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    Nitrogen

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    billllib
    This document discusses the dangers of nitrogen gas. It notes that people die every year from nitrogen due to ignorance of the risks, complacent attitudes, and failure to follow safe practices. While nitrogen itself is not toxic, it displaces oxygen in the air. Even a single breath of nitrogen-rich air can cause loss of consciousness and death within minutes if oxygen is not restored. The document provides information on the physiological effects of low oxygen levels and emphasizes that nitrogen is a silent killer that demands respect and proper handling around its risks.

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    Nitrogen

    Uploaded by

    billllib
    126 views13 pages
    This document discusses the dangers of nitrogen gas. It notes that people die every year from nitrogen due to ignorance of the risks, complacent attitudes, and failure to follow safe practices. While nitrogen itself is not toxic, it displaces oxygen in the air. Even a single breath of nitrogen-rich air can cause loss of consciousness and death within minutes if oxygen is not restored. The document provides information on the physiological effects of low oxygen levels and emphasizes that nitrogen is a silent killer that demands respect and proper handling around its risks.

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    This document discusses the dangers of nitrogen gas. It notes that people die every year from nitrogen due to ignorance of the risks, complacent attitudes, and failure to follow safe practices. While nitrogen itself is not toxic, it displaces oxygen in the air. Even a single breath of nitrogen-rich air can cause loss of consciousness and death within minutes if oxygen is not restored. The document provides information on the physiological effects of low oxygen levels and emphasizes that nitrogen is a silent killer that demands respect and proper handling around its risks.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    126 views13 pages

    Nitrogen

    Uploaded by

    billllib
    This document discusses the dangers of nitrogen gas. It notes that people die every year from nitrogen due to ignorance of the risks, complacent attitudes, and failure to follow safe practices. While nitrogen itself is not toxic, it displaces oxygen in the air. Even a single breath of nitrogen-rich air can cause loss of consciousness and death within minutes if oxygen is not restored. The document provides information on the physiological effects of low oxygen levels and emphasizes that nitrogen is a silent killer that demands respect and proper handling around its risks.

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    Death by Nitrogen

    Every year people die in nitrogen rich/oxygen


    deficient atmospheres because of ignorance,
    attitude and failure to follow safe work
    practices.

    Nitrogen (N2) vs. Oxygen (O2)


    Nitrogen

    is not toxic it exists in air at 78%.


    Oxygen in the air is typically 20.8%
    When nitrogen concentration increases,
    oxygen concentration decreases.

    Facts & Figures - Liquid nitrogen

    One litre liquid gives 700 litres of gas


    Cold nitrogen is heavier than air so accumulates at
    ground level.
    When liquid N2 is exposed to air the cloudy vapour
    that you see is condensed moisture, not N2 gas. N2
    gas is invisible and this is the Danger!!!.

    Medical definitions

    Osmosis: If you have a concentrated mixture on


    one side of a permeable membrane and a dilute
    mixture on the other, the flow of material will be from
    concentrated to the dilute side.

    Hypoxia : reduction of O2 supply to the tissues

    Anoxia: lack of O2 supply to the tissues.

    Oxygen Osmosis

    O2
    O2flows
    flowsfrom
    fromhigh
    high
    concentration
    to
    concentration tolow
    low
    concentration.
    concentration.

    Concentration of
    O2 in the lungs is
    high

    Concentration of O2 in
    the tissues and Brain is
    lower.

    Oxygen is transported from the lungs to cells,


    tissue and brain via Osmosis.

    What happens when you breathe


    in nitrogen?

    O2 flows from high


    O2 flows fromto
    high
    concentration
    low
    concentration
    to
    low
    concentration.
    concentration.

    O2 deficient airConcentration
    is
    Concentration
    of O2 in the
    of O2 equalises throughout
    the body.
    inhaled
    tissues and Brain is higher
    than the lungs

    Reverse Osmosis
    Lungs take O2 from the blood stream which in turn takes it from
    the brain.

    What happens when you breathe


    in nitrogen?
    Brain becomes
    starved of oxygen
    you pass out.

    You could say


    your brain shuts you
    down
    It only takes one
    breath!

    Physiological effects
    Oxygen (%vol)
    23.5
    21
    19.5

    Effects & Symptoms


    Maximum Safe Level OSHA
    O2 level in air
    Minimum permissible O2 level (most detectors are set here or just above
    it)

    15-19

    First signs of hypoxia. Decreased ability to work strenuously. May induce


    early symptoms in persons with coronary, pulmonary or circulatory problems.

    12-14

    Respiration increases with exertion, pulse up, impaired muscular


    coordination, perception & judgement.

    10-12

    Respiration further increases in rate & depth, poor judgement, lips blue.

    8-10

    Mental failure, fainting, unconsciousness, ashen face, blueness of lips,


    nausea, vomiting, inability to move freely.

    6-8

    8 minutes 100% fatal


    6 minutes 50% probably fatality rate

    4-6

    Coma in 40 seconds, convulsions, respiration ceases, death

    How long does it take to have an


    effect?
    When

    a person enters an oxygen deprived


    atmosphere the oxygen level in the arterial
    blood drops to a low level within 5-7 seconds.
    Loss of consciousness follows in 10-12
    seconds.
    Heart failure and death ensue if person does
    not receive any oxygen in 2-4 minutes.

    What If I hold my breath?


    Holding

    your breath causes the oxygen in


    your blood to be used up. If you then inhale
    the inert atmosphere, suffocation and death
    will follow in most cases (INRS ED 632)

    Do I have to be in an enclosed
    space to be at risk?
    No.

    Any situation where you can breathe oxygen


    deficient air has the same effect.
    Incident at Texas City where individual was
    working on top of reactor. He leaned over, got a
    blast of pure N2 and pitched forward into the
    vessel unconscious.
    Cold nitrogen is more dense than air so lower
    concentration at floor level. If you lean down into a
    liquid nitrogen spillage you are also at risk.

    The last word.


    Nitrogen is a silent killer and
    demands RESPECT..!!!
    PLEASE CONTROL IT AND
    WORK AROUND IT PROPERLY

    What if I see a colleague who is


    unconscious?
    Call

    emergency services. - First as with all


    incidents
    Do not enter the area without self contained
    breathing apparatus.
    Over 50% of workers who die in confined
    spaces are attempting to rescue other
    workers.

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