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CHAPTER 3:
SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
OBJECTIVES
• Explain the basic principles of safety, health, and environment.
• Describe the general safety rules used by the plants.
• Discuss the process safety management “PSM” standard.
• Describe the hazard communication standard.
• Discuss physical and health hazards.
• Explain toxicology and the terms associated with it.
• Describe air purifying and air supplying respirators.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Describe the basic principles of process safety management.
2. Describe the important features of the HAZCOM program.
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The HAZCOM standard requires employers to provide information or training to
employees about their plants hazard communication program. Fundamental information
that must be provided to a process technician includes; the key elements of the HAZCOM
standard, their plants written Hazard Communication program, a detailed hazardous
chemical inventory list and associated material safety data sheets “MSDS” along with
The chemical processing industry initiates the delivery of HAZCOM training
upon initial assignment to the plant. Training focuses on the physical and health hazards
associated with exposure to chemicals. Additional information is provided on the
toxicology, physical properties and hazards associated with handling, storing and
transporting chemicals. New technicians are required to review company procedures
HAZCOM ensures that process technicians can safely handle, transport and store
chemicals. The standard provides; chemical lists, material safety data sheets, personal
protective equipment, physical and health hazards, toxicology, hazardous chemicals and
operations, manufacturers information and warning labels.
3. Describe the important features of HAZWOPER.
Hazard Protection, Prevention And Control
– terms and definitions
– PPE levels
– identifying hazardous materials
4. What personal protective equipment does a process technician typically wear?
5. What is the respiratory protection standard?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers who use and
Air purifying respirators come in two designs, half-face and full-face. Half-face, air
purifying respirators are designed to cover the mouth and nose while full-face respirators
Air supplying respirators come in two designs; SCBA self contained breathing apparatus
6. What three primary agencies are responsible for the administration of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act?
7. What is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?
8. Describe the major features of the PSM standard and explain its purpose.
9. What is emergency response?
10. What is toxicology and how are dose and response important?
11. Describe the role of DOT in ensuring the safety of hazardous materials.
12. What is a physical hazard?
13. Identify the physical properties and hazards associated with handling, storing and
transporting chemicals.
14. What is a fundamental principle of the chemical hazard communication program?
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15. What are the two basic types of air purifying respirators?
16. What are the basic types of air supplying respirators?
17. Describe the key elements of the permit system.
18. What do you think are the ten most important general safety rules found in a chemical
plant?
a. Do not go to a fire, explosion scene, accident or vapor release unless you have
specific duties or responsibilities.
b. Obey all traffic rules.
c. Do not park in designated fire lanes.
d. Report injuries immediately.
e. Stay clear of suspended loads.
m. Review and follow all safety rules and procedures including:
• personal protective equipment
• hazard communication
• respiratory protection
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• permit system
• hazardous waste operations and emergency response
• housekeeping
• fire prevention
n. Know and understand the following alarms and rules associated with:
• vapor release
19. What are the critical elements of hearing conservation including employer’s
responsibilities?
When OSHA was enacted in 1970, federal regulations for controlling noise in the
workplace were implemented. This new standard could be broken down into two major
components:
a. Maximum noise exposure
b. Actions that employers must take if the limits are exceeded.
• reduce noise using engineering and administrative controls
• provide hearing protection for employees
20. What do you think is the most important safety rule?
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CHAPTER 3 TEST
SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
1. When would a process technician go to a fire, explosion scene, accident, or area exposed
to a vapor release?
a. it is his or her unit
b. they have specific duties or responsibilities at that scene
c. they are on the fire team
d. all of the above
2. What occurs when you enter a plant for the first time?
a. sign in and wait for escort
b. sign-in, watch safety tape, wait for escort
c. sign in, watch safety tape, walk into plant
d. sign in, answer small quiz about plant alarms, wait for escort
3. Why should Injuries be reported immediately?
a. it is a general safety rule
b. insurance will not cover off-job disabling injuries.
c. it may be more serious than initially thought
d. a & c
4. What is potable water?
a. sewer water
b. drinking water
c. fire monitor water
d. water hose water
5. What should you do when entering an operating area for the first time? Circle all that
apply!
a. wear PPE
b. report in to the control room
c. follow all safety rules
d. immediately go to work
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6. What emergency signals should you know before entering a chemical plant or refinery
for the first time?
a. signal for vapor release
b. signal for fire or explosion
c. signal for evacuation
d. all the above
7. What are the basic principles of accident prevention? Circle all that apply!
a. a safe working environment
b. safe work practices
c. effective management
d. all the above
8. What are the three agencies responsible for the administration of the Occupational Safety
and Health Act?
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•
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9. What year was the Occupational Safety and Health Act passed?
a. 1965
b. 1970
c. 1975
d. 1980
10. The year before OSHA was enacted there were ________ disabling injuries and _______
deaths linked to safety and health violations?
a. 1 million disabling injuries and 7,000 deaths
b. 1.5 million disabling injuries and 20,000 deaths
c. 2.0 million disabling injuries and 14,000 deaths
d. 2.5 million disabling injuries and 14,000 deaths
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11. Hot work is defined as:
a. using a spark producing device
b. incinerator or furnace operation
c. welding and cutting
d. a & c
12. The process safety management standard is designed to:
a. prevent the catastrophic release of flammable materials
b. educate worker-right-to know
c. prevent the catastrophic release of toxic & hazardous materials
d. a & c
13. OSHA and the EPA believe that the key to preventing catastrophic emergencies inside
the chemical processing industry is:
a. management of change policy
b. employee training
c. frequent hazard analysis’
d. incident investigations within 48 hours
14. What is the primary purpose of the hot work permit?
a. to protect plant personnel from fires and explosions.
b. to comply with PSM
c. hazard awareness
d. a & b
15. What is the fundamental principle of the chemical hazard communication program?
a. explosions can be prevented
b. accidents can be prevented
c. informed people are less likely to be injured by chemicals and chemical processes
than uninformed people.
d. safety programs save lives
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16. A physical hazard is defined as a chemical that falls into all of the following categories
except:
a. mutagen
b. a compressed gas
c. explosive
d. flammable gas or liquid
17. How do hazardous chemicals enter the human body?
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•
•
•
18. What is toxicology?
a. the amount of chemical entering or being administered to a subject.
b. the science that studies the noxious or harmful effects of chemicals on living
substances.
c. Surrounding or encircling.
d. dose and response.
19. What is the definition of “flash point”?
a. The lowest temperature at which a flammable liquid will produce a rich enough
vapor concentration to ignite in the presence of an ignition source.
b. The highest temperature at which a flammable liquid will produce a rich enough
vapor concentration to ignite in the presence of an ignition source.
c. Bubbles form and vaporization begins
d. Dew point
20. What is the definition of a “health hazard”?
a. A chemical that has been statistically proven by one or more scientific studies to
have acute or chronic health risks for humans.
b. A chemical that has been determined to be an irritant to humans.
c. A chemical that has been determined to be a physical hazard to humans.
d. a term applied to chemicals that react violently when they come into physical
contact.
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21. Hazcom is frequently referred to as the _____ _____ __ ______ Act.
22. What is the purpose of the Hazard Communication Standard?
a. to document the hazards associated with chemicals and develop material safety
data sheets.
b. to communicate the hazards of storing flammable materials.
c. to protect workers from the catastrophic release of chemicals.
d. to ensure that the hazards associated with chemicals are evaluated and transmitted
to affected personnel.
23. Respirators come in two basic designs; _____________ and _________________.
24. List three permits found at every plant.
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•
•
25. What are the three sides of the fire triangle?
a.
b.
c.
26. Select the fire extinguisher you would use on a computer fire.
a. Dry chemical
b. Water
c. CO2 or Halon
d. Foam
27. Select the fire extinguisher you would use on a trash fire.
a. Dry chemical
b. Water
c. CO2 or Halon
d. Foam
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28. Select the fire extinguisher you would use on a compressor motor fire.
a. Dry chemical
b. Water
c. CO2 or Halon
d. Foam
29. What safety device is designed to evenly distribute the forces of an accidental fall to the
strongest muscles in the body and protect vital organs and limit the possibility of a
serious injury?
a. anchor point
b. safety belt
c. lanyard
d. full body harness
30. What happens to a process technician that has experienced hearing loss due to industrial
noise they?
a. will never recover
b. will recover if removed from the noise hazard
c. will require surgery to recover
d. will require speech therapy
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ANSWERS KEY CHAPTER 3 SAFETY, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
4. b
5. a, b, c
6. d
7. d
8. NIOSH, OSHA, OSHRC
9. b
10. d
11. d
12. d
13. b
14. d
15. c
16. a
17. inhalation, absorption, ingestion,
injection
18. b
19. a
20. a
21. The Worker’s Right To Know Act
22. d
23. air purifying and air supplying
24. Hot Work Permit, Confined Space
Entry, Isolation of Hazardous Energy
25. Heat, fuel, oxygen
26. c
27. b
