Working environment factors
How does Chlorine Dioxide affect workers’ health?
Mar
Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) is a chemical widely used in manufacturing plants, but its effects on workers’ health are less known. This article will explore the potential impacts of ClO2 on workers and measures to protect their health when working in an environment exposed to this chemical.
1. What is Chlorine Dioxide?
Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula ClO2, formed from one chlorine atom (Cl) combined with two oxygen atoms (O). It is a yellow or red gas with strong oxidizing properties and is unstable at high temperatures, easily decomposing into chlorine (Cl2) and oxygen (O2) when exposed to heat or strong light.
Chlorine Dioxide is widely used in many industries, especially in water treatment, bleaching, and disinfection. Its powerful oxidizing ability helps eliminate bacteria, viruses, molds, and other impurities in water, providing high disinfection efficiency. Due to this property, ClO2 is also used in paper and fabric bleaching processes and in food production, particularly for disinfecting food and drinking water.
However, due to its unstable nature, ClO2 must be produced and stored carefully to avoid unwanted chemical reactions. In industrial environments, Chlorine Dioxide is often produced on-site for immediate use to ensure efficiency and safety.
| No. | Chemical Name in Vietnamese | Chemical Name in English | HS Code | CAS Number | Chemical Formula |
| 1. | Clorin dioxit | Chlorine Dioxide | 28112990 | 10049-04-04 | ClO2 |
See more services: Chemical safety training according to Decree 113/2017/ND-CP
REGISTER FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY TRAINING ACCORDING TO DECREE 113
2. Where does Chlorine Dioxide originate from during the production process?
During the production process, the source of Chlorine Dioxide often comes from activities using this chemical for bleaching, disinfection, or water treatment. Manufacturing plants, especially in the paper, drinking water, food, or chemical industries, often generate Chlorine Dioxide on-site to ensure efficiency and safety during use.
Chlorine Dioxide can be generated through chemical reactions between substances such as sodium chlorite (NaClO2) and an acid (usually hydrochloric acid, HCl). When these substances react, Chlorine Dioxide is produced as a gas, along with by-products like sodium chloride (NaCl) and water (H2O). This process usually takes place in closed systems to prevent the release of Chlorine Dioxide into the environment.
Additionally, in some other industrial processes, Chlorine Dioxide can also be generated during wastewater treatment or chemical production. These sources are often related to activities requiring the strong oxidizing power of Chlorine Dioxide to treat or disinfect pollutants in the environment.
3. Industries that use Chlorine Dioxide in production
Chlorine Dioxide is widely used in many different industries, especially those requiring disinfection, bleaching, or water treatment processes. In the paper industry, Chlorine Dioxide plays a crucial role in the pulp bleaching process, helping to remove impurities and produce bright white paper products that do not contain harmful compounds.
Furthermore, Chlorine Dioxide is also used in the water treatment industry, particularly for disinfecting drinking water and wastewater. This substance can kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, helping to ensure water quality and protect public health. Water treatment plants often use Chlorine Dioxide to clean and improve the quality of the water supplied for domestic and industrial use.
In the food industry, Chlorine Dioxide is applied to disinfect various foods, fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat products, helping to eliminate bacteria and pathogens that can harm consumer health. This substance is also used to treat water in beverage production processes, ensuring food safety and hygiene.
Besides, Chlorine Dioxide is also used in the medical field, especially for disinfecting medical equipment and hospital environments, to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. In other industries such as textiles, chemicals, and fabric manufacturing, Chlorine Dioxide also plays a role in the bleaching, cleaning, and processing of final products.
4. How does Chlorine Dioxide affect workers?
Chlorine Dioxide can affect workers through direct or long-term exposure in the workplace. Due to its strong oxidizing properties, Chlorine Dioxide gas can irritate parts of the body such as the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. When inhaled, it can cause difficulty breathing, coughing, sore throat, and respiratory irritation, sometimes leading to more serious problems like pneumonia or lung damage if exposed to high concentrations for a long time.
In addition to its effects on the respiratory system, Chlorine Dioxide can also cause skin damage upon direct contact. Workers may experience skin irritation, redness, itching, or burns. In cases of long-term exposure, these symptoms can become severe and difficult to treat without timely intervention.
Furthermore, Chlorine Dioxide can cause poisoning if workers swallow it or inhale high concentrations in a poorly ventilated work environment. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, dizziness, headache, and in severe cases, can lead to coma or death.
5. Permissible safe concentration of Chlorine Dioxide for human exposure
In Vietnam, specific regulations on the concentration of Chlorine Dioxide in the workplace air have not been widely published. However, standards for water and air quality in the workplace require close monitoring of chemical compounds, including Chlorine Dioxide, to avoid negative health effects.
Globally, health and environmental protection organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have established safety limits for Chlorine Dioxide. The WHO recommends that the concentration of Chlorine Dioxide in drinking water not exceed 0.8 mg/l, to ensure the water is not harmful to consumers’ health. Meanwhile, the EPA specifies that the concentration of Chlorine Dioxide in the workplace air should not exceed 0.1 ppm (0.28 mg/m³). This is the level to which workers can be exposed without experiencing serious health problems.
In addition, international standards also indicate that when Chlorine Dioxide is used in disinfection or water treatment processes, its concentration must be controlled so as not to adversely affect the health of workers or the community. Monitoring and controlling the concentration of Chlorine Dioxide is crucial to ensure that there is no excess amount that could harm those in direct contact.
On a basic level, when working in an industrial environment, it is important to adhere to safety standards and limit exposure to Chlorine Dioxide. Organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States provide guidelines and safety principles to protect workers from the negative impacts of chemical substances.
6. Measures to minimize the health effects of Chlorine Dioxide on workers
To minimize the health effects of Chlorine Dioxide on workers, protective measures must be implemented throughout the work process. First, ensuring good ventilation in areas where Chlorine Dioxide is used is crucial. The ventilation system must be designed to extract Chlorine Dioxide gas from the air, helping to reduce the concentration of the toxic gas and protect workers from inhaling it over long periods.
Additionally, workers must be fully equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as respirators, gloves, protective clothing, and safety glasses to avoid direct contact with Chlorine Dioxide. The use of respiratory protection is particularly important in environments with high gas concentrations, helping to protect workers’ respiratory systems from irritating or damaging effects.
Training and education for workers on the risks of working with Chlorine Dioxide and how to use protective equipment should also be emphasized. Workers need to be instructed on how to recognize the signs of overexposure to Chlorine Dioxide and the appropriate response measures in case of an incident.
Furthermore, regular monitoring of Chlorine Dioxide concentrations in the workplace air is also an important measure. Gas concentration measuring devices should be used to monitor the levels of Chlorine Dioxide in the air, ensuring that the concentration does not exceed permissible safety limits. If the gas concentration is too high, emergency measures such as reducing the Chlorine Dioxide concentration, moving workers out of the hazardous area, or halting production activities must be implemented immediately.
Finally, performing regular cleaning procedures in the work area also helps to remove residual Chlorine Dioxide, minimizing the risk of exposure for workers.
Occupational safety training: Workers need to be trained and educated on the risks and safety measures when working with this type of chemical. This training should be provided periodically and regularly to ensure understanding and proper compliance with safety rules.
Periodically organize workplace environment monitoring in factories and enterprises, collecting and analyzing factors harmful to workers, thereby adjusting to reduce the hazard level to prevent occupational diseases for them.
7. National Workplace Environment Monitoring Center
Nam Viet’s Workplace Environment Monitoring Center is a professional unit specializing in the monitoring and measurement of workplace environmental quality across all provinces in Vietnam. With a team of experienced monitoring specialists, the center uses modern measuring equipment, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
REGISTER FOR WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING SERVICE
In addition to providing monitoring services, the center also supports clients in planning, handling, and tracking workplace environment issues. With the motto “the customer is the center,” the center focuses on customer satisfaction, meeting all customer needs, and is committed to providing the best solutions for businesses.
With investment in techniques, technology, and human resources, Nam Viet’s monitoring center has become one of the reputable units in the field of workplace environment monitoring in Ho Chi Minh City with the following objectives:
- We always value our brand reputation and the quality of our products and services.
- We provide our customers with the best and most suitable options possible.
- With a team of experienced Masters and Engineers with a desire to protect the environment and benefit businesses.
- With Nam Viet’s Environmental Monitoring team, your company will receive professional service from experts in the monitoring field. At the same time, you will get the best offers on costs.
8. Quotation for workplace environment monitoring
To help businesses conduct workplace environment monitoring professionally and effectively, Nam Viet offers our customers a quality and reasonably priced quotation for workplace environment monitoring services.
- Our quotation provides detailed information on the prices of the monitoring services we offer. This includes costs related to travel, measurement, analysis, and reporting of results. Customers can be completely assured of the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring result reports we provide.
- We are committed to always offering the most competitive and reasonable prices on the market, and we are also always ready to provide advice and answer any questions about our monitoring services quickly and professionally.
- With Nam Viet’s quotation, customers can easily choose service packages that suit their needs. We are committed to bringing our customers the highest satisfaction with professional service quality.
