Hazards
- Unexpected run away reaction.
- Formation of toxic chemicals.
- Overfilling or loss of containment.
When Important
- Receiving of chemicals at your site.
- Loading chemicals to a tank or reactor.
- Waste handling operation.
Challenges in the Field
- Lack of knowledge & guidance of the contractor or operator involved.
- Line up.
- Chemical identification.
Options to Get it Right
- Validate that the right chemical is loaded by a positive identification: analysis of a sample, inline analysis (density), certificate, barcode, clear label.
- Have a good procedure in place with check points.
- Provide unique coupling for hazardous chemicals (e.g. Chlorine, Ammonium, Ethylene oxide) to avoid wrong line-up.
- Use colour codes (or bar codes that can be scanned) on pipelines, tubing and connection point.
- Use professional firms for transporting the chemicals (that are ADR, ADN & RID compliant).
- Guide contractors well that are involved in (un)loading.
- Assure that receiving equipment has sufficient volume available.
- Have a compatibility matrix available to understand the hazards.
This page only summarises the guidance – refer to the EPSC website for further information.
For more information on our Process Safety Fundamentals (or other) playing cards please contact us.