that people neither read the labels nor apply the information con tained theron. An attempt to get people to pay attention to the information contained on the package within which they receive the material would be a very great step forward in avoiding misuse of the material in the home. Our second difficulty is created by im proper storage. Mother brings home the groceries including a can of rat poison and dumps them all out on the kitchen shelf with the intention of putting them away later. Meanwhile, little Johnny explores to see what he can And. All substances which are not to be eaten should be stored away from food stuffs and out of the reach of children. The third major factor is of the greatest importance by far. I refer here to the ten dency to transfer various substances to common containers around the house, such as a drinking glass or a pop bottle, which are then left readily available to children or other adults. This is probably the source of the greatest problem in handling sub stances in the home. Very much in the same category will fall the individual who purchases a small amount of material in the corner store and has it poured out into a pop bottle or other unlabeled, unidenti fiable container, which he then proceeds to take home and leave where it is easily available to people who are not at all famil iar with its content. T et's examine but one result of such pro cedure. You will recognize immediately that it is not the most hazardous substance that causes the most difficulty in the home. Such a common material as kerosene which in itself is certainly not a highly toxic material, accounts for many of the serious poisonings in children throughout the United States every year. Practically all of these cases are completely inexcusable in that mother or dad poured some kerosene into an ordinary drinking glass and then left it where a child could pick it up. This is certainly the most common pattern. Kerosene is not singled out here as a toxic substance, actually, just the reverse. Nearly any other organic fluid under the-same circumstances would represent just as much of a problem and many of thorn vastly more. Actually, kerosene emphasized my point that the toxicity of a substance is not by any means the important part of the prob lem. Kerosene is among the least toxic of the organic fluids with which we would be concerned in the home. The problem is that it is one of the most common available and probably the most carelessly handled. Think of the almost unlimited number of common substances used around the home: washing compounds, household insecticides, agricultural chemicals, disinfectants, dry cleaning materials, common solvents, na tural gas, gasoline, turpentine, und many others. They vary In flammability and toxicity from potentially highly hazardous to almost innocuous, yet every one of them can be misused in some way. At the same time there is not one of them, no matter how hazardous it may be, that cannot be used with safety, if its properties are un derstood and it is handled with due con sideration to its properties. I could have given you a long dissertation on the detailed hazards of individual chem ical substances and a tabulation of the various ways in which we could avoid dif ficulties. Practically all of this information has been published in some form. It appears in brief form on package labels and in more detail in the general literature. Much of this is already known to you. In analyzing the whole picture, it seems to me that, while this information is important, there is still the matter of convincing the people directly concerned to actually eliminate misuse. I have tried to discuss for you some of the more obvious angles of this problem of inducing people to apply some simple common sense to the handling of chemical substances in the industry and in the home. We all recognize that It Is ptiHMllile .with the proper knowledge and care to handle, practically any substance, no matter how toxic or tlammable. we also recognize that we can misuse nearly any si'hsumoo h. there may be hazard to the health_ofrundividunls 'rnnceriied- Our aim is not to eliminate materials from our industries or from our home because they may be flam mable or toxic, but our aim is to eliminate careless or ignorant misuse so that you and I and everyone else can enjoy all the advantages of these substances. EM002970