TESTING THE RESISTANCE OF THE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AGAINST CHEMICAL AGENTS IN ORDER TO ASSESS THEIR CONFORMITY

Transcription

1 TESTING THE RESISTANCE OF THE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AGAINST CHEMICAL AGENTS IN ORDER TO ASSESS THEIR CONFORMITY Irina Nălbc, PhD student, INCD INSEMEX Petrşani Cnstantin Lupu, PhD. Eng., INCD INSEMEX Petrşani Maria Prdan, PhD student, INCD INSEMEX Petrşani Andrei Mţa Szllşi, PhD student INCD INSEMEX Petrşani ABSTRACT: The technlgy develpment resulted in slving numerus aspects f industrial hazard. Nevertheless, new hazards arise and a number f risk factrs are represented by chemical hazards.the chemical prducts prductin grwth determined the increase in the number f the units where these hazards can appear, during the prductin, strage, handling and transprt activities. Hazard assessment fr handling these prducts, fr prfessinal diseases and cnsequences is required bth fr wrkers and envirnment prtectin.the Eurpean Unin initiated the Cuncil Directive 89/686/CEE regarding the harmnisatin f the legislatin frm Member States related t prtective clthing, in rder t prvide safe prducts in Eurpean Unin.Within the prject Technlgies fr testing the resistance, permeatin and the degradatin f the prtective clthing against chemical agents in rder t assess their cnfrmity has been develped a test bench fr determining the resistance f the prtective clthing at the chemical liquid penetratin, accrding with the requirements f SR EN ISO 6530 standard. KEYWORDS: persnal prtective equipment, chemical agents, cnfrmity assessment, tehnlgy 1.INTRODUCTION The technlgy develpment resulted in slving numerus aspects f industrial hazard. Nevertheless, new hazards arise and a number f risk factrs are represented by chemical hazards. This is imprtant due t the gravity f the cnsequences (prfessinal disease hazard) and the influence ver the scial relatinships and ver the indirect cst f the finit prduct. Increased prductin f chemical prducts determined the increase in the number f units where may ccur these risks during the manufacturing, strage, handling r transprt. The risk assessment f such prducts, the health hazards and their The assessment f chemical risk due t hazardus chemicals shuld take int accunt the fllwing infrmatin: chemical prperties f substances, the cncentratin, the wrk cnditins in the presence f such agents, duratin f the expsure t chemical hazardus, etc. In accrdance with the Decisin n f 6 September 2006 the emplyer must ensure that the risk t safety and health in the wrk prcess induced by a hazardus chemical agent is eliminated r minimized. Is cmpulsry t abide the chemical agents frm the wrk envirnment ccupatinal expsure limit-values r wrkers tlerable bilgical limit-values in rder t maintain the chemical agents cncentratins at the lwest level pssible [2]. When the presence f the hazardus chemical agents in the wrkplace is established, the emplyer must assess cnsequences is necessary bth t prtect wrkers and the envirnment. Risk assessment fr every wrk place is the main bjective f the wrk f preventin the ccupatinal accidents and diseases. Depending n the nature f the risks embedded in human activity they can affect bth directly the persnnel invlved in the wrk system and nn-participating persns r the envirnment. The range f risks embedded in human activity, the risk frm chemicals, justified by the results f the statistics, shw that accidents caused by chemicals ccupies a significant place. any risk regarding the wrkers health and safety frm the presence f the chemical agents, taking int accunt: a) their hazardus prperties; b) infrmatin prvided by the supplier relating t safety and health f wrkers (FTS); c) the level, type and duratin f expsure, taking int accunt all pssible rutes f expsure; d) the cnditins under which the wrk is perfrmed in the presence f such agents, including their quantities; e) the natinal ccupatinal expsure limit values r bilgical limit values f) the effect f preventive measures taken r t be undertaken; g) the cnclusins resulting frm health surveillance already made when available. The emplyer must ensure that persnal prtective equipment is in accrdance with the appliable laws in relatin 163

2 t the design, prductin and delivery, taking int accunt wrkers health and safety. Rmania, as Eurpean Unin member, tk ver the Eurpean Directives int natinal law. Thus emerged the Gvernment Decisin n. 115 f 5 February 2004 n the establishment f the essential safety requirements f persnal prtective equipment and cnditins fr placing n the market, which transpses the Cuncil Directive 89/686 / EEC f 21 December 1989 n the harmnizatin f the prvisins relating t individual equipment prtectin and Decisin n. 809 f 14 July 2005 amending the Gvernment Decisin n. 115/2004 [1]. In the wrk prcess, the wrkers may be expsed t risk factrs that can lead t accidents and ccupatinal diseases. Starting frm this reality it was develped the cncept f prtectin f labr which is defined as a set f activities aiming t ensure the best wrking cnditins in the wrk prcess, prtectin f life, health and safety f bth wrkers and thers participating in the wrk. In the Rmania ccupatinal safety is regulated by Law n. 319 f July 14, Health and Safety at Wrk Act [5]. The manufacturer must prvide the infrmatin in the technical dcumentatin f the measures which he adpted t ensure the cmpliance f the persnal prtective equipment with the essential requirements fr wrkers health and safety. The essential health and safety requirements define the results t be achieved r hazards that must be taken int accunt, but des nt specify r predict the technical slutins fr this. They are als frmulated s as t assess the cmpliance with these requirements, in the absence f harmnized Eurpean standards r if the manufacturer chses nt t apply the standards. This flexibility allws manufacturers t chse the mst apprpriate way t meet the requirements. Persnal prtective equipment is regarded as being in cmpliance with the essential safety and health requirements if the CE marking is affixed and the manufacturer is able t submit a declaratin f cnfrmity. CE marking is a symbl that cnfirms that all relevant cnfrmity assessment prcedures have been cmpleted and it is a statement by natinal market surveillance authrities. Persnal prtective equipment may be placed n the market and cmmissined nly if they cmply with the all the essential safety and health requirements. Cnfrmity assessment prcedures with the requirements f different categries f equipment depends n (fig. 1): Fig. 1. Cnfrmity assessment prcedures with the requirements f different categries f equipment depending 1.1.Chemical prtective clthing Develpment f mdern technlgies als led t increased multilateral chemical hazards t which a wrker is expsed. These chemical risks arise in sectrs such as chemical, pharmaceutical, petrchemical industry and agriculture, where is required the use f prtective clthing resistant t chemical, txic gases and hazardus dust. The variety f hazardus chemicals has led t the necessity f develping a set f chemical prtective clthing. In the manufacture f prtective clthing the used materials are selected accrding t the chemicals against it is desirable t be prtected frm. Fr this purpse the chemicals were divided int a number f classes f substances with the prperties similar t penetratin, permeatin, and degradatin f the material. Fr these effects have been develped and standardized test methds relevant with the apprpriate levels f perfrmance. It was als recgnized that there is n material fr the manufacture f prtective clthing that prtects against all chemicals. This has created new cmbinatins that ffer a wide range f prtectin [3]. Prtective parties f such persnal prtective equipment must prevent prperly the direct cntact f dangerus substances (chemical, bilgical) with the skin r eyes. Persnal prtective equipment that prtects against hazardus substances must have apprpriate penetratin and permeatin prperties, taking int accunt the risk and the tasks which they are designed fr. Therefre, the representative chemical tests will give an indicatin t the user. The instructins f the test substance shuld be clearly specified, s that the end user can select persnal prtective equipment suitable fr the task. The significance f these results (eg breakthrugh time) must be explained in rder t be clear fr the user f persnal prtective equipment. On this basis the user will be able t evaluate the prtectin and prtectin time fr its wrking psitin [4]. The develpment f the prtective clthing shwed a significant imprvement ver the past decades. Frm the use f prtective clthing with sme prtective prperties, t the 164

3 design f cmplex prtectin systems, multifunctinal using mdern materials and sphisticated manufacturing techniques was a lng way t g. On the technical side, the requirements that must meet prtective clthing became mre cmplex. Thus, a cmbinatin f different requirements, such as prtectin, cmfrt and fashin and ther functinal prperties has led t the develpment f mdern prtective equipment thereby ensuring t an imprvement in the quality f life f wrker health and safety. These prperties must be satisfied at least fr the perid f use indicated in the instructins. In practice, all materials have limited time prtectin s warnings and instructins infrmatin is necessary and relevant. It is nt pssible t test the effectiveness f prtectin against all substances (r mixtures f substances) in all envirnmental cnditins. 2.MATERIALS AND METHODS In rder t determine the resistance f materials t penetratin by liquids was used EN ISO 6530: 2005 standard "Prtective clthing. Prtectin against liquid chemicals. Test methd fr resistance f materials t penetratin by liquids. This internatinal standard specifies a test methd fr measuring the penetratin index, absrptin and rejectin the prtective clthing materials against chemical splashes lw vlume liquid at lw and high pressure. T determine these parameters was perfrmed an experimental stand (Figure 2) accrding t SR EN ISO 6530: 2004, cmpsed f the fllwing cmpnents: rigid gutter (1) semi-cylindrical shape with diameter f 125 ± 5 mm, length f 300 ± 2 mm and 45 inclinatin n which is placed absrbent paper f a thickness f frm 0.15 t 0.20 mm, a transparent film (2) and the test specimen (3); rigid lid (4) f semi-cylindrical shape, with a length f 270 mm, an external diameter f 105 ± 5 mm and unifrmly distributed mass 140 ± 7 g; syringe (5) attached t a hypdermic needle with a hle f 0.8 mm ± ± able t prvide 0.5 cm 3 liquid sample in a 10 ± 1 s; small glass (6); exactly balance 0.01 g; timer. Fig. 2. Experimental stand fr determining the penetratin index, absrptin and rejectin the prtective clthing materials against chemical splashes lw vlume liquid Fr the experiment f the stand and methd were sampled six samples (360 ± 2) mm x (235 ± 5) mm frm antistatic materials (Figure 3,4,5) f different clrs used in the manufacture f persnal prtective equipment. As test liquid was used 96% ethyl alchl slutin with distilled water in a rati f 1: 1. Fig. 3. Sample 1 Fig. 4. Sample 2 165

4 3.RESULTS Fig. 5. Sample 3 After cnducting tests were btained results listed i table n. 1.After the test the fllwing were bserved: fr sample 1 - range antistatic material with small grid: between 37.6 and 67.1; the rejectin index I R varies between 0.7 and 1.63; the absrptin index I A varies between 24.7 and fr sample 2 - white antistatic material with small grid:: between 42.2 and 51.3; the rejectin index I R is 0; the absrptin index I A varies between 30.3 and fr sample 3 - white antistatic material with large grid: between 37.5 and 57.4; the rejectin index I R is 0; the absrptin index I A varies between 33.1 and Table n. 1 N Sample Test Penetratin Rejectin Absrptin. identificatin index I P index I R index I A 1. Sample 1 Test n. 1 37,6 0,7 24,7 Test n. 2 44,6` 1,63 30,0 Test n. 3 45,6 0,7 28,4 Test n. 4 67,1 0,8 36,2 Test n. 5 62,8 0,7 31,3 Test n. 6 58,7 0,9 33,1 2. Sample Test n. 1 51,3 0 45,6 2 Test n. 2 46,1 0 50,9 Test n. 3 42,2 0 33,3 Test n. 4 43,4 0 34,0 Test n. 5 45,3 0 30,3 Test n. 6 43,3 0 30,8 3. Sample 3 Test n. 1 37,5 0 33,4 Test n. 2 54,2 0 40,4 Test n. 3 53,1 0 31,8 Test n. 4 52,5 0 43,5 Test n. 5 57,4 0 40,6 Test n. 6 57,2 0 33,1 Nte: The difference f up t 100% f the sum f all indices was due t the evapratin f the slutin under test, in the case f alchl vapr and a large area (0.08 m2) in time frm the test liquid discharge sample by weighing the specimen, filter paper + a transparent film and the glass used. 4.CONCLUSIONS Persnal prtective equipment against hazardus chemicals shuld be evaluated n cmpliance with the requirements f Cuncil Directive 89/686 / EEC which are implemented in the Gvernment Decisin n. 115 f 5 February 2004 n the establishment f the essential safety requirements f persnal prtective equipment and cnditins fr placing n the market and Decisin n. 809 f 14 July 2005 amending Gvernment Decisin n. 115/2004. Fr the cnfrmity assesement f the persnal prtective equipment against chemical agents is necessary t determine the resistance f materials t penetratin by liquids, s that it can be assessed the 3.10 requirement "Prtectin against dangerus substances and infective agents" f persnal prtective equipment, accrding t the directive. This wrk was supprted financially by the Rmanian Research Natinal Authrity in the prject PN REFERENCES [1].Directiva Cnsiliului 89/686/CEE din 21 decembrie 1989 privind armnizarea legislaţiei statelr Membre referitare la echipamentul individual de prtecţie, 166

5 amendată prin Directivele 93/68/CEE, 93/95/CEE şi 96/58/EC.) [2].Guidelines n the applicatin f cuncil directive 89/686/eec f 21 december 1989 n the apprximatin f the laws f the member states relating t persnal prtective equipment, Versin 12 April [3].Krister Frsberg, Chemical prtective clthing Intrductin t Hazard Assessment, Barrier Materials, Standards, Selectin and Use f CPC. [4].Kalev Kuklane and Ingvar Hlmér, Ergnmics f Prtective Clthing Prceedings f NOKOBETEF 6 and 1st Eurpean Cnference n Prtective Clthing, Stckhlm, Sweden, May 7 10, [5].Legea nr. 319 din 14 iulie Legea securităţii şi sănătăţii în muncă. [6].SR EN ISO 6530/2005 Îmbrăcăminte de prtecţie. Prtecţie împtriva substanţelr chimice lichide. Metda de încercare a rezistenţei materialelr la penetrarea de către lichide. 167