Page 178 - CW E-Magazine (22-10-2024)

Special Report

try. While global phosgene production At the Altvia Chemicals plant in La dent happened as the wrong fl ange was
has risen from ~4-mt in 2000 to ~10-mt Porte., Texas, eight workers were hos- opened. Thankfully, the release was
in 2010 and to ~12-mt in 2020, driven pitalised in December 2023 for precau- minor, and the worker was taken to the
more by its use to make isocyanates tionary purposes after being exposed to Covestro ambulance station and exam-
and less due to polycarbonate, the num- phosgene when a safety release device ined. As no further medical treatment
ber of fatalities has gone down from ruptured at a plant manufacturing inter- was deemed necessary, the employee
an all-time high of 11 in 2011-12 (of mediates. “This made the news in no was able to return to work.
which India accounted for six), to nil in time,” Mr. Drees noted.
2023-24. The learning from the incident,
“As phosgene safety practices are according to Dr. Lange, was that briefi ng
In the earlier year, there was just one widely implemented, severe incidents on-the-job and clear instructions are
fatal accident (in Hungary), but that, have become rare. However, small inci- very important especially when dealing
Mr. Drees noted, was one too many. “When dents appear to be increasing. We need with people who are not experienced
we look at number remember that to stay alert,” he noted. enough.
there is a person behind that,” he noted.
Mr. Drees stressed the need to take “Short term changes of job plans
Recalling details of the Hungary cognisance of the changing demo- are associated with increased risks.
incident, where the victim, a 23-year-old graphics in the industry and focus on The work was not planned at that time,
worker, was exposed to liquid phosgene, transfer of knowledge to a newer and but was carried out as there was an un-
Mr. Drees noted that the person did not wider group of plant personnel through planned time window that they wanted
wear a mask nor a phosgene exposure greater emphasis on on-site training. to use for the maintenance,” Dr. Lange
badge, and as he felt quite well soon observed.
after the incident, no doctor was consul- He also highlighted the need to
ted, and his supervisor drove him back “think beyond the site” and ensuring In production areas with increased
home. During the night he passed away. doctors in nearby hospitals where risks of exposure to toxic chemicals,
“Don’t let the latency period of phos- affected personnel may be sent to are Dr. Lange also stressed the importance of
gene fool you,” Mr. Drees cautioned. adequately equipped with quick infor- the “4-eye principle.” “The application
mation through a Phosgene Exposure of Stop-Think-Act-Review (STAR) and
Turning to some incidents at phos- Identifi cation Card (PEIC). “This is not detailed briefi ng would have contri-
gene plants globally, Mr. Drees pointed for unit personnel,” he added. buted signifi cantly to the avoidance of
to Japan wherein a big earthquake on the accident.”
January 1 this year, impacted an agro- The PEICs contain the minimum set
chemical plant using phosgene located of information for the external doctor The second incident in Germany in
not far from the epicentre. A so-called about a possible treatment, depending 2019, involved release of about 10-kg
“liquefaction reaction” was observed in on the extent of exposure to phosgene, of solvent (monochlorobenzene) con-
the plant, causing pipe racks to warp, and a QR code leads to a website pro- taining phosgene, and was later attri-
pipes to bend, etc. While there was viding further information. buted to mechanical failure. While the
some leakage of hydrochloric acid, the affected person was treated in an hospital
phosgene generation unit shut down Learnings from incidents of phos- and sent home, investigations revealed
safely and the retained phosgene in the gene leakage that the leak occurred due to a hole in
system was neutralized. Dr. Christian Lange, Covestro, a reducer caused by erosion and cor-
Germany, presented the learnings from rosion due to raw isocyanate solution.
Developments in the US included two incidents of phosgene release – one The wall thickness was reduced at many
an upgradation of the phosgene produc- due to human error and another due to a locations in the part and, luckily, at the
tion plant of Lanxess at El Dorado, Texas; mechanical problem. time of leakage, the section was mostly
and a decision by the company to no free of isocyanate. “The real cause was
longer ship phosgene by road. In March In the fi rst incident in 2023 at that a lesser quality material – not high-
this year, Vertellus announced closure Coverstro’s plant in Germany, a slightly quality steel – was installed by mistake
of its intermediates manufacturing site coloured phosgene badge of a worker a few years ago,” Dr. Lange noted.
in Indianapolis, which produced and tasked with changing a blind fl ange,
used phosgene. indicated phosgene exposure. The inci- As a follow-up, an inspection plan

178 Chemical Weekly October 22, 2024

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised