Protecting and Preserving health at work while handling chemicals in an

Industrial setting

Dr.R.Kailasam

r.kailasam@vedanta.co.in

Date : 30th Oct. 2015

Chemical Hazard

Potential to cause harm

Classification:

- Aromatic & Aliphatic

- Target organ dysfunction

- Toxidromic approach

Benefits Vs Risks

TLV concept 2

3

Significance

4

• All have occupations

• All Occupations have hazards

• All hazards are preventable and controllable

• Rarely treatable

• Individual & productivity suffers

• Love thy Occupation

• Where are those occupation ?

Mineral Lung Disorder

Industrial Outlook

Physical Chemical Biological Ergonomic Psycho-social

Noise Dusts Insects Posture Worry

Vibration Fumes Mites Movement Work

pressure

Ionizing radiation

Fibers Moulds Repetition Monotony

Non-ionizing

radiation Liquids Yeasts

Illumination and Visibility

Unsocial hours

Heat Mists Fungi

Cold Gases Bacteria

Extremes of pressure

Vapors Viruses

5

Hazards

6

Routes of Entry

Inhalation - OCCUPATIONAL RESPIRATORY DISEASE

Ingestion

Skin and Mucous membrane - OCCUPATIONAL DERMATITIS

7

Hierarchy of Control

Source

Medium Recipient

Environment

• Elimination

• Substitution

• Barrier

• Containment

• PPE

• Bio-monitoring

8

Zero Harm

Workplace monitoring

Individual dozimetry

Hazard specific medical evaluation

Organ function assessment

Early detection

Restoration of Health

9

Specific exposure group - Awareness

• Unknown Hazard – Unknown Workers

- Pesticides, antibiotics , heavy metals

• Known Hazard – Unknown Workers

- Induction and Training

• Known Hazard – Known Workers

- Monitoring

• Unknown Hazard – Unknown Workers

- Hazard interaction, Explosive, Inflammable

Chemical Hazard life cycle Continues …

Paradox

• Knowledge

• Training

• Right PPE for the right job – Appropriate PPE usage

Hazard ?

10

Chemical Handling

Transport Emergency (TREM) Card

Specialized Training

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

- Vernacular language

- PEP talks, Job Safety Analysis (JSA), Hazard Identification & Risk Analysis

(HIRA)

Appropriate training & PPE usage

Storage of Chemicals

- Proper labeling (Pictorial) / Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Emergency Measures

- Chemical Inventory and Antidotes

11

Case Vignettes

12

13

14

Pain Abdomen

Hgic Pancreatitis

Caecoplasty

Appendisectomy

15

Metal Fume Fever

16

Porphyria – Welding fumes

• Disease (or) Drug Induced / Partly Treated

Early Parkinson’s Disease

• Anti depressant

• Manganese, Copper

Mercury

• Leprosy

Ataxia

• Acoustic Neuroma

Chemical Hazard

17

18

Acoustic Neuroma

History of exposure alone is inadequate for diagnosing an

Occupational Disease

Anaemia

• Asymptomatic Healthy Male Scientist (R&D)

• Ignorant Bottom Loss

• Hidden Hypo Thyroid

Absence of an evidence of Disease is not an evidence for its absence

19

20

Acid Burns

H2SO4 burn HF burn

21

Diphoterine Kit

22

Diphoterine Kit

23

Toxicology concerns the potential of chemicals to produce

adverse effects in the body.

“It is the dose that makes the poison”

The hazard of a given substance is related to

A. its absolute toxicity

B. its physico-chemical properties

C. circumstances of use-concentration,

D. length of exposure,

E. body area exposed.

F. Bio-variability

Toxicology

24

Endocrine System

Shift Work ----- Circadian Dysrhythmia Drugs ----- Hormones, Pharmaceuticals

• Anaesthetic gas

• Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Carbon Disulfide, Cadmium

• Radiation, Heat

• Fertility, Torch, Menstrul Disorder, Con. Malformations,

Low Birth Weight

Asbestos, Carbon-Monoxide – Cross the Placenta

25

Training at medical school - Orientation

- Life is a learning process; Learning is a life long process

Cause ? effect ? Why Why analysis ?

- History of exposure to chemicals alone is inadequate

Bio variability matters

- Evidence beyond doubt

Expect the Unexpected

Learnings

26

“ And in the end if that the work man

shall live to enjoy the fruits of his

labour, that his mother shall have

the comfort of his arm in her age,

that his wife shall not be untimely

a widow, that his children shall

have a father and that cripples

and hopeless wrecks who were

once strong men shall no longer

be the bye-products of industry”

Prayer

27

Thank you