The Occupational Health Management in Coal Chemical Plant in CSC

1. The Occupational Health Management in Coal Chemical Plant in CSC Chuan-Fang Li, Shih-Ping Cheng, Pao-Yin Lu, Pao-Hong Tong November 22, 2010

2. Outline • Introduction • Operation and production processes in coal chemical plant • Occupational health management • Occupational management practice in each process • Conclusion

3. 1.Introduction Coal chemical plant is the chemical plant of ironmaking factory in CSC with four major processes of coke oven gas(COG) purifying, coal tar recycling, H2S/NH3 removing, and light oil recycling. Raw COG, produced in the dry distillation of coal, is cooled down, purified. The impurities such as coal tar, sulfur and light oil in the process of purifying are recycled. Purified COG is used as power source and coal tar, sulfur and light oil are piped or transported by tank cars to the downstream as basic chemical raw materials for the high economic value.

4. 2.Operation and production processes in coal chemical plant Coal chemical plant is set up with boilers, pressure vessels, COG holders, coal tar tanks, light oil tanks, and sulfur tanks. Purified COG is used as power source in CSC, and coal tar and light oil are piped to China Steel Chemical Corporation(CSCC), and sulfur is transported to CSCC by tank cars.

5. 2.1 Process flow chart in coal chemical plant

6. 3. Occupational health management Process identification assessment control Coal tar recycling process Physical examination Hazard analysis Environmental management H2S/NH3 Removing process Workplace measurement Operation management Light oil recycling process Hazard distribution Occupational health study Improvement measure Equipment maintenance work

7. 3.1 Hazard identification • Physical hazard • Chemical hazard • Ergonomic hazard

8. 3.2 Basic steps inHazard identification • Process or operation investigation • 4W1H

9. 3.3 Occupational health management measures i. Enhance patrol plan. ii. Active engineering improvement. iii. Alarms should be installed in all areas where COG might build up in a release. iv. A respiratory protection program and special protective equipment for some operations should be instructed for employees.

10. v. The employer should supply and launder the work clothing for employees, and provide showers and separate lockers for street and work clothes. vi. Measures should be taken to eliminate or reduce the escape of hazardous substances during maintenance operations, sampling for laboratory analysis, and truck loading. vii. Coal tar slag buckets should be enclosed to reduce leaks. viii. Other management measures such as training, on-site supervisor inspection and regulations of wearing protective equipment to reduce hazard exposure.

11. 3.4 Occupational health management information system

13. Hazardous material management: MSDS

14. Hazardous material management: Periodic registering

15. Hazardous material management: electronic form

16. Working environment measurement: items setting

17. Working environment measurement: application form

18. Working environment measurement: response form of improvement/control measures

19. 4.Occupational management practice in coal tar process 4.1 Hazard identification • Physical hazards: noise • Chemical hazards: coal tar, sulfuric acid • Route of exposure: inhalation and skin contact

20. 4.2 Evaluation method of workplace and employee exposure

22. 4.3 Improvement and control measures:personnel protection Noise precaution label On-site earplug supply

23. 4.3 Improvement and control measures:Enclosed equipment Use exhaust system for ventilation in pump room Slag buckets are capped

24. 4.3 Improvement and control measures:Noise reduction Results of noise monitoring in workplace near screw-type air compressor are lower than reciprocating type.(80-85 dBA and 90-92 dBA, respectively)

25. 5.Occupational management practice in H2S/NH3 Removing process 5.1 Hazard identification • Physical hazards: noise • Chemical hazards: coal tar, sulfuric acid • Ergonomic hazards: operation of heat exchange • Route of exposure: inhalation, skin and eye contact

26. 5.2 Evaluation method of workplace and employee exposure

28. 5.3 Improvement and control measures: isolation and remote control Valves in pipeline are changed to pneumatic valve for operation in control rooms to decrease exposure risk. Exhaust pipeline is equipped with valves for manually open to increase exposure risk.

29. 5.3 Improvement and control measures: automation and mechanization Heat exchange equipment is changed from manual operation to automation. On-site sampling is automated.

30. 6.Occupational management practice in Light oil recycle process 6.1 Hazard identification • Physical hazards: noise, ionizing radiation • Chemical hazards: benzene, toluene and xylene • Ergonomic hazards: operation of heat exchange • Route of exposure: inhalation and skin contact

31. 6.2 Evaluation method of workplace and employee exposure

34. 6.3 Occupational health study • Coal chemical plant health risk study coordinated with academia in 2007-2008, for a two-year period research of benzene exposure and heath assessment, and improvement and control program. The conclusions of this study are summarized as follows:

35. 6.3.1 Working environment measurement • In comparison with the results of workplace monitoring analyzed by both academia and authorized institute, we find out all the results are far lower than permissible exposure limit. It shows that occupational health management in coal chemical plant maintains a certain level, effectively eliminate or reduce the emission of harmful substances to reduce employee exposure.

36. 6.3.2 Analysis of physical examination data • Physical examination data analysis based on historical results shows that the major abnormal physical examination items focus on cardiovascular system and abnormalities of hearing and abdominal ultrasound inspection.

37. 6.3.3Reproductive health assessment • The reproductive health assessment projects, including semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility and sperm normal morphology of high exposure group (operators) and low exposure groups (maintenance personnel and administrative staff) in coal chemical plant shows that all the data fit the average proportion of WHO reference values.

38. 6.4 Improvement and control measures: enclosed equipment Improvement to reach completely closed sampling system. Replacement of seal valve to bellow seal type to reduce emission from seal valve.

39. 7.Occupational management practice in equipment maintenance work 7.1 Hazard identification • Physical hazards: noise • Chemical hazards: coal tar, sulfuric acid, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, benzene, xylene, toluene • Route of exposure: inhalation, skin and eye contact

40. The results of environmental monitoring in maintenance work are the same as results in other processes. 7.2 Evaluation method of workplace and employee exposure

41. 7.3 Improvement and control measures: • Contractors, as our partner, account for a large part of the maintenance staff and management of them is very important. Contractors are asked to prepare the necessary protective equipment such as safety helmets, safety shoes, safety glasses, masks, ear plugs and safety belts and strictly put personal protection into practice in accordance with regulations to avoid the hazards of exposure

42. 7.3 Improvement and control measures: • Enhance patrol plan. Once find gas leaking, inform the operation unit and fix it at once. • Other control measures: Keep records of on-job training and on-site supervisor inspection especially for employees wearing of protective equipment.

43. 8.Conclusion and prospects in the future a. According to the results of working environment measurement over the years and conclusion of occupational health study, results analyzed by both academia and authorized institute, concentrations of harmful substances in the air of coal chemical plant are far lower than permissible exposure limits. Therefore, we can confirm data of workplace monitoring is reliable and effectiveness of occupational health and safety management in coal chemical is remarkable

44. b.The integration and data links of different systems are key points to promote occupational health management of coal chemical plant in CSC.

45. Thanks for your attention.