The leaking of chemicals from facilities can be either lethal or safe depending on a number of factors. One of this is the type of chemical leaked and its properties. Precautions that are taken against contamination once a leak occurs and the procedures to mitigate the effects also count in rendering a leak disastrous or safely contained (“Institution of Chemical Engineers”, 2008). It is this precedence that the following briefing seeks to address the issue of a sodium peroxide leak at one of the laboratories set up in the community.
A chemical leak was discovered by a worker in one of the containment units for chemical storage in the facility. The storage unit affected was one that holds sodium peroxide; a chemical that is in regular use in the laboratory. Preliminary inquiry seems to show that the leak has been going on undetected for about three days now. This is attributed to the location of the leak under the tank which made it very hard to identify. The leak has since been contained through sealing of the tank and suspension of any form of activity that utilizes the storage facility. Determination of the extent of the leak is underway, but the evacuation of residents close to the laboratory would be necessary since nothing will be left to chance. Sodium hydroxide has several effects on the body one of which is its highly corrosive nature. There are however no immediate dangers to people that have not come into contact with the chemical.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The chemical that leaked in the laboratory, sodium hydroxide, is also known as caustic soda or lye in some contexts. The chemical occurs as a white solid that is colorless and odorless. This makes it particularly difficult to identify leaks once they occur since the personnel have no readily available mechanism to determine this. Sodium hydroxide can also occur in solution form when mixed with a solvent for use. The chemical is used in plants in the manufacture of other chemicals, and in several other manufacturing processes. Some of the uses include the production of soap, cellophane, detergents, textile products, and in the processing of aluminum. The chemical is highly reactive in the presence of other chemicals and reacts violently with water. It reacts with metals to liberate hydrogen, and it is extremely corrosive. It has the ability to cause severe skin burns and eye damage but only if one comes into contact with it (Kirk et al., 2010).
In the case that one of the members of the community has come into contact with it, follow the first aid measures that are outlined below. If inhaled, the victim should be moved to a place with fresh air immediately. Inhalation can be detected when one experiences severe nose and throat irritation. If symptoms persist, the facility has provided numbers that should be called immediately to seek medical attention. Contact with skin causes redness, burning and in some cases blistering. Upon suspecting that one has made skin contact, they should immediately take off contaminated clothing and then flush the affected area with water until medical attention is accorded. It is advisable to dispose of the contaminated clothing. Irritation and pain in the eyes could mean there has been eye contact with the sodium hydroxide. Lukewarm water should be used to flush the face and treatment urgently sought. Ingestion of the chemical can cause nausea and pain in the stomach. The victim should rinse the mouth with water and immediately call the numbers provided for medical attention. It should, however, be noted that sodium hydroxide is not a carcinogen, does not cause risk to unborn babies and is not a reproductive hazard (Flynn & Theodore, 2001).
Evacuation is set to begin immediately starting with families that are closest to the laboratory. The evacuation is just but a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the members of the community. This is because the extent of the leakage is yet to be determined so as to know whether the chemical might have leaked into other facilities such the water supply. The evacuated families will be offered temporary residence away from the proximity of the facility as the effects are assessed and alleviated. We advise you all to cease immediately using piped water since there is a possibility it could be contaminated. Fresh water will be provided to all the families until the piped water is deemed safe. We urge every single member of the community to cooperate with the officers as they assist you evacuate and get medical attention.
The facility has been in contact with the Environmental Protection Agency, which will supervise the assessment and cleaning of affected areas. These will be carried out before the evacuated families are allowed back into their properties. Both air, ground and water test will be carried out in the homes to gauge the extent of contamination from the leaked chemical. Samples will be collected and compared to control samples from the neighboring town. If contamination is detected, the facility will seek the service of an experienced chemical cleaning firm to carry out the cleaning procedures. The cleaning would involve the use of neutralization agents among other standard sodium hydroxide cleaning processes. We can assure you that the homes will be safe for occupation once this is done.
An investigation is underway to ascertain the cause if the leakage at the laboratory. Even as this continues, the facility has put several measures in place to prevent a future occurrence of a similar incidence. Maintenance has begun on all the storages and other equipment. The faulty tank has been earmarked for replacement alongside another tank that the facility has learned would be in danger of possible leakage in future.
Please comply with our personnel as they assist you. We have provided numbers to contact in case any medical attention is needed as a result of exposure to the sodium hydroxide. Residents should be careful with their children so as to prevent them from coming into contact with the chemical. In the case of any question or need for clarification, do not hesitate to contact the facility on the numbers provided.
References
Flynn, A. & Theodore, L. (2001). Health, safety, and accident management in the chemical process industries: A complete compressed domain approach (2nd ed.). United States: CRC Press.
Institution of Chemical Engineers. (2008). Hazards XX: Process safety and environmental protection: Harnessing knowledge, challenging complacency . United Kingdom: The Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Kirk, R., Othmeter, D., Kroschwitz, J., & Howe-Grant, M. (Eds.). (2010). Encyclopaedia of chemical technology: V.17 . New York: J Wiley.
