AEA Careers Chemical Risk Consultancy John Jones - Emergency Response Specialist - 2010
Career History September 2003 June 2007 MChem degree at the University of Wales, Bangor September 2007 September 2008 MSc in Molecular Modelling at Cardiff University September 2008 August 2009 Postgraduate research project at the University of Oxford October 2009 September 2010 Crankcase Deployment Chemist at Infineum International Ltd September 2010 Present Emergency Response Specialist at AEA Technology plc
Climate change & sustainability World leaders Acknowledged by the UN as a leading authority in emissions Prime contractor for China s Near Zero Emission Coal initiative for coal fired power stations Advise the UK and other EU governments on Energy policy and security Emissions and carbon reduction Reputation for excellence Air and water quality Innovation and knowledge transfer Waste and chemical risk management Internationally respected experts Over 900 technical, specialist, and management consultants Stimulating and rewarding environment in which to work Covering both public and private sectors
National Chemical Emergency Centre Founded in 1973 as a result of a road tanker crash on the M6 in Lancashire in December 1972 Spillage of oleum (fuming sulfuric acid) in heavy fog A woman stopped to assist the driver and walked through the pool of sulfuric acid Pathologist reputed to have been unable to identify the woman from the bones that were left New Scientist, 5 May 1977 Emergency Responders All qualified chemists Wide range of backgrounds; from forensic science to nuclear engineering Advise members of the public, the emergency services, government agencies on chemical spills, fires and first aid Supported by a team of 30 consultants and data administrators to ensure the most up-to-date information is available Receive extensive additional training in Chemical health and safety Emergency response Communication skills
Our Products Chemsafe Contract with the UK Ministry for Transport to provide advice to the emergency services in the event of a road or rail incident Carechem 24 We provide multilingual telephone advice to over 450 chemical companies around the world, providing emergency information 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-ayear Chemdata A first responder database containing over 38,000 substances and more than 123,000 different chemical names, including pure and tradename chemicals. Used by emergency services around the globe Consultancy Tailored solutions for all aspects of chemical risk management
Example Minor Incident A woman phoned on the Carechem 24 line She explained that she had been cleaning her drains and had inhaled the fumes given off by the cleaning products. Her skin was burning, her eyes were streaming and she was coughing. She had mixed two off-the-shelf drain cleaners, one was bleach-based, the other acid-based: 2NaClO + H 2 SO 4 Na 2 SO 4 + H 2 O + Cl 2 Sodium hypochlorite (bleach-based drain cleaner) R20/21/22: Harmful by inhalation, in contact with skin, and if swallowed R34: Causes burns R41: Risk of serious damage to eyes Sulfuric acid (acid-based drain cleaner) R35: Causes severe burns Chlorine R23: Toxic by inhalation R36/37/38: Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin R50: Very toxic to aquatic organisms
Example Minor incident But we must be careful not to ignore side reactions Sulfuric acid is in equilibrium with water: Sulfur trioxide is in equilibrium with air: The acid will react with the chlorine produced: Sulfur trioxide R14: Reacts violently with water R35: Causes severe burns R45: May cause cancer Sulfur dioxide R23: Toxic by inhalation R34: Causes burns Hydrogen chloride R34: Causes burns
Example Moderate incident The Fire & Rescue Service called on the Chemsafe line They had been called to an agricultural fertiliser (ammonium nitrate) fire at a farm: NH 4 NO 3 + O 2 NO x + H 2 O HNO 3 + H 2 Ammonium nitrate R8: Contact with combustible material may cause fire R9: Explosive when mixed with combustible material R36/37/38: Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin Nitrogen oxides R26: Very toxic by inhalation R34: Causes burns Nitric acid R35: Causes severe burns Hydrogen R12: Extremely flammable
Example Major incident Collision between two ships in the harbour of a major city Following the collision one ship was stranded; its 270 tonnes of fuel oil were leaking, and 400 of the 1200 containers onboard had fallen into the sea. Of major concern were the 8 tonnes of aluminium phosphide: Aluminium phosphide R15/29: Contact with water liberates toxic and extremely flammable gases R28: Very toxic if swallowed AlP + 3H 2 O Al(OH) 3 + PH 3 R32: Contact with acids liberates extremely toxic gas R50: Very toxic to aquatic organisms Phosphine R12: Extremely flammable R17: Spontaneously flammable in air R26: Very toxic by inhalation LC50/1hour: 20 ppm
Example Major incident How much phosphine gas could be produced? 8 tonnes (8000 kg) of aluminium phosphide, MW = 57.95 Daltons Stoichiometric, so 138,050 moles of PH 3 produced, i.e. 3100 m 3 gas cloud Was it necessary to evacuate the city? Phosphine would only be liberated if the container entered the water, in which case the phosphine would be hydrated; the phosphoric acid would be diluted in the harbour and rendered harmless; the liberation of flammable hydrogen gas may, however, create an explosion risk: Phosphoric acid R34: Causes burns PH 3 + 3H 2 O H 3 PO 4 + 4H 2 Hydrogen R12: Extremely flammable
AEA Dan Haggarty Head of Emergency Response AEA The Gemini Building Fermi Avenue Harwell Didcot OX11 0QR Tel: +44 (0)870 190 2805 Fax: +44 (0)870 190 6614 E: daniel.haggarty@aeat.co.uk W: www.aeat.co.uk Copyright AEA Technology plc This presentation is submitted by AEA. It may not be used for any other purposes, reproduced in whole or in part, nor passed to any organisation or person without the specific permission in writing of the Commercial Manager, AEA Technology plc.