Dry Disconnect Couplers used for unloading hazardous material from road bulks and minibulks / IBC containers

CASE 3: At Rohm & Haas Italia Mozzanica plant, transfer of carcinogenic material from road bulks is done via dry disconnect coupler that are designed to safely transfer hazardous volatile liquids such as acids, toxic/carcinogenic/flammable solvents. An interlocking handle averts accidental spills by preventing uncoupling while the valve is open. The unit’s flat face also minimizes fluid loss, allowing substantial reduction of personnel exposure to risk during operation coupling/uncoupling. This has been fully implemented for the unloading of Acrylonitrile from road bulk (CAS # 107-13-1) and for unloading of Acrylamide from minibulks (CAS # 79-06-1).

More solutions from Dow Group Italy: introduction and problem setting

Dow Group in Italy manufactures a wide range of chemical products. Some productions require the use of carcinogenic substances. The high and constant attention of the company towards the health of their workers and the environment has been the trigger to improve processes and operating procedures where these substances are involved.

The three following cases are examples of best practices to improve the processes (first case) or the handling of carcinogenic raw materials (second and third cases) in order to reduce the workers’ potential exposure:

• CASE 1: Use of 1,2 dichloroethane (EDC) in strictly controlled conditions
• CASE 2: Use of aqueous solution instead of solid pure substance
• CASE 3: Dry Disconnect Couplers used for unloading hazardous material from road bulks and minibulks / IBC containers (current case)

Results

The full implementation of these best practices has had an important impact on the sites where they have been applied. All of them, despite the fact that the problems were different and the solutions, obviously, different, had a common result:  the effective reduction of the workers exposure to carcinogenic substances.  The first case is an example of a complex good practice that also improves the production process and the use of raw materials. The second good practice allowed eliminating the handling of a solid carcinogenic substance ad inserts work in a closed cycle. The third case is an interesting good practice to reduce the exposure and that can be easily adopted in handling hazardous materials in general.