How to prevent the harm of toxic substances?

The occurrence of chemical poisoning must meet certain conditions: a certain toxic chemical substance exists in the production environment, and the chemical substance must reach a concentration or quantity that can cause human poisoning. The producer must be exposed to a certain amount of time and absorbed to reach or Toxic substances that exceed the amount of poisoning. Therefore, the occurrence of occupational poisoning is actually the result of the interaction between the toxic substances, the production environment and the workers. So long as the link between the three is cut off, occupational poisoning can be completely prevented. In the prevention of toxic poisoning hazards, preventive measures should be formulated in terms of source elimination of toxicants, reduction of toxic concentrations, and enhancement of personal protection.

Elimination of toxic substances

It is the most ideal measure to replace toxic and highly toxic processes and raw and auxiliary materials with non-toxic and low-toxic processes and raw and auxiliary materials as much as possible. For example, circulating water sterilization and disinfectant use chlorine dioxide instead of chlorine to fundamentally eliminate the chlorine poisoning working environment. Of course it is more difficult to completely eliminate toxic substances, but this should be our priority protection measure.

Reduce the concentration of toxic substances

When there is difficulty in eliminating poisons, the concentration of toxic substances should be reduced as much as possible so that they are within the occupational exposure limits prescribed by the State. You can take measures from the following aspects.

1) Production facilities should be sealed and pipelined to achieve negative pressure production as much as possible to prevent leakage of toxic substances and spillage. The equipment is as automated as possible and the process control uses DCS for centralized monitoring, control and management. Processing, storage, and transportation of materials are all sealed. The equipment and the connections between the pipelines adopt appropriate sealing measures to prevent leakage of the medium. When collecting samples containing highly toxic substances, a closed sampler should be used to minimize the chance of workers being exposed to poisons.

2) Ventilation detoxification. Set up the necessary mechanical ventilation detoxification and purification devices to prevent the escape of poisons. When it is necessary to enter equipments, containers or narrow confined places where there are highly poisonous articles, it is necessary to maintain a good state of ventilation in the workplaces beforehand to ensure that the concentration of occupational poisoning hazards in the workplaces meets the national occupational health standards.

3) The production equipment is arranged in the open air and the toxic substances can be rapidly diluted and diffused through natural ventilation. The production layout is reasonable, toxic workplaces and non-toxic workplaces are separated; high-toxic workplaces are isolated from other workplaces; workplaces are separate from living areas, and workplaces cannot be occupied.

4) Take preventive technical measures to prevent poisoning accidents. Such as the installation of toxic gas detection and alarm devices in workplaces where acute poisoning may occur; set up necessary accident ventilation facilities, emergency evacuation channels, necessary escape areas and wind vanes; and place eye-catching items in places prone to poison hazards and poisoning accidents. Warning signs; in the toxic substances operating environment, design necessary showers, eye wash and other health protection facilities.

5) When an operator mistakes or the equipment operation reaches a dangerous state, the occurrence of a poisoning event should be terminated by an interlock device.

6) Strengthen occupational health management. It is necessary to formulate and improve occupational health management systems; to strengthen the maintenance and management of production equipment, to prevent running, running, dripping, and leaking polluting the environment; to regularly monitor the concentration of airborne toxicants in workplaces, to control them below the occupational exposure limits, etc. .

Strengthen personal protection

Doing a good job of personal protection is an important measure to prevent the harm of poisons, and it is the last barrier to prevent poisons from entering the human body. Protective clothing, protective gloves, and protective glasses on the one hand prevent direct damage to the skin and mucous membranes from corrosive toxicants, and on the other hand, prevent the absorption of toxic substances through the skin and mucous membranes; respiratory protection products prevent poisons from invading the body through the respiratory system.

1) Equip staff with appropriate amount of protective equipment according to the working environment in different positions, and formulate management regulations for use.

2) In workplaces where toxic gases may be leaked, in addition to providing workers with routine labor protection supplies, the accident counters shall also be configured on the spot eye-catching site according to the characteristics of poisons and protection requirements, and the necessary anti-virus protective gear shall be placed to prepare for escape and rescue. Emergency use.

3) When entering the workplace of high-toxicity articles for inspection, coagulation, instrument calibration, sampling, and cutting water, appropriate protective equipment should be worn, portable alarms should be carried, two persons work together, one person works, and one person monitors. When working on oil tanks containing hydrogen sulfide, crude gasoline tanks, light oil tanks, sewage tanks, and equipment containing acid gas, etc., suitable air respirator must be worn.

4) Entering the sulfur recovery unit, sewage stripping unit, flare unit, acid gas pipeline area, light hydrocarbon recovery butane water, acidic gas, light hydrocarbon recovery unit dry gas pipeline, catalysis, hydrogenation acid water tank, etc. The area must be accompanied by guardians, wear positive pressure self-contained air breathing apparatus, and use portable hydrogen sulfide detection and other alarm devices.

5) When it is necessary to enter equipment, containers or narrow confined spaces where high-toxic substances exist, it shall be isolated, replaced and purged as required. At the same time, workers must be equipped with protective articles that meet the national occupational health standards, on-site guardians and on-site rescue equipment, and strictly abide by the operational procedures and emergency plan requirements to prevent occupational poisoning accidents.

6) High-toxicity articles should be equipped with shower rooms and changing rooms, and special rooms should be set up to clean, store, or handle the work clothes, work shoes, and other items used by laborers who use highly toxic substances. At the end of work, used work clothes, work shoes, and other items must be stored in a highly toxic work area, and should not be worn in non-toxic areas.

7) In the toxic environment, the first aid kit should be configured according to the characteristics and toxicity of the poison.

In addition, health education and health monitoring of employees must be strengthened so that employees can consciously abide by safety procedures and use appropriate protective equipment to develop good personal hygiene habits.

China Labor Insurance Network