Chemical Hazards in the Workplace
Chemical hazards, especially in manufacturing plants, are some of the commonest occupational dangers that often pose health risks to employees (Institute of Medicine, 2000). They include gases (like carbon monoxide or chlorine), liquids (such as cleansing or bleaching agents), mists and sprays (such as acid mists, paints, or epoxy sprays), fumes (like galvanizing, soldering, hot rubber, or welding fumes), vapour (such as vapours released from inks, paints, adhesives), as well as paste, powder, or dust (like rubber, grain, metal, cement, and wood). In this paper, by assuming the role of a manager of a commercial fish processing plant, the objective is to analyze two toxic gases often released by wet stored fish (especially if left unattended), including methane and cyanide. In addition, the paper will evaluate the routes by which employees can get exposed to these gases and other likely health risks. Finally, a method for sampling each of the chemicals identified will be suggested and analyzed, followed by a discussion of how these elements can be controlled to protect the health of employees.
Identification of the Hazardous Chemicals Employees are often Exposed to
The two hazardous gases present in the commercial fish processing plant include methane and cyanide. Typically, when wet fish are stored on a large scale, especially in a large processing plant, they take in and utilize oxygen during the decomposition process and release dangerous gases, including methane and cyanide. In addition to OSHA classifying these gases as poisonous, research has also shown that methane and cyanide can pose a health risk to employees working in unmonitored fish meal companies and vessels. Fatal accidents involving cyanide and methane released by rotting fish have often been reported in floating ships that travel deep sea to harvest and process seafood (Padubidri et al., 2014; Cherian & Richmond, 2000).
The Routes by Which Employees Can Get Exposure to the Chemicals
Cyanide gas (or hydrogen cyanide) is a colourless and extremely toxic gas that enters the body through inhalation. Once inhaled, the gas rapidly crosses the bloodstream, blocking the action of the cytochrome oxidase found in mitochondria. This instantly paralyzes the process of cellular respiration. The early symptoms of cyanide poisoning include vomiting, shortness of breath, fast heart rate, dizziness, and headache. If left unmonitored or the levels exceed a certain limit, serious symptoms and complications might creep in, including cardiac arrest, hypotension, slow heart rate, unconsciousness, unsteady gait, vertigo, and seizures. Victims often die within 2-5 minutes of exposure (Hall, Isom, & Rockwood, 2015).
Similarly, the route of entry of methane gas is inhalation. Methane is an odourless, colourless, and highly flammable gas that poses great health risks to employees if available in high quantities. Usually, methane has no impact on the body when inhaled. However, when allowed to accumulate in the air to significant levels, it can displace oxygen, which can create symptoms like emotional upsets, clumsiness, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing (Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, n.d.).
Methods of Sampling the Chemicals in the Facility
According to the OSHA (n.d.) website, cyanide gas can be sampled using a cassette fitted with a cellulose ester filter membrane (37 mm) placed in front of a midget impinger filled with 10 millilitres of sodium hydroxide (0.1 N). OSHA recommends a minimum sampling period of 1 hour with a flow rate of approximately 1 litre/minute. In this case, the impinger is used to collect the hydrogen cyanide gas while the filter samples particulate (solid) cyanide.
Methane gas, on the other hand, can be collected using the same technique as propane. Samples of methane gas are gathered by drawing a fixed amount of air via a series of Carbosieve S-III tubes. The air is often passed at a rate of 0.1 L/min.
How to Control the Hazards to Protect Workers
Controlling hazards related to cyanide and methane gases in the fish processing plant requires controlling the accumulation of these gases as well as supplying employees with personal protective equipment. For both instances, the primary containment measure is to regularly clean and monitor the fish preservation tanks. This will ensure that water does not come into contact with fish, and also the temperatures do not increase significantly – thus reducing the conditions that would support fish decomposition.
In addition, it is important to ensure that ignition and heat sources, such as static charges, hot surfaces, open flames, and sparks, are kept away. Specifically, this is because methane is highly inflammable. Secondly, engineering controls can be used to design the fish facility in a manner that supports ventilation. Explosion-proof material can also be used during construction to guarantee the safety of employees. However, in case high levels of the gas are suspected to have accumulated, workers need to be given face/eye protection (such as face shields and goggles) and skin protection equipment (Healey & Walker, 2009).
Finally, training employees on the safe handling of methane and cyanide gases is imperative in reducing incidences and fatalities that might result from cyanide poisoning or methane gas fire explosions. Workers also need to be educated on how to administer first aid measures when faced with symptoms of cyanide poisoning or oxygen deprivation. Finally, it is imperative to put in place emergency response tools, such as fire extinguishers, to increase the success rates of emergency rates in cases of accidents or emergencies.
References
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. (n.d.). OSH Answers Fact Sheets: Methane. Retrieved from https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/methane.html#:~:text=Inhalation%3A%20Low%20concentrations%20are%20not,upsets%20and%20fatigue%20can%20result.
Cherian, M. A., & Richmond, I. (2000). Fatal methane and cyanide poisoning as a result of handling industrial fish: A case report and review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 53(10). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jcp.53.10.794
Hall, A. H., Isom, G. E., & Rockwood, G. A. (2015). Toxicology of cyanides and cyanogens: Experimental, applied, and clinical aspects. John Wiley & Sons.
OSHA. (n.d.). Sampling and analytical methods: Cyanide. United States Department of Labor. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/validated/id120/id120.html
Padubidri, J. R., et al. (2014). Curse of the “occult gases” in the fish meal industry: “Lessons to learn.” Muller Journal of Medical Sciences and Research, 5(1), 80-82.
Healey, B. J., & Walker, K. T. (2009). Chapter 6: Toxicology. In Public health/environmental health: Introduction to occupational health in public health practice. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Jossey-Bass.
Institute of Medicine. (2000). Chapter 2: Occupational safety and health professionals. In Safe work in the 21st century: Education and training needs for the next decade’s occupational safety and health personnel. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press.
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Question 
In this SLP, you will be a health and safety manager in a company that has a manufacturing facility with multiple occupational hazards. This setting could be a place where you currently work, one that you may be familiar with, or one that you just find interesting.
Chemical Hazards in the Workplace
This SLP will address chemical hazards in the workplace:
Identify two hazardous chemicals to which workers are exposed in your facility.
Explain the routes by which workers can get exposure to these chemicals and the associated potential health risks.
Choose one method to sample for each of these chemicals in the facility. Justify your choice.
Consider how the hazards may be controlled and select the best approach, the one that protects workers best.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Use information from your module readings/articles as well as appropriate research to support your paper.