Do's and dont's during chemical and industrial accidents?

Answer 1

In case of a major chemical disaster

- Keep calm and do not panic.

- Listen to the radio and follow official instructions. Inform your neighbours, especially the elderly and handicapped and assist them.

- Stay inside, if at home, or shelter in a building and close all doors and windows. Seal all exterior openings and tum off the ventilation, air conditioning and heating.

- Protect your mouth and nose, if in the open, with a wet cloth or a protective mask, shelter in the nearest building and remain inside until otherwise instructed by the authorities.

- Do not telephone as this overloads the system.

- Follow the orders of the civil protection, fire service, police or other intervening services.

- Eat only food stored inside a building, such as tinned food and preserves. Drink only from bottles or cartons.

- Follow the instructions on the use of tap water.

- If you are in a car, tum off the ventilation and close the windows. Listen to the radio and shelter in the nearest building. Follow the instructions of the authorities. If in public transport follow the crew's instructions.

After the disaster

- Follow the orders of the civil protection, fire service, police or other intervening services.

- The evacuation of members of the public is unlikely in areas with buildings and homes that can be hermetically sealed. The decision to evacuate or stay will be taken by the relevant political authority (national or provincial government) who will organise the evacuation using all the civilian and military means at their disposal and in collaboration with the services responsible for the reception area. Follow the authorities' orders and instructions.

- Taking all necessary precautions, assist neighbours and persons in need such as the wounded, children, handicapped and the elderly, in collaboration with the intervention and rescue teams.

- The above objectives should be included in the necessary legislation on the protection of the public and the environment which lays down the obligations concerning the production, use, handling, transport and storage of dangerous substances. Protection of ground water and the air is also of primary importance.

- In view of the potential dangers, it is most important that managers of firms and installations working with dangerous chemical products be fully aware of their responsibility and make constant efforts to ensure optimal security in this matter. This calls for close collaboration with official watchdogs and safety bodies and with the local and regional political authorities and their intervention services, especially the fire service and police as well as with the information and alarm centres of civil protection services.

- Experience with toxic leaks, among others, has shown that the following specific preventive and protective measures should be taken:

- Knowing the chemicals which are potentially dangerous, their production, use, storage, transport, handling and the threat they pose: fire, explosion, leak, uncontrolled reaction.

Answer 2

1. Find out, whether the industrial units close to your city use hazardous chemicals.
2. Find out about the emergency plan to deal with industrial accidents.
3. Find out about the availability of antidotes needed in case of poisoning of people, animals, water resources, etc.
4. Find out from the hospital, if they are able to handle such cases.
5. Keep a chart of Do's and Don'ts, in case of a chemical disaster.

Answer 3

Labelling of Hazardous Substances:

Hazard and Precautionary Information

This document describes a procedure for manufacturers and suppliers to determine the

pictograms, signal word, and hazard and precautionary statements required on the label of a

hazardous substance. It is based on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and

Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).1

The codification system used in this document for the hazard

and precautionary statements are based on the latest proposals presented to the UN GHS

committee. As the GHS precautionary statements have not yet been fully harmonised they

may be subject to further development. Any such changes will be reflected in future updates

of this document.

How to Use this Document

From an evaluation of a substance's hazardous properties, the substance will be given a

classification according to the Hazardous Substances (Classification) Regulations 2001. This

classification must be known before hazard and precautionary information requirements can

be determined. The following procedure is then used to find the required signal words,

hazard pictograms and hazard and precautionary statements that need to be displayed on the

label of the substance's packaging.

The pictograms, signal word, and hazard and precautionary statements required on the label

of a hazardous substance can be obtained using the central Table 1 and accompanying

Tables 2 to 6 of this document. Table 1 provides the signal word, pictograms, and codes for

the hazard and precautionary statements required for every HSNO classification. Tables 2 to 6

provide a means of converting hazard and precautionary statement codes into the actual

statements required.2

Thus, the following basic procedure can be used to locate the signal

word, pictograms, and hazard and precautionary statements required for a hazardous

substance:

Step 1 Note the signal word, pictogram, and hazard and precautionary statement codes in

Table 1 required for each of the HSNO classifications of the substance.

Precautionary statements comprise prevention, response, storage and disposal

statements. If a substance is acutely toxic by more than one route of exposure (for

example, it is classified as 6.1B for oral exposure and 6.1D for inhalational exposure),

then the hazard and precautionary statements for both of these classifications will

need to be identified as they will convey different messages. Only the pictogram and

signal word for the higher classification (6.1B), however, would need to be used - see

principles of precedence in Step 3.

Step 2 Convert the applicable hazard and precautionary codes into text using Tables 2 to 5.3

The core parts of the hazard and precautionary statements are written in bold text.

1

First Revised Edition, United Nations (2005), ISBN 92-1-116927-5.

2

The codes are to be used only for reference purposes - they should not form part of the statement text that

appears on a label, nor replace it.

3

A plus [+] symbol between precautionary statement codes represents a single statement that has been formed

by the joining of statements; these merged single statements are transformed to text in the latter parts of each

of Tables 3-5. Labelling of Hazardous Substances: Hazard and Precautionary Information 2

The following symbols and italicised text are used to depict, and provide guidance,

when flexibility and variation is appropriate in the construction of a statement:4

ƒ a forward slash [/] depicts that a choice needs to be made between the words

it separates, and only the words appropriate to the substance should be

selected, e.g. "… avoid breathing dust/fumes/gas/mist/vapours/spray"

could read "avoid breathing vapours";

ƒ three equally spaced full stops […], indicates missing words where the

manufacturer/supplier is able to incorporate further information specific to

their substance into the hazard statement;

ƒ the use of 'less than' [<] and 'greater than' [>] symbols enclosing italicised

text provides guidance as to the type of information required at the preceding

full stops […];

ƒ the use of an asterisk [*] followed by italicised text provides guidance where

information in the statement varies according to specific hazard types;

ƒ the use of italicised text following a dash [-] provides guidance of certain

conditions when the statement may or may not be applicable.

Step 3 Apply the following principles of precedence to avoid excessive labelling and

duplication:

ƒ if the signal word "danger" applies, the signal word "warning" should not

appear;

ƒ if the skull and crossbones pictogram applies, the exclamation mark

pictogram should not appear;

ƒ if the corrosive pictogram applies, the exclamation mark pictogram should

not appear where it is used for skin or eye irritation;

ƒ if the health hazard pictogram5

appears for respiratory sensitization, the

exclamation mark pictogram should not appear where it is used for skin

sensitisation or for skin or eye irritation.

ƒ Where there is both a GHS and Transport of Dangerous Goods pictogram for

a given HSNO classification, the following rules apply:

o Where a Transport pictogram appears on a label, a GHS pictogram for

the same hazard should not appear

o A Transport pictogram can be used on a label in the workplace instead

of a GHS pictogram but the reverse cannot apply

o Transport pictograms must be used for transport.

ƒ In the majority of cases, the indicated precautionary statements are

independent. For example, the phrases for explosive hazards do not modify

those related to certain health hazards and products that are classified for both

hazard classes should bear appropriate precautionary statements for both.

Where a substance or mixture is classified for a number of health hazards, the

most stringent set of precautionary statements should generally be selected.

With respect to 'response' statements, rapid action may be crucial. For

example, if a chemical is carcinogenic and acutely toxic then the first aid

measures for acute toxicity will take precedence over those for longer term

4

These symbols and the text in italics are not to be included in the actual hazard or precautionary statement, as

they are there only to provide guidance as to when flexibility and variation are required.

5Labelling of Hazardous Substances: Hazard and Precautionary Information 3

effects. Precautionary information must not be lost, however, by the use of

fewer statements.

In addition to the prevention, response, storage and disposal precautionary statements which

are assigned on the basis of hazard classification, there are three general precautionary

statements which are assigned on the basis of use and not hazard. These are the following

statements, which should be used in the case of substances that are available to the general

public.

The response statement:

P101 If medical advice is needed, have product container or label at hand

The prevention statements:

P102 Keep out of reach of children

P103 Read label before use

These statements are included in Table 1 against hazard classifications which may be

applicable to substances that can be available to the general public. They are more generally

applicable to substances which are classified as hazardous to health. They are notated with an

* to indicate that they are only required when the substance may be available to the general

public but are not required when the substance is restricted to places of work to which the

public do not have access. Group Standards follow this approach. Note, however, that for

classifications 6.1A - D, the statement P102 - Keep out of reach of children is required in

all cases, including places of work, by the Hazardous Substances (Identification) Regulations

2001

Answer 4

Do:

Step 1: try to determine what the chemical spilled is.

Step 2: call the fire department first, then the police.

Step 3: read the Material Safety Data Sheet for information on what to do till the fire department gets there. You may need to evacuate, cover the spill with dirt, or something else and this needs to be done right away, without waiting for help.

Step 4: call the Coast Guard National Response Center at (800) 424-8802. The Coast Guard is responsible for all hazardous materials spills in the US, no matter where they are...you could be a thousand miles from any coast and the USCG still needs to know about it.

Don't:

do anything the MSDS, the Fire Department or the Coast Guard tell you not to do.

Answer 5

Some of the common things that employers should look at in the workplace to avoid industrial accidents are :

1. Exposed electrical wiring's and outlets

2.Unguarded heavy machinery

3.Toxic chemicals

4.Safety equipments

5.Wet and slippery floor surfaces

6.Temperatures in certain areas

7.Explosives and Fire hazards

8.Workplaces located in high areas

9.Exposure to sunlight

Answer 6

If you become aware of an unusual and suspicious substance nearby:

Move away quickly.

Wash with soap and water.

Contact authorities.

Listen to the media for official instructions.

Seek medical attention if you become sick.

If you are exposed to a biological agent:

Remove and bag your clothes and personal items. Follow official instructions for disposal of contaminated items.

Wash yourself with soap and water and put on clean clothes.

Seek medical assistance. You may be advised to stay away from others or even quarantined.

Answer 7

precautionary measures in handling chemicals or reagent most especially poisonous chemicals

Answer 8

remove all ur clothes immediately to avoid contamination

Answer 9

Just be brave and die and if you want to prevent from it, you may migrate or you may protest against it