What are chemical agents and where are they found in workplaces. How can workers be exposed to hazardous chemicals. What potential harm can chemical agents cause to workers. How can employers ensure proper safety measures for handling chemical agents.

Types and Forms of Chemical Agents in the Workplace

Chemical agents are ubiquitous in workplaces across various industries. They encompass a wide range of substances, from everyday items to specialized industrial chemicals. Some common examples include:

• Inks and toners
• Adhesives and paints
• Oils and lubricants
• Hair dyes and cleaning fluids
• Laboratory reagents
• Welding fumes
• Hazardous medicinal products

Chemical agents can exist in various forms, each presenting unique hazards:

• Solids: dust, fumes, fibers, powders
• Liquids: vapors, mists
• Gases

It’s crucial to note that the form of a chemical can significantly impact its hazard level. For instance, a chemical in solid form may be relatively safe, but when ground into a powder or dust, it could become hazardous if inhaled.

Sources of Hazardous Chemical Agents in Work Environments

Hazardous chemical agents can enter the workplace through various means:

1. Direct introduction: Chemicals brought in for handling, storage, or processing (e.g., solvents, cleaning agents, glues, resins, paints)
2. Process-generated: Chemicals created as byproducts of work activities (e.g., welding fumes, wood dust, flour dust, solvent vapors)
3. Waste or residue: Chemicals generated as waste products (e.g., carbon monoxide from generators or engines)

These hazardous agents can be found in a wide array of work settings, including:

• Factories and manufacturing plants
• Hairdressing salons
• Retail shops
• Construction sites
• Farms and agricultural facilities
• Hospitals and healthcare centers
• Printing works
• Dry cleaning establishments
• Office buildings
• Mines and quarries

Exposure Routes: How Workers Come into Contact with Hazardous Chemicals

Understanding the routes of exposure is crucial for implementing effective safety measures. There are four primary ways workers can be exposed to dangerous chemicals:

1. Inhalation

Inhalation is the most common route of exposure, occurring when workers breathe in air contaminated with chemical agents. This can happen in poorly ventilated areas or when working with volatile substances.

2. Absorption

Some chemicals can be absorbed through the skin or eyes. This can lead to immediate irritation or allow the substance to enter the bloodstream, potentially causing systemic effects.

3. Ingestion

Accidental ingestion can occur when workers eat or drink with contaminated hands or in areas where chemicals are present. Proper hygiene practices are essential to prevent this route of exposure.

4. Injection

While less common, injection can happen through accidental needle sticks or when high-pressure equipment forces chemicals directly into the body.

Potential Health Impacts of Hazardous Chemical Agents

The harm caused by hazardous chemical agents can vary widely depending on the specific substance, exposure route, duration, and concentration. Some potential health effects include:

Respiratory Issues

Exposure to respiratory sensitizers like flour dust or soldering flux can lead to the development of asthma or exacerbate existing respiratory conditions.

Skin Disorders

Contact with certain chemicals, such as cement or degreasing agents, can cause skin irritation or dermatitis. In some cases, this can lead to chronic skin conditions.

Carcinogenic Effects

Some chemical agents, like asbestos or benzene, have been linked to various forms of cancer. These effects may not become apparent until years after the initial exposure.

Neurological Impacts

Exposure to toxic fumes, such as solvent vapors, can lead to loss of consciousness or long-term neurological damage.

Ocular Damage

Eye contact with caustic substances or acids can result in irritation, and in severe cases, may lead to vision loss.

Chemical Safety: Implementing Protective Measures in the Workplace

To mitigate the risks associated with chemical agents, employers and workers must implement comprehensive safety measures:

Risk Assessment

Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential chemical hazards in the workplace. This process should include:

• Identifying all chemical agents present
• Evaluating their potential hazards
• Assessing the likelihood and severity of exposure
• Determining appropriate control measures

Hierarchy of Controls

Implement a hierarchy of controls to manage chemical risks effectively:

1. Elimination: Remove the hazardous chemical from the workplace if possible
2. Substitution: Replace hazardous chemicals with less dangerous alternatives
3. Engineering controls: Implement ventilation systems, enclosed processes, or other physical barriers
4. Administrative controls: Develop safe work procedures, provide training, and limit exposure time
5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide appropriate PPE as a last line of defense

Training and Education

Ensure all workers receive comprehensive training on:

• The hazards associated with chemical agents in their workplace
• Proper handling and storage procedures
• Emergency response protocols
• Correct use of PPE
• Understanding Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

Regulatory Compliance and Chemical Management Systems

Staying compliant with relevant regulations is crucial for maintaining a safe work environment. Key aspects of regulatory compliance include:

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

Maintain up-to-date SDS for all chemical agents in the workplace. These documents provide essential information on hazards, handling procedures, and emergency measures.

Chemical Inventory Management

Implement a robust chemical inventory management system to track all chemicals on-site, their quantities, locations, and expiration dates.

Exposure Monitoring

Conduct regular exposure monitoring to ensure that workers are not exposed to chemical agents above permissible limits. This may include air sampling, biological monitoring, or other appropriate methods.

Emergency Preparedness

Develop and regularly practice emergency response procedures for chemical spills, leaks, or other incidents. Ensure that appropriate emergency equipment, such as eyewash stations and safety showers, is readily available.

Emerging Trends in Chemical Safety and Future Considerations

As technology and research advance, new approaches to chemical safety are emerging:

Green Chemistry

The principles of green chemistry focus on designing chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. This approach can significantly reduce workplace chemical risks.

Nanotechnology Safety

As nanomaterials become more prevalent in various industries, understanding and managing their unique safety challenges is crucial.

Predictive Toxicology

Advanced computational methods and machine learning are being used to predict the toxicity of chemicals, potentially reducing the need for animal testing and providing faster insights into chemical hazards.

Integrated Management Systems

The trend towards integrating chemical management with overall environmental, health, and safety (EHS) systems can lead to more comprehensive and effective risk management strategies.

By staying informed about these emerging trends and continuously improving chemical safety practices, employers can create safer, healthier work environments while also potentially improving efficiency and sustainability.

What are Chemicals Agents? – Health and Safety Authority

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Chemicals agents or chemicals are present in every workplace. For example, inks, toners, adhesives, paints, oils, lubricants, hair dye, laboratory reagents, welding fume, hazardous medicinal products and cleaning fluids are all examples of chemicals.

The term chemical agent means any chemical element or compound, on its own or admixed, as it occurs in the natural state or as produced, used or released, including release as waste, by any work activity, whether or not produced intentionally and whether or not placed on the market.

Chemical agents that have the potential to cause harm to human health or physical harm are referred to as hazardous chemical agents.

Chemical agents can exist in different forms, for example as solids (dust, fumes, fibres, powders), as liquids (vapour, mists) or gases. Different forms of a chemical may present different hazards. For example, a chemical agent in a solid form may not be hazardous but if ground into a powder or dust it may be hazardous when breathed into the lungs.

A hazardous chemical agent may be:

• Brought directly into the workplace and handled, stored and used for processing, for example, solvents, cleaning agents, glues, resins or paints.
• Generated by a process or work activity, for example, fumes from welding or soldering, dust from machining wood, flour dust or solvent vapours.
• Generated as waste or residue, for example, carbon monoxide from a generator or engine.

Where are Hazardous Chemical Agents Found?

Hazardous chemical agents can be found in nearly all work environments such as:

• Factories
• Hairdressers
• Shops
• Construction sites
• Farms
• Hospitals
• Printing works
• Dry cleaners
• Offices
• Mines, and so on.

Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals

There are four main routes by which a worker can be exposed to a dangerous chemical:

1. Inhalation – by breathing in air contaminated with the chemical. This is the most common route of exposure.
2. Absorption – by contact with the skin or eyes. Some chemicals can damage the skin or cause eye irritation on contact or pass through the skin or mucous membranes into the body.
3. Ingestion – by accidentally swallowing the chemical, for example eating with contaminated hands.
4. Injection – by injecting the chemical into the bloodstream.   

What Harm can Hazardous Chemical Agents Cause to Workers?

The type of harm will depend on the hazardous chemical agent. Examples of the effects of hazardous chemical agents include:

• Asthma as a result of exposure to a respiratory sensitiser such as flour dust or soldering flux.
• Skin irritation or dermatitis as a result of skin contact with a substance such as cement or some degreasing agents.
• Cancer, which may appear long after the exposure to the chemical that caused it, such as with asbestos or benzene.
• Loss of consciousness as a result of being overcome by toxic fumes such as solvent vapours.
• Eye irritation from a splash of caustic or acid which may result in eye irritation or loss of eye sight in severe cases.

CDC | Chemical Agents | Emergency Preparedness & Response

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People

Emergency Preparedness and Response

A to Z | By Category

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
6. F
7. G
8. H
9. I
10. J
11. K
12. L
13. M
14. N
15. O
16. P
17. Q
18. R
19. S
20. T
21. U
22. V
23. W
24. X
25. Y
26. Z

A

• Abrin
• Adamsite (DM)
• Ammonia
• Arsenic
• Arsine (SA)

B

• Barium
• Benzene
• Brevetoxin
• Bromine (CA)
• Bromobenzylcyanide (CA) see Riot Control Agents
• BZ

C

• Carbon Monoxide
• Chlorine (CL)
• Chloroacetophenone (CN) see Riot Control Agents
• Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) see Riot Control Agents
• Chloropicrin (PS) see Riot Control Agents
• Chromium
• Colchicine
• Cyanide

D

• Dibenzoxazepine (CR) see Riot Control Agents
• Digitalis
• Distilled mustard (HD) see Sulfur mustard

E

• Ethylene glycol

F

• Fentanyls and other opioids

H

• Hydrazine
• Hydrofluoric acid (hydrogen fluoride)
• Hydrogen chloride
• Hydrogen cyanide (AC)
• Hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid)

L

• Lewisite (L, L-1, L-2, L-3)
• Long-acting anticoagulant (super warfarin)

M

• Mercury
• Methyl bromide
• Methyl isocyanate
• Mustard gas (H) (sulfur mustard)

N

• Nicotine
• Nitrogen mustard (HN-1, HN-2, HN-3)

O

• Opioids
• Osmium tetroxide

P

• Paraquat
• Phosgene (CG)
• Phosgene oxime (CX)
• Phosphine
• Phosphorus, elemental, white or yellow
• Potassium cyanide (KCN)

R

• Ricin
• Riot Control Agents

S

• Sarin (GB)
• Saxitoxin
• Selenium
• Sodium azide
• Sodium cyanide (NaCN) see Cyanide
• Sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080)
• Soman(GD)
• Stibine
• Strychnine
• Sulfur mustard (H) (mustard gas)
• Sulfuryl fluoride
• Super warfarin (long-acting anticoagulant)

T

• Tabun (GA)
• Tetrodotoxin
• Thallium
• Trichothecene

V

• VX

W

• White phosphorus

Page last reviewed: April 4, 2018

Content source: National Center for Environmental Health

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What’s this?

Hazardous chemical agents and explosives prohibited from moving to the transport security zone in accordance with the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation dated July 23, 2015 No.

227, detected by the ChemExpert monitoring and control system

Design and manufacture of analytical equipment

+7 (499) 613-11-77

en | en

Possibilities of implementing the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation dated July 23, 2015 No. 227 at transport infrastructure facilities during inspection, additional inspection, re-examination in order to ensure transport security using identifiers of hazardous chemical agents and explosives – portable Raman spectrometers “KhimExpert”.

9 0025

900 20 no

9002 0 no

900 20 yes

90 020 yes (salts)

9 0013

9No 018

Substances for which there is a ban or restriction on movement to the transport security zone	Possibilities of ChemExpert software
	Detection	Identification
Explosives (Chapter 2.2 X “Rules for Inspection…”)
Brisant	yes	yes
Industrial	yes	yes
Initiating	yes	yes based on nitrogen compounds and other mixtures with or without means of initiation	yes	yes
Perchlorates	yes	yes
Pyroxylin, smoky and other gunpowders.	yes	yes
Hazardous chemical agents (Clause 3.2 of Chapter X of the “Inspection Rules…”)
3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone	yes 900 15	no
Adamsite	yes	no
Nitric acid	yes	yes
Aconitine	yes	yes
Ammonia	yes	yes
Acetic anhydride	yes	yes
Arsine	yes	no
Aceclidine	yes	no
Bi-Zet – Quinuclidyl-3-benzilate (from BZ) – 3-quinuclidyl ester of benzyl acid	yes	no
Hydrogen bromide	yes	yes 0015
VI-gas, VX (from the English. VX), EA 1701 – O-ethyl -8-2-diisopropylaminoethylmethylphosphonate	yes	no
Tungsten hexafluoride	yes	no
Gi oscyamine – base, camphorate (L-tropyltropate (camphorate), sulfate (L-tropyltropate (sulfate)	yes	yes
Glyfluoro (1,3-difluoropropanol-2 (1) 70 – 75%, 1-fluoro-3-chloropropanol-2 (2) 10-20%)	yes
Mustard gas (mustard gas)	yes	yes
I-M liquid (ethyl cellosolve 50%, methanol 50%)	yes 9 0015	yes
Liquid containing sodium chloride, uranyl nitrate , 4-chlorobenzaldehyde	yes	no
Sarin and Soman	yes	yes
snake venom	yes
Diborane	yes	no
Isosafrole	yes	yes
Carbacholine (N-(beta-carbamoyloxyethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride)	yes	yes
Lysergide	yes	no
Lewisite	yes	no
Maleic anhydride	yes 9001 5	yes
Mercaptophos	yes	no
Methyl alcohol	yes	yes
Arsenic anhydride and its derivatives, including their dosage forms in different dosages	yes	yes
Novarsenol (5-(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylarseno)-2-hydroxyanilinomethylsulfoxylate)	yes	no
Perfluoroisobutene	no
Piperonal	yes	yes
Promeran (3-chloromercury-2-methoxypropylurea) and its dosage forms in various dosages	yes	no0015	yes	no
Ricin	yes	no
Metal mercury and mercury salts	no
Safrole	yes	yes
Sulfur dioxide	yes	yes
Sulfuric acid	yes	yes
Carbon disulfide	yes	yes
CN – chloroacetophenone	yes	no
CS – o-chlorobenzylidenemalonic acid dinitrile	yes	no
Cu-Ar – dibenzoxazepine	yes	no
Hydrocyanic (hydrocyanic) acid, Zyklon-B and metal cyanides	yes	yes
Scopolamine hydrobromide x	yes	yes
Synthetic ethyl alcohol, technical and food, unsuitable for the production of alcoholic beverages	yes	yes
Total belladonna alkaloids	yes	no
Salts of pyrophosphoric acid	yes	yes
Salts of hydrocyanic and thiocyanic acids	yes	yes
Thallium and its salts	yes (salts)	no
Nickel tetracarbonyl	yes	no
Tetraethyl lead and its mixtures with other substances (ethyl liquid and others), except for leaded gasolines	yes	yes
Phosphorus trichloride	yes	no
Boron trifluoride	no
Phosgene and diphosgene	yes	no
Zinc phosphide	yes	no
Phosphorus white (phosphorus yellow)	yes	yes
Ferrocyanides	yes	no
Fluorine and strong organic acids	yes	no	yes	yes
Formaldehyde	yes	yes
Chloroform (Trichloromethane)	yes	no
Chlorine and chlorine-substituted strong organic acids	yes	yes
Boron chloride	yes	no
Hydrochloric acid	yes	yes
Chloropicrin	yes	no
Cyan hydrogen	yes	yes
Cyanic and cyanuric acids, substituted fluorinated and chlorinated	yes
Oxalic acid	yes	yes
Chilibukha extract	yes	no
Ergometrine and its salts	yes	no
Ergotamine and its salts	yes	no
Ethylmercuric chloride	yes	yes
Ethylene oxide	yes	no 013	Ethylene glycol	yes	yes

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Biodegradable release agents

Biodegradable release agents are essential for the proper release of concrete from a wide variety of equipment. This prevents its destruction and aging.

In the process of production of concrete products and structures, molds from various materials are used. For each of them, it is important to ensure proper cleaning, which would not harm the surface. This allows you to extend the life of the equipment, reduce capital costs.

Biodegradable separating agents are used to be able to separate concrete under a wide range of conditions. They do not harm the environment, easily break down into simple compounds in normal natural conditions. Such substances significantly save the costs of enterprises, reducing costs and increasing net profit.

Properties of biodegradable separating agents

In order to be able to clean the formwork of various materials in the production of concrete structures, enterprises use various chemicals. They separate the material of the product from the form in which it was created. Both the durability of the formwork and the duration of the cleaning process depend on the quality of these substances.

Biodegradable release agents are considered the most advanced chemicals in this class. They do not contain solvents. Therefore, under environmental conditions, all components are quickly decomposed. These are the most environmentally friendly types of separating agents.

Moreover, the products presented prevent abrasion of mold and formwork surfaces, as well as swelling and deformation of wooden pallets. Mechanical impacts during cleaning are minimized. This greatly speeds up the production process, facilitating the physical labor of people.

These factors contribute to the active use of biodegradable separating agents for concrete, even at environmental facilities, in agriculture, where there are increased requirements for equipment materials.

Where to buy separating agents?

In order to purchase quality release agents, a trusted manufacturer should be preferred. This is the world famous German brand Zeller+Gmelin. Decades of flawless work and a huge number of positive reviews about its products confirm the high quality of the company’s products.

All industrial chemicals produced by the company have the appropriate quality certificates. Biodegradable release agents meet the highest environmental requirements that apply to similar products today.

Zeller+Gmelin has won numerous awards. The company is included in the list of the best manufacturers in Germany. Zeller+Gmelin has been awarded the Bosch Global Supplier Award. The company’s technologists work tirelessly to improve the formulas of their products. The introduction of innovations allows products to fully meet the growing requirements of consumers.

Divinoil Rus LLC is the official representative of the company in the Russian Federation. Our company is licensed to sell Zeller+Gmelin products. Direct deliveries from Germany are made to our own warehouse in Podolsk.