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Posted By Debbie Walker
Hi All,
Can anyone help me with relation to ammonia in gaseous form. The maximum release quantity is from 70kg (compressed weight) into a room of dimensions 10ft x 15 ft x 15 ft with wall vents and emergency venting. Are these conditions likely to produce a flammable / explosive atmosphere?
Is there a requirement to have an emergency shower located within / adjacent to the room?
Is there a requirement to have BA gear available?
Thanks in advance!
Debbie
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Posted By Keith Egerton
Without undertaking going through full CoSHH assessment (and Confined Spaces risk assessment, given the size of the room) - my first impression is 'WOW' and accident waiting to happen.
70kgs of ammonia in such a small space sounds like BA gear is a certain along with a chemical suit.
Having a quick whiff of ammonia solution from a 5litre container used by the printing industry is enough to take your head off.
Guess you would have to convert this weight of gas into a likely concentration by using chemical formula for Standard Atmosphers and Pressures - can't remember how you do it, without digging the text books out.
Why is so much ammonia in the small room? Do you have your amount right - is the decimal point in the right place? 0.7kg?. Can't it be contained/controlled better?
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Debbie
The flammable/explosive range is 16-27% but the gas is not that easy to ignite in air. The total weight you have will give around 92,000 litre of ammonia with a room size around 75,000 litre. You will pass through the flam/expl %ges but there still needs to be an ignition source.
I think the Fire Authority will be more concerned about the toxic gas release. Escape arrangements need to be made, but you may need to look at this as a confined space rather than a simple escape from a room
Bob
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Posted By Debbie Walker
The reason we have such a quantity is for its use as part of a refrigeration plant. The "room" itself is unoccupied as part of the engineering plant room located away from the rest of the building and fitted with continuous monitoring equipment.
When I notified the local Fire Officer of its presence the response was "let me know when you get enough to make us really worry"!!!!!
Debbie
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Posted By Jim Walker
Hi Debbie,
This is a very common set up.
Type "ammonia refrigeration" into Google and you should find enough info to do a Risk Asssessment.
Your main Risk Control System will be adequate maintainence.
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