General Safety
General safety |
| Personal Protective Equipment |
Employees who work regularly with anhydrous ammonia and are subject to overexposure either to the liquid or the vapor should be provided with proper safety equipment.
[1910.120(g)(3), 1910.132]
Safety Goggles
Figure 1. Safety goggles |
It is preferable that the goggles be gas tight; however, unventilated goggles tend to steam up, especially in hot and cold weather. Ventilated, splashproof goggles are more comfortable and will provide adequate protection in most instances. In addition, where splashing
may occur, wear a full- face shield to protect the face. [1910.133]
Figure 2. Personal protective
equipment |
Impervious Clothes
Wear gloves impervious (not able to penetrate) to ammonia (neoprene gloves are recommended). Where there is a likelihood of a spill or during clean-up operations,
wear both boots and shoe covers and slickers or jackets and pants made of ammonia-impervious materials.
Wear gauntlets tucked inside the sleeves and trouser legs over the boots. If impervious clothing is not available, wear cotton, which is
the preferred fabric for work clothing because it is more alkali resistant than wool and is more comfortable than all-synthetic fibers.
Clothes, especially gloves, should also be insulated to prevent freezing of the skin.
Gas Masks
The term "gas mask" normally applies to respiratory equipment consisting of a negative-pressure full facepiece with a chest or back mounted canister. This is the respiratory equipment most familiar to ammonia workers. Where respiratory equipment is used, a minimal respiratory
protection program should be instituted in accordance with [1910.134].
Additional Information
- OSHA's Eye and Face Protection eTool. This eTool provides
compliance assistance to employers and employees, helps implement requirements for a hazard assessment, and aids in the
selection of eye and face protective equipment.
- OSHA's Respiratory Protection eTool. The
purpose of this eTool is to help you comply with the new OSHA respirator standard. This eTool will instruct you on
the proper selection of respiratory protection and the development of change schedules for gas/vapor cartridges
- Ammonia
Refrigeration. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). OSHA Safety and Health Topics
Page.
- Respiratory Protection. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
- A Guide for Developing a Training Program for Anhydrous Ammonia Workers. National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 79-119 (1978), 83 pages. This booklet contains more information PPE and protective equipment.
See the Table of Contents.
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