Guidelines for Identification of Issues in Chemicals Industries

Consider the process flow of each such operation & divide it into different activities, so that each activity can be considered separately for identifying the releases & discharges, Land intake, visual impact, resource consumption, health & safety risks, etc. Record activities in the ‘Initial Review Report’.

While dividing operations into activities, consider 

ACTIVITIES (e.g. handling of hazardous materials, receiving activities, storage, Processing, Disposal activities, etc.)

SERVICES (e.g. Transportation, Maintenance, washing, conditioning, etc.)

PRODUCTS (e.g. Use of Raw materials, consumables, Packing materials, finished products, By-products, etc.)

Classify activities into ‘Direct’ and Indirect

DIRECT: Those which are under the direct control of the Organization Indirect.

INDIRECT: Those which are not under the organization’s direct control, but over which it can be expected to have an influence (e.g. the activities performed by the contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers )

Identify Aspects of each activity by considering the following :

INPUTS:

Use of raw materials, consumables, etc. (in case of natural resources), use of a non-bio-degradable material (for possible material substitutions)

  • Use of Water
  • Use of Energy
  • Use of Land, etc. (in case of new developmental activity)

OUTPUTS:

  • Releases to Air
  • Discharges to Water
  • Solid Waste
  • Discharge/release to Land
  • Noise
  • Nuisance(Smoke, Odour, Dust, Vibration, Light, Heat, Radiation, etc.)
  • Visual Impact
  • Finished Products
  • Bye Products

Identify health safety risks considering the following:

Use the following potential source for identifying hazards

a)Ask your people working in relevant areas.

b)Task analysis/ job safety check.

c)Injury and illness history (first aid reports, compensation claims etc.

d) Safety audit reports.

Guidelines for Identification of Issues

Physical Hazards

Electricity, Noise and vibration, Heat & cold, Dust & fibres, Radiation, Exposed moving machinery parts, Occupational Overuse Syndrome (RSI)

Chemical Hazards

Liquids (e.g. office supplies, cleaning products, paints, acids), Vapours and fumes (e.g. welding fumes, toluene), Gases (e.g. oxygen, acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide), Flammable, combustible, and explosive materials.

Biological Hazards

Unclean restrooms, improperly stored medical waste, Mould, fungus, and mildew, Bacteria & viruses, Plants (e.g. poison ivy), Insect stings, and Animal bites.

Ergonomic Hazards

Lighting, Workstation layout, Video Display Terminals (VDTs), Worksurfaces, Chairs, Colour, Lifting, Repetitive movements, Posture, Shift work.

Psychological hazards

Identify issues under all the following conditions for each activity:

Normal running conditions of the activities

Abnormal conditions (e.g. start-up & shut down/breakdown activities, etc.).

Emergency conditions (e.g. possibility of fire hazard, leakage of hazardous gas, etc.)
Use the following documents/reports as potential sources for identifying aspects:
Permits, consents, etc. from regulatory authorities.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) of materials
Reports of previous incidents/accidents (especially in case of abnormal & emergency conditions).
BANTI SINGH

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