Accidentally chemically hazardous substance. Classification and characteristics of chemically hazardous substances

Many of us have faced dangerous and poisonous substances in their lives, and some of them even could die because of the fumes that emanate from them. This may be due to the specifics of work in some enterprises. But in order to protect yourself and your family from the danger, you need to know exactly what chemicals that are dangerous from a chemical point of view and how to protect oneself from them.

AHOV: what is this?

An accidentally chemically hazardous substance (AHOV) is a dangerous chemical compound that is used in industry or agriculture, if it gets into the air or on the soil, contamination can occur, and as a consequence, the negative impact on all living organisms begins to affect.

OXB is a compound that can, by direct or indirect effect on the body, lead to its destruction or even death.

Today, around the world produce hazardous substances in large quantities, in the territory of the Russian Federation, rescuers often face the most common compounds. AHOV can be in different aggregate states.

Properties of AHOV

Hazardous substances have several basic properties: density, toxicity, solubility, volatility, viscosity, chemical properties and boiling point.

Density is the mass of matter per unit volume. This indicator has a direct effect on the spread of poisonous substances in the atmosphere and on the ground. If the substances are in the form of gas or vapor, then they are heavier than air, their concentration at the surface of the earth will be maximum and decreases with altitude. Liquid substances that have a density higher than that of water, after falling into the pond are on the bottom.

Solubility is another characteristic of AXOB, it means the ability to form solutions with other components. Poisoning components are highly soluble in water, they are able to infect reservoirs so much that they will not be suitable not only for human and animal use, but also for technical purposes. In addition, such substances can also infect the soil, and at a sufficiently large depth.

This ability of hazardous substances ensures their rapid spread to all internal organs of the human body. In order to eliminate all dangerous components from water bodies, it is necessary to use solutions of degassing substances, and to dispose of poorly soluble compounds from water, it is necessary to use special disinfectants.

Volatility is the ability of a substance to pass into a state of vapor. Highly volatile toxic substances at high temperature have the ability to degass naturally. But the volatility directly depends on which boiling point is at atmospheric pressure and the vapor concentration.

Viscosity is the property of substances in liquid form to resist the movement of some parts of the fluid relative to others. In addition, the absorbency of the substance in materials with a porous structure depends on this parameter.

CIV classification

Classification of chemically hazardous substances is one of the most important moments, due to which in the future it is possible to quickly react and provide assistance to everyone who has got into the zone of infection. Hazardous substances On the degree of impact on a person can be divided into four classes:

• Extremely dangerous;
• Dangerous;
• Moderately hazardous;
• Low-risk.

But for its damaging qualities, all dangerous substances are not uniform. As the main striking effect, the symptom of the predominant syndrome that occurs when the person's body is intoxicated is most often used. Following from this emergency chemically hazardous substance, can belong to one of these groups:

• Asphyxiating (chlorine, phosgene and others);
• All-toxic (carbon monoxide) ;
• Asphyxiating and poisonous (nitrogen oxides, nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, sulfurous anhydride);
• Asphyxiating and neurotropic (ammonia);
• Poisons that affect the metabolic processes in the body (ethylene oxide).

Characteristic

Characteristics of AHOV according to physical properties are determined by such groups:

• Substances in solid and friable form, volatile, which already at a temperature of forty degrees evaporate (granozane, mercurane);
• Substances in a solid and free-flowing form, nonvolatile, which can be stored under any conditions (eg, sulem, phosphorus, arsenic);
• Volatile in liquid form, storage is possible only under pressure - this category of hazardous substances is divided into two subgroups: A - ammonia, carbon monoxide and B - chlorine, methyl bromide and others;
• Volatile in liquid form, storage in special containers without pressure; Include nitro and amino compounds, cyanide, nicotine;
• Acids that fester, among them hydrochloric, nitric and others.

Where should be stored and what are the dangerous substances?

In order not to cause an accidental release of chemically hazardous substances, you must strictly observe the safety practices when working with them, and must store them only in special containers and premises.

AHOV is in large quantities at enterprises that produce or consume them. At chemical plants, they can be used as a starting, intermediate, by-product or final raw material. Stocks are placed in special storage facilities (up to 80%), they can be in equipment, vehicles, such as pipelines, tanks and others. The most common AHOV are liquefied ammonia and chlorine. Some enterprises store dozens of tons of hazardous substances, and as many are transported by rail or pipelines.

All dangerous substances can be divided according to the combustion method into:

• Non-flammable;
• Difficult-burning;
• Can only burn if the process is continuously fed;
• Combustible;
• Even after removing the source of ignition.

To AHOV it is possible to attribute substances that pose a serious danger only in situations when accidents occur.

Types of AHOV

To date, the list of AHOV has not been developed, but there is a small list of substances that are often used in enterprises and if not stored in the right conditions, then a chemical accident can occur. Today, we can identify 9 basic substances that present an extreme danger to humans and the environment, among them most often - chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, carbon disulfide, hydrogen fluoride.

The impact of AXOB on humans

A chemical accident can lead to the release of dangerous and toxic substances for humans, both in the air and in the water. All dangerous components can have different effects on the human body and have different effects:

• Irritant effect. If it gets on the skin, rashes and redness may appear, such substances include: phosphorus, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen oxides.
• Cauterizing effect. Accidentally, chemically hazardous substances (AHOV) can cause burns of varying degrees of difficulty when they enter the respiratory system and the skin. Among such substances are ammonia and hydrochloric acid.
• The effect of suffocation. If there is a high concentration of such substances in the air, the result of their exposure may become asphyxia, which subsequently leads to death, such substances include phosgene and chloropicrin.
• Toxic and chemical effects. Such substances can badly affect the human body, cause severe poisoning, among such substances: arsenic hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide, ethylene oxide, hydrocyanic acid.
• Narcotic effect. Substances related to this species, getting into the human body, begin to gradually destroy it, the person can not abandon the acquired habit alone and if not to take any measures, in the end it can end badly.

How to determine the accident with the release of AHOV independently and is it possible to do so?

Signs of chemical contamination

The self can also determine the release of chemicals. There are a number of signs that must be made to take appropriate protective measures, or rather:

• The appearance of a cloud that gradually grows and has an unnatural origin;
• Not very pleasant smells, including those that cause suffocation;
• Loss of consciousness in people and general malaise;
• A panic condition;
• The rapid withering of trees and other vegetation, the death of animals and birds.

Protection rules

All the above-described signs of an accident with the release of AHOV should make a person not only report a disaster, but also independently take protective measures:

• Be sure to urgently use protective equipment, including a gas mask;
• Go down into the shelter or hide in the house, closing the windows and doors;
• Tightly with the help of a tissue, close all cracks in the house to prevent leakage of dangerous substances;
• All heaters are switched off, because some substances have a self-igniting property;
• Respiratory organs must be protected by any means, you can use a towel, pre-moistened with a solution of soda.

Dangerous enterprises

An accidentally chemically hazardous substance can most often be found in an enterprise where it is used in production or, conversely, is produced. Such enterprises include:

• Chemical, oil refining, petrochemical and other organizations working in the same direction;
• Enterprises in the territory of which refrigerators are installed, and they use refrigerant - ammonia;
• The treatment facilities on which chlorine is applied.

All enterprises that belong to the category of hazardous are referred to as a chemically hazardous object (OCT) in the territory of which hazardous substances are stored, processed, transported or used. At such enterprises an accidentally chemically hazardous substance If incorrectly stored, may lead to an emergency. Therefore, every employee must pass safety techniques and know exactly what to do if suddenly a leakage of harmful substance has occurred.

Protection of the population from chemicals

Chemicals and hazardous objects pose a serious threat not only to the environment, but also to humans, so in this case it is necessary to undertake chemical protection, which will help to exclude or weaken their influence on the population and the personnel of the enterprise, reduce the scale of the consequences of the accident.

All measures relating to chemical protection must be carried out in advance, and not at the time when an accident has already occurred. With all employees of a hazardous enterprise and residents of nearby areas, they carry out activities that can be protected from the effects of AHOV:

• The systems that control the chemical situation in hazardous areas are created and later used;
• Warning systems are installed;
• Plans are being drawn up on how to eliminate a chemical accident;
• Are purchased in sufficient quantity and stored in the full readiness of the means of protection;
• Support is in readiness for special shelters, where chemical substances and dangerous objects do not penetrate. Must monitor their willingness to accept people in the event of an accident;
• All measures are taken to protect food products, food raw materials, water;
• The readiness of the RSES forces to eliminate the consequences of chemical accidents is ensured.

If suddenly the accident occurred, and there are injured, then in this case everyone who works at a hazardous enterprise should be able to provide first aid.

First aid for the poisoning of AHOV

It is possible to provide effective assistance in the defeat of AHOV only if the characteristics of chemically hazardous substances are immediately known. The correct definition of how the victim's body was poisoned will help to react quickly and provide first aid, which most often consists of carrying out such measures:

• Stop access to the body in the body (wear a gas mask or cotton-gauze dressing, go outside the affected area);
• As soon as possible remove the poison from the skin;
• As far as possible, to neutralize poisonous substances;
• Eliminate the leading signs of defeat;
• To conduct preventive maintenance of complications and necessary therapy.

Conclusion

As it became clear from the article, there are many dangerous substances in the world and without them it will not be possible to manage, but only precautions and observance of safety precautions will avoid accidents. If this still did not succeed, in this case, it is possible to save the lives of people and animals only through a rapid response and the use of all existing protection measures.