Dealing With Ammonia SOP
Dealing With Ammonia SOP
Dealing With Ammonia SOP
Table 1: Abbreviations
The Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) and Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) are intended to
be used as guidelines for health risk management by people qualified in occupational health
practice.
3 Ammonia Hazards
Ammonia is colourless irritating gas with a sharp suffocating odour. It is toxic, whether inhaled,
absorbed through the skin, or ingested. It is corrosive and can burn the skin or damage mucous
membranes such as eyes, and the nasal cavity. A table of gas concentrations and expected
consequences is given in Appendix A.
Ammonia is categorised in the Kapuni Safety Case as a major accident hazard at Kapuni.
Ammonia is used in the Kapuni process as a refrigerant and is a liquid at cryogenic temperatures.
Auto-refrigeration occurs when ammonia is released to atmosphere. Contact with the very cold liquid
or inhalation of cold gas can cause cryogenic burns.
Liquified Ammonia can expand 850 times when released to ambient air and can form a large vapour
cloud. Even though the gas is normally lighter than air, it may form droplets with the moisture in the
air and behave as a dense gas. In this form, it may spread along the ground and collect in low-lying
areas with poor ventilation.
Ammonia gas dissolves easily in water to form ammonia hydroxide liquid, a caustic solution that can
cause burns when in contact with the skin.
Ammonia has a relatively low heat of combustion. The flammable range of ammonia is 15.5-25%.
More information can be found in the SDS for Ammonia Anhydrous in Chemwatch.
TE Exposure Limit
Standard operating, routine maintenance and inspection tasks in the carbon dioxide recover unit
have the potential to exposure personnel to ammonia. Any potential exposure should be categorised
against the following exposure levels for occupational work and working limits.
At >300ppm you must STOP Work and review the task, SCBA is required.
Implement controls as necessary.
3.3 Procedure
Pre-Work
Prior to engaging in any work activity where ammonia might be present a review of the work
programme should be undertaken to determine where the breaking of systems will occur and
whether there is the potential for any ammonia to be present.
The permit applicant must prepare a permit to work with supporting documentation/JHA.
Permit applications must be submitted 14 normal working days in advance of the issue of the
PTW, this allows the Permit Issuer time to review the documentation, access whether
Personal detectors are set to alarm at 20ppm. This alarm indicates that the WES-TWA for 8
hours is approaching, and that action is required to protect persons in the area from harmful
exposure to ammonia. RPE must be located and worn.
The RAE Systems MiniRea 3000 Ammonia detector is used for the testing of ammonia levels
in the atmosphere in accordance with its operating instructions and by a competent person.
An overview of the instrument is provided in Appendix B.
Testing for ammonia should be undertaken when breaking into ammonia systems or when
the task has the potential for ammonia to be released.
Testing should be undertaken in the expected “breathing zone” 30cm away from the nose,
mouth, and work areas where personnel will be working. Not inside of pipework or at
pressurised vent areas from pipework.
All sample readings are to be recorded on the results form (Appendix C) of this procedure.
Results must be recorded in the site’s Health Hazards Register by the Person responsible
for the work.
3.5 RPE
Full Face Respiratory Protective Equipment with a specific or combination filter that has a
(ammonia) K (P3) rating must be worn when performing work where there is a risk of
ammonia gas being released directly into the breathing zone or the working area.
There are several factors to consider in regard to the life of a filter, the concentration of the
contaminates in the atmosphere, the combination of contaminates, air humidity, temperature,
duration of use, physical exertion of the user and the breathing rate of the user.
Since the life of a filter has many different factors, it’s not possible to give an estimated lifetime
for filters, the end of a filters life is generally recognisable by the following:
a) A noticeable taste or smell of the contaminate while wearing a mask, this is called, break
through.
b) An increased breathing rate while wearing a mask. It’s harder to breathe as the filter is
becoming blocked.
c) In combination filters a noticeable taste or smell and or an increased in breathing resistance
by the user, while wearing a mask.
Worn over
the splash
suit.
Safe Working
Level 4 Gas Tight Breathing Apparatus
> 1000 ppm Suit
ii SCBA Level 4 is for emergency response and
or for the containment of events.
Unknown
SCBA will confirm to PTW requirements,
e.g., back up team and BA board.
SCBA must be worn within
this level 4 gas tight suit,
the wearer will require
assistance to gear up and
for the removal of the
equipment.
Note:
Respirators must be carried or worn whenever a worker goes into a restricted area such as
the CO2 Plant.
RPE / PPE requirements may vary depending on the risk of the activity e.g., consider
potential for escalation, size, and duration of release.
Skin Protection Working with Ammonia and potential for liquid splashes in
>25ppm Ammonia process, workers must wear, gumboots, chemical
resistant gloves a chemical apron or a full-body splash suit.
When gumboots are worn protective splash suit must be worn
over the boot to prevent any possible liquid from entering the
boot.
Work must stop at 300 ppm, and Level 3 Respiratory and
Personnel Protection precautions put in place.
300ppm or more causes immediate irritation of moist body areas.
(Ammonia reacts instantly with moisture.)
Eye Protection Eye protection starts with the use of a Full-Face respirator for
All work levels 1 & 2 leading to breathing apparatus at level 3 and a gas
tight suit and breathing apparatus for level 4.
Self-Contained Breathing When a leak has been identified, assess if a reading can be taken
Apparatus with full-face respirator or it can be quickly stopped with the use of
>300ppm a full-face respirator (e.g., a small leak) to prevent a larger
release.
Should it be deemed to be unsafe to take readings, it is to be
treated as immediately dangerous to life or health, workers must
use a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and level 4 gas
tight suit when the ammonia concentration is unattainable
(Unknown)
task.
Under normal working circumstances the wearing of SCBA
requires a Permit to Work and adhere to PTW requirements,
under emergency situations the PIC/Incident Controller will follow
STA-01.14 Use of Breathing Apparatus operating procedure.
When working on the Ammonia system, you must be prepared for high levels of ammonia
and evacuation
1. Re-usable chemical aprons, splash suits, gumboots, and chemical gloves can be washed
and cleaned for re-use if they are in good condition.
2. A hand-held hose on a spray setting or one of the site shower eye wash stations can be used
for decontamination, using a medium density bristle brush/broom for the cleaning of
RPE/PPE.
3. Washing down is to be undertaken in a bunded area where the wastewater can be collected
and disposed of by appropriate means.
4. Ensure that the wastewater does not enter any drain system that leads to the stream.
5. Respirators should go through the same cleaning process as other re-usable RPE & PPE,
then taken off and cleaned in a cleaning solution or by alcohol-free cleaning wipes and left to
dry for re-use.
6. Disposable splash suits should be tested using the MiniRea 3000 Ammonia detector to
determine if they have been contaminated.
Contaminated splash suits are disposed of in the site Hazardous Waste bin.
300 ppm Severe irritation of eyes, nose, or Immediate danger to life and health
(IDLH level) respiratory tract, which becomes (IDLH), Confined space procedures
intolerable after a few minutes, difficulty apply.
Stop work at 300 breathing, possible burning in lungs. Full skin protection and SCBA is required.
ppm and assess the
task.
400 ppm Immediate nose and throat irritation Above IDHL.
Full skin protection and SCBA is required.
700 ppm Immediate eye, nose, and throat irritation Above IDHL.
Full skin protection and SCBA is required.
1,000 ppm S Cause skin damage and be caustic to Above IDHL.
the throat. Full skin protection and SCBA is required.
Wear SCBA with a level 4 gas tight suit
1,700 ppm Convulsive coughing. Could be fatal after 30 minutes, wear
SCBA with Level four (4) gas tight suit.
Severe eye, nose, and throat irritation
2,000 ppm Can be fatal after a few breaths. 15 min or less may result in death,
Immediately dangerous to life and health wear SCBA with Level four (4) gas tight
(IDLH) suit.
To turn the device on, press and hold the Key until the display turns on and then
release the button, the devise will run through its start-up and self-test mode.
After the start-up and self-test mode have been completed the device will show its
The instrument is designed as a broadband VOC gas monitor and datalogger for work in hazardous
environments. This instrument has been calibrated so it specifically measures Ammonia only.
It gives real-time measurements and activates alarm signals whenever exposure exceeds pre-set
limits.
The instrument is pre-set with default alarm limits and the sensor is pre-calibrated with standard
calibration gas. However, you should test the instrument and verify the calibration before the first
use.
After the instrument is fully charged and calibrated, it is ready for immediate operation.
Once you have turned the devise on you simply use the key and the key to navigate
through the screens to instigate the sampling and obtain a reading, the readings are continuous.
User interface:
The instruments user interface consists of the display. LEDs, an alarm
transducer, and four keys.
The Keys are:
Y/+
MODE, On off Key
N/+
Flashlight on/off
The LCD display provides visual feedback that indicates the reading, time,
battery condition, and other functions.
In addition to their labelled functions, the keys labelled Y/+, MODE, and N/- act as “soft keys”
that control different parameters and make different selections within the instrument’s menus.
From menu to menu, each key controls a different parameter or makes a different selection.
Three panes along the bottom of the display are “mapped” to the keys. These change as menus
change, but at all times the left pane corresponds to the [Y/+] key, the centre pane corresponds
to the [MODE] key, and the right pane corresponds to the [N/-] key. Here are three examples
of different menus with the relationships of the keys clearly shown:
Gas info Tells the correction factor and type of calibration gas
Reading Concentration of gas as measured by the instrument
Calibration needed Indicates that calibration should be performed
Calibration (or bump) needed Dark icon indicates that calibration should be performed; light
icon indicates bump should be performed
Radio power Indicates whether Mesh radio connection is on or off
Radio signal Indicates signal strength (more bars = greater strength)
Battery Indicates levels in 3 bars
Pump Indicates pump is working
Datalog Indicates whether Datalog is no or off
Y/+ Y/+ key function for this screen
MODE MODE key’s function for this screen
N/+ N/+ key’s function for this screen
Note: The Radio power icon and radio signal icon are only shown if a Mesh radio is installed in the
instrument. If the instrument has a BLE radio, the Bluetooth icons shown below are shown.
If the instrument is equipped with BLE instead of wireless, the BLE status icon is shown.
These are the icons shown on the display to indicate functions or status.
Personnel are to have read the Dealing with Ammonia Safe Operating Procedure and adhere to
RPE and PPE requirements before undertaking atmospheric readings and associated activities.
Process Equipment-System:
Note: The below form is to be retained and readings recorded into the sites Health Hazards Register.
Contact Chris Berry cberry@toddenergy.co.nz for locations of the registers.
Weather conditions:
(Sun, rain, wind – Light,
Moderate, Strong &
direction)
WorkSafe Guidelines, New Zealand Workplace Exposure Standards (WES) for Ammonia are:
25 ppm - 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA)
On Todd Energy site, work is usually conducted over 12-hour shifts. To obtain a 12h WES-TWA an
adjustment using the Brief and Scala model is used:
WES-TWA = 8 x (24-12) x WES-TWA
16 x 12
In this case = 12.5 ppm for 12-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA)
Revisio Published Reason for Author Reviewer Reviewed Approve Approved Document
n Date Issue Date r Date Initiated
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New Plymouth. It must not be copied or used by any other person other than the intended recipient or for other purpose
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