Appendix B Substance Technical Guidelines for Acrylonitrile
8 CA ADC § 5213 App. BBarclays Official California Code of Regulations
8 CCR § 5213 App. B
Appendix B Substance Technical Guidelines for Acrylonitrile
6. Fire and Explosion Hazards: Acrylonitrile is a flammable liquid. Its vapors can easily form explosive mixtures with air. All ignition sources must be controlled where acrylonitrile is handled, used, or stored in a manner that could create a potential fire or explosion hazard. Acrylonitrile vapors are heavier than air and may travel along the ground and be ignited by open flames or sparks at locations remote from the site at which acrylonitrile is being handled.
7. For purposes of compliance with the requirements of Articles 141 through 148 of the General Industry Safety Orders, acrylonitrile is classified as a Class 1B flammable liquid. For example, 7500 ppm, approximately one-fourth of the lower flammable limit, would be considered to pose a potential fire and explosion hazard.
1. Conditions Contributing to Instability: Acrylonitrile will polymerize when hot, and the additional heat liberated by the polymerization may cause containers to explode. Pure AN may self-polymerize with a rapid build-up of pressure resulting in an explosive hazard. Inhibitors are added to the commercial product to prevent self-polymerization.
C. Waste Disposal Methods: Waste material shall be disposed of in a manner that is not hazardous to employees or to the general population. Spills of acrylonitrile and flushing of such spills shall be channeled for appropriate treatment or collection for disposal. They shall not be channeled directly into the sanitary sewer system. In selecting the method of waste disposal, applicable local, state, and federal regulations should be consulted.
1. Eight-hour Exposure Evaluation: Measurements taken for the purpose of determining employee exposure under this section are best taken so that the average eight-hour exposure may be determined from a single 8-hour sample or two (2) 4-hour samples. Air samples should be taken in the employee's breathing zone (air that would most nearly represent that inhaled by the employee).
2. Ceiling Evaluation: Measurements taken for the purpose of determining employee exposure under this section must be taken during periods of maximum expected concentrations of acrylonitrile in the employee's breathing zone. A minimum of three (3) measurements should be taken on one work shift. The average of all measurement taken is an estimate of the employee's ceiling exposure.
3. Monitoring Techniques: The sampling and analysis under this section may be performed by collecting the acrylonitrile vapor on charcoal adsorption tubes or other composition adsorption tubes, with subsequent chemical analysis. Sampling and analysis may also be performed by instruments such as real-time continuous monitoring systems, portable direct-reading instrument or passive dosimeters. Analysis of resultant samples should be by gas chromatography.
Appendix D lists methods of sampling and analysis which have been tested by NIOSH and OSHA for use with acrylonitrile. NIOSH and OSHA have validated modifications of NIOSH Method S-156 (see Appendix D) under laboratory conditions for concentrations below 1 ppm. The employer has the obligation of selecting a monitoring method which meets the accuracy and precision requirements of the standard under his unique field conditions. The standard requires that methods of monitoring must be accurate, to 95-percent confidence level, to ±35 percent for concentrations of AN at or above 2 ppm, and to ±50 percent for concentrations below 2 ppm. In addition to the methods described in Appendix D, there are numerous other methods available for monitoring for AN in the workplace.
Since many of the duties relating to employee exposure are dependent on the results of monitoring and measuring procedures, employers shall assure that the evaluation of employee exposures is performed by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.
Employees shall be provided with, and required to wear appropriate protective clothing to prevent any possibility of skin contact with liquid AN. Because acrylonitrile is absorbed through the skin, it is important to prevent skin contact with the liquid. Protective clothing shall include impermeable coveralls or similar full-body work clothing, gloves, head-coverings, and workshoes or shoe coverings, as appropriate, to protect areas of the body which may come in contact with liquid AN.
Employers should ascertain that the protective garments are impermeable to acrylonitrile. Non-impermeable clothing and shoes should not be allowed to become contaminated with acrylonitrile. If permeable clothing does become contaminated, it should be promptly removed, placed in a regulated area for removal of the AN, and not worn again until the AN is removed. If leather footwear or other leather garments become wet from acrylonitrile, they should be replaced and not worn again, due to the ability of leather to absorb acrylonitrile and hold it against the skin. Since there is no pain associated with the blistering, it is essential that the employee be informed of this hazard so that he or she can be protected.
Any protective clothing which has developed leaks or is otherwise found to be defective should be repaired or replaced. Clean protective clothing shall be provided to the employee, as necessary to assure adequate protection. Whenever impervious clothing becomes wet with liquid AN, it shall be washed down with water before being removed by the employee. Employees are also required to wear splash-proof safety goggles where there is any possibility of acrylonitrile contacting the eyes.
For purposes of complying with Article 9 of the General Industry Safety Orders the following items should be emphasized
D. Change or dressing rooms with individual clothes-storage facilities must be provided to prevent the contamination of street clothes with acrylonitrile. Because of the hazardous nature of acrylonitrile, contaminated protective clothing must be placed in a regulated area designated by the employer for the removal of the AN before the clothing is laundered or disposed of.
F. Use of supplied-air suits or other impervious coverings may be necessary to prevent skin contact as well as to provide respiratory protection where the concentration of acrylonitrile is unknown or is above the ceiling limit. Supplied-air suits should be selected, used, and maintained under the immediate supervision of persons knowledgeable in the limitations and potential life-endangering characteristics of supplied-air suits.
Common operations in which exposure to acrylonitrile is likely to occur include the following: manufacture of acrylonitrile monomer; synthesis of acrylic fibers, ABS, SAN and nitrile barrier plastics and resins, nitrile rubber, surface coatings, specialty chemicals, use as a chemical intermediate, use as a fumigant and in the cyanoethylation of cotton.
This database is current through 6/21/24 Register 2024, No. 25.
Cal. Admin. Code tit. 8, § 5213 App. B, 8 CA ADC § 5213 App. B
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