Thousands of Brazilian workers deal with ammonia daily and may be running real risks of exposure to this toxic substance, due to a lack of more precise information on standards and appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). The chemical compound is capable of causing severe damage to the lungs and brain, skin burns, and even death.
Ammonia (NH3) can be applied in many industries, from agricultural fertilizers to cleaning products, but in this article we will focus on a specific use: refrigeration.
Ammonia has been used for over a century in refrigeration systems worldwide. In gaseous form, ammonia is used in the piping of refrigeration equipment, reaching temperatures well below zero degrees Celsius.
Types of protection
Within an effective occupational health and safety program, multi-risk analysis is essential, involving factors ranging from environmental to behavioral. In this article, we will focus on PPE, the worker's last line of defense.
Ammonia protective clothing must be used during maintenance and cleaning. The two most common categories of clothing are the non-airtight coverall and the airtight encapsulated suit. In emergency situations involving ammonia gas leaks, the encapsulated model becomes mandatory.
Where danger lives
This is precisely where the health of workers in the country may be at risk. Not all chemical protective clothing against gases and vapors offers effective and total protection against ammonia.
In Brazil, the issuance of a CA (Certificate of Approval) for protective clothing against chemical agents is regulated based on ISO 16602:2007, an international standard that establishes protection levels ranging from Type 6 (limited protection against liquid sprays) to Type 1 (protection against toxic particles, vapors, and gases).
Hermetically encapsulated suits are classified as Type 1 in accordance with ISO 16602:2007. As previously mentioned, ammonia is usually found in a gaseous state in refrigeration applications, requiring the use of Type 1 suits. The indication of the protection class only shows that a given PPE complies with the minimum requirements set forth by the standard.
The thing is that there is no obligation under the CA to test Type 1 suits specifically against ammonia. In other words, not all Type 1 garments found in the Brazilian market have been tested and approved against ammonia.
How, then, to know if a PPE is effective against ammonia?
Permeation tests
To answer this question, one must first understand that each component of a garment (glove, fabric, boot, visor, among others) presents a specific protective barrier, meaning each component must be approved through permeation testing. The objective of these tests is to prove the protective barrier, at a molecular level, that each material presents against the chemical agent.
Permeation tests are performed in accordance with local legislation. In Brazil, as mentioned, we follow the ISO 16602:2007 standard, whose stipulated permeation standard is EN ISO 6529. However, this is not the only internationally recognized permeation standard.
Analyze and question
Effective protection of the Brazilian worker against the risks of ammonia requires a high degree of responsibility from the industry, which needs to analyze whether the chemical protective clothing used effectively protects against this toxic compound.
To this end, questioning the PPE manufacturer is essential. What tests were performed? Was a test conducted to measure protection against ammonia? What were the results? For how long is the PPE capable of protecting the user?
Another important factor is to ensure that the worker is fully protected. Were all components of the protective clothing (such as coveralls, boots, face shield, gloves, among others) tested? Do all of them offer protection against ammonia?
The risks of ammonia in the Brazilian work environment prove that only with this awareness—that of caring beyond the minimum requirements demanded by the standard—will it be possible to effectively protect the health and lives of workers in the country.
*Priscila Akiti is a technical specialist for Tyvek® at DuPont Personal Protection Latin America.
SOURCE:
CIPA Magazine
