Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD)

Risk Compendium for the Chemical Industry Chemical Handling and Blending Process

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 1 1b. Work Activity Receiving bulk chemicals 1c. Hazard Moving vehicles 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Injuries or deaths from traffic accident 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Attend and complete forklift driver training Abide by speed limit Designate loading/unloading bay Install warning alarms Install gas/vapour detection systems Place drum/containers on spill control pallets Build bund walls Implement emergency plans Conduct regular drills Install gas/vapour detection systems Install ventilation system in storage area Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Engage competent person in charge to manage hazardous substances Segregate incompatibles Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Label chemicals Obtain and use information in MSDSs Provide hazard communication training Implement safe work procedures Segregate incompatibles Prohibit ignition, heat sources, smoking and open flames Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Label chemicals Obtain and use information in MSDSs Provide hazard communication training Implement safe work procedures Install deluge / fixed water systems Implement emergency plans Conduct regular drills

Leaking drums / containers

Chemical spill, excessive inhalation / skin absorption of chemicals

Inhalation of fugitive chemical emissions Inhalation of hazardous products from undesirable reactions upon incompatible mixing

Ill-health from chemical overexposure Ill-health from chemical overexposure

Fire and explosions from excessive heat produced and flammable vapours

Injuries / deaths

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 2 1b. Work Activity Weighing of raw materials 1c. Hazard Fire and explosions 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Injuries / deaths 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Install local exhaust ventilation system Install dilution ventilation Provide well-ventilated work area Prohibit ignition, heat sources, smoking and open flames Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on fire and explosion safety Install deluge / fixed water systems Implement emergency plans Conduct regular drills Install local exhaust ventilation system Build enclosure around weighing scale Automate weighing system Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Practice good housekeeping Provide and attend training on solvent hazards and control measures Provide, use and maintain respiratory protection Automate washing/cleaning system Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on solvent hazards and control measures Provide, use and maintain eye, body and hand protection Install local exhaust ventilation system Build enclosure around weighing scale Automate weighing system Implement safe work procedures Practice good housekeeping Provide and attend training on dust hazards and dust control measures Provide, use and maintain respiratory, eye, face, body and hand protection

Excessive inhalation of solvent vapours

Ill-health due to chemical overexposure

Excessive skin absorption of solvents

Dermatitis, ill-health due to chemical overexposure

Excessive inhalation of dust (from raw materials in powder or solid form)

Ill-health due to chemical overexposure

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 1b. Work Activity 1c. Hazard Burnt by corrosive solutions (e.g. acids, alkalis etc) 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Eye / skin burns 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Splashes by chemicals during agitation / mixing / blending Eye / skin irritation, dermatitis Install local exhaust ventilation system Build enclosure around weighing scale Automate weighing system Implement safe work procedures Provide eye wash, emergency shower Practice good housekeeping Provide and attend training on corrosive hazards and their control measures Provide, use and maintain eye, face, body and hand protection Install covers on mixer/blender Build enclosures around mixer/blender Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Provide, use and maintain eye and face protection Install machine guarding Install sensors Install warning alarms Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on machine guarding Install local exhaust ventilation Build covers on mixer/blender Build enclosures around mixer/blender Install dilution ventilation in work area Prohibit ignition, heat sources and open flames Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on fire and explosion safety Install deluge / fixed water systems Implement emergency plans Conduct regular drills

Mixing/Blending

Limbs caught in moving mechanical parts of mixer / blender

Amputations, fractures, sprains

Fire & explosions

Injuries / deaths

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 1b. Work Activity 1c. Hazard Excessive inhalation of solvent vapours produced by agitation, mixing or blending 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Ill-health due to chemical overexposure 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Install local exhaust ventilation Build covers on mixer/blender Build enclosures around mixer/blender Install dilution ventilation in work area Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on solvent hazards and control measures Provide, use and maintain respiratory protection Substitute noisy mechanical parts with quieter ones Build enclosures padded with noise-absorbing materials around mixer/blender Maintain mechanical parts regularly Provide and attend hearing conservation training Implement safe work procedures Put up warning signs Provide, use and maintain hearing protection Install covers on mixer/blender Build enclosures around mixer/blender Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Provide, use and maintain eye and face protection Automate packing system Install local exhaust ventilation system Install dilution ventilation in work area Prohibit ignition, heat sources and open flames Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on fire and explosion safety Install deluge / fixed water systems Implement emergency plans Conduct regular drills

Excessive noise exposure from moving mechanical parts of mixer / blender

Noise induced deafness

Splashed by chemicals during agitation / mixing / blending

Eye / skin irritation, dermatitis

Packing into smaller containers / drums

Fire & explosions

Injuries / deaths

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 1b. Work Activity 1c. Hazard Excessive inhalation of solvent vapours produced during packing 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Ill-health due to chemical overexposure 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Automate packing system Install local exhaust ventilation system Install dilution ventilation in work area Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Provide, use and maintain respiratory protection Automate packing system Build enclosures around packing system Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Provide, use and maintain eye and face protection Automate packing system Use pallets with adjustable heights that respond to weight of packed containers/drums Provide mechanical lifting aids Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend ergonomics training Use proper lifting posture Provide adequate breaks Implement log out/tag out Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Put up warning signs Implement log out/tag out Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on machine guarding Put up warning signs Implement log out/tag out Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Put up warning signs

Splashed by chemicals during packing

Eye / skin irritation, dermatitis

Repeated lifting of packed containers / drums

Back aches, strains

Maintenance of mixer/blender

Electrocution

Electric shock, deaths

Limbs caught in moving mechanical parts of mixer / blender 6 Cleaning/washing of mixer/blending Electrocution

Amputations, fractures, sprains

Electric shock, deaths

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) 1a. No. 1b. Work Activity 1c. Hazard Limbs caught in moving mechanical parts of mixer/blender Excessive skin absorption of solvents 1d. Possible Accident / IllHealth Amputations, fractures, sprains 2a. or 3a. Possible Risk Control Implement log out/tag out Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on machine guarding Put up warning signs Automate washing/cleaning system Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training Provide, use and maintain eye, body and hand protection Install local exhaust ventilation Install dilution ventilation in work area Provide well-ventilated, non-air-conditioned work area Implement safe work procedures Provide and attend training on solvent hazards and control measures Provide, use and maintain respiratory protection

Dermatitis

Excessive inhalation of solvent vapours

Ill-health due to chemical overexposure

This material is not intended to be an exhaustive list of hazards and control measures for the above activities. Companies are to conduct risk assessment on the work activities specific to their workplaces by identifying the hazards, evaluating the risk and determining suitable control measures where appropriate. References should be made to the relevant regulations and code of practices when in doubt.