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       April 3, 2013 – Let’s say you are a chemical engineer responsible for the safety of chemical storage facilities serving the pulp and paper industry. You’re going about your normal day, and suddenly something explodes. This affected three large water tanks on the property.
       The sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) storage tank was damaged and leaked. Sodium hydrosulfide is a chemical used to break down cellulose, the fibrous component of plant cell walls, into cellulose, making it a key chemical in the paper industry. An adjacent tank, also damaged by the explosion and now leaking, contained a cleaning solution containing the corrosive chemical hydrochloric acid (HCl). The third tank, which caught fire and caused an explosion, contained petroleum distillate. He damaged the first two tanks, causing their contents to leak into the common space and form a mixture of sodium hydrosulfide and hydrochloric acid.
       How will you communicate this situation and its potential dangers to emergency services responding to the scene? Chemical accidents often involve many unknown factors: What leak occurred? Was it mixed with something? What could happen? The NOAA Chemical Reaction Table is a free program that you can use to learn the chemical reactivity of thousands of common hazardous chemicals and predict the hazards associated with mixing two materials. (Reactivity refers to the tendency of a substance to undergo chemical changes that may cause a hazard, such as the release of heat or toxic gaseous byproducts.)
       By reviewing the chemical reactivity table, you (the security officer) will quickly realize that when sodium hydrogen sulfide and hydrochloric acid combine, hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) can be formed. This gas is toxic and flammable and can create a very dangerous situation. To ensure public safety, the affected area requires immediate evacuation.
       A new version of the Chemical Reactivity Worksheet (version 3.0) was recently released and can be downloaded from http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/reactivityworksheet. The latest version combines the latest reaction information and expertise from NOAA and Dow Chemical. This free software predicts potential chemical mixing hazards and is intended for safety planners and the chemical industry. This tool is designed to prevent accidents at chemical facilities and provide valuable information about possible hazards after an accident occurs. This work is part of a joint effort between NOAA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop the CAMEO software package, which provides valuable tools for emergency response and hazardous materials release planning. The Chemical Process Safety Center also contributed to the project.
       Edited: September 30, 2024 1:30 AM | Sitemap | Contact us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Stay connected with OR&R | Site Owner: Office of Response and Recovery | US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | US government |