Chemical Identification Systems |
| Objectives: By the end
of this section, participants will be able to assess different chemicals given standard
reference materials. Why this section is important: Employees and employers must be able to identify hazards if they are going to avoid them! |
United Nations Hazards Class System
National Fire Protection
Hazard Ranking System
The important lesson from this section is
being able to identify the hazards of a chemical from reference materials. These
materials include, but are not limited to:
The characteristics of the hazards of the chemical will determine appropriate corrective precautions. |
| Class | Description |
| 1 | Class A, B, and C Explosives
Division 1.1 Explosives with a mass explosion
hazard
Division 1.2 Explosives with a projection hazard Division 1.3 Explosives with predominantly a fire hazard Division 1.4 Explosives with no significant blast hazard Division 1.5 Very insensitive explosives Division 1.6 Extremely insensitive explosive articles |
| 2 | Nonflammable and Flammable Compressed Gases
Division 2.1 Flammable gases Division 2.2 Nonflammable gases Division 2.3 Poison gases Division 2.4 Corrosive gases (Canadian) |
| 3 | Flammable Liquids
Division 3.1 Flashpoint < -18 C (0 F)
Division 3.2 Flashpoint > -18 C and < 23 C (73 F) Division 3.3 Flashpoint > 23 C and < 61 C (141 F) |
| 4 | Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible Substances, and Water-reactive Substances Division 4.1 Flammable solids Division 4.2 Spontaneously combustible materials Division 4.3 Materials that are dangerous when wet |
| 5 | Oxidizing Materials, Including Organic Peroxides Division 5.1 Oxidizers Division 5.2 Organic peroxides |
| 6 | Class a and B Poisons, Irritants, and Etiologic Materials Division 6.1 Poisonous materials Division 6.2 Etiologic (infectious) materials |
| 7 | Radioactive Materials |
| 8 | Corrosive Materials |
Examples of UN Hazard Class Name one common industrial example of each. What is the primary hazard that each chemical poses to workers? |
|
| National Fire Protection Hazard Ranking System | ||||
Example of NFPA Placard What is the most serious risk from this NFPA placard example (1-4-0)? What is the least serious risk? What engineering controls would be appropriate for working with this substance? What personal protective equipment would be appropriate? See bottom |
||||
Rank |
Health Risk |
Flammability Risk |
Reactivity Risk |
Special
Notice |
4 |
Material which on very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury even with prompt medical treatment. | Materials which will rapidly or completely vaporize at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient temperature or which are readily dispersed in air and which will burn readily. | Materials which in themselves are readily capable of detonation or of explosive decomposition or reaction at normal temperatures and pressures. | See below |
3 |
Materials which on short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury even with prompt medical treatment. | Liquids and solids that can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions. | Materials which in themselves are capable of detonation or explosive reaction but require a strong initiation source or which must be heated under confinement before initiation or which react explosively with water. | See below |
2 |
Materials which on intense or continued exposure could cause temporalty, incapacitation or possible residual injury unless prompt medical treatment is given. | Materials that must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur. | Materials which in themselves are normally unstable and readily undergo violent chemical change but do not detonate. Also materials which may react violently with water or which may form potentially explosive mixtures with water. | See below |
1 |
Materials which on exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury even with no treatment. | Materials that must be preheated before ignition can occur. | Materials which in themselves are normally stable but which can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures or which may react with water with some release of energy but not violently. | See below |
0 |
Materials which on exposure under fire conditions would offer no hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible material. | Materials that will not burn. | Materials which in themselves are normally stable even under fire exposure conditions and which are not reactive with water. | See below |
| Special Notices Only: |
OX: Oxidizer Rad: Radioactive |
|||
| With a classification of 1-4-0, this substance has a high flammability risk, minor health risk, and no reaction or special notices. It has a high risk of ignition and little or no other risks. Standard precautions for working with highly flammable materials, including using remote equipment to keep staff out of area, having fire control equipment present, having fire suppression staff onsite, etc. Typical personal protective equipment would be standard fire-fighting equipment. | ||||
Thought Questions (you do not need to respond) |
| Der Fuhrer found out the hard way that Hydrogen gas (used in the Hindenberg zeppelin) has a high rating for one of the NFPA codes. Which one is it? |
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