Reactive chemicals transported by rail or truck have potential acute health hazards to responders and surrounding neighborhoods.  If an accidental spill or roll over occurs, the result could be catastrophic.

Let’s use chlorosilanes as an example of one of those reactive chemicals.

Chlorosilanes can release hydrogen as well as hydrogen chloride if spilled.  This makes for dangerous and complicated handling for our emergency responders.

All chlorosilanes and any other reactive chemicals like titanium tetrachloride, respond and vaporizes in an instant in the air or water. If this happens, the surrounding neighborhoods will suffer from the following health hazards:

• Severe corrosive burns to the skin
• Severe corrosive burns to the eyes
• Respiratory tract on both physical contact and vapors.

As a professional, you know most reactive chemical spill response procedures call for the use of foam and/or dry chemical.  You also know that foam can have severe consequences if used as an extinguishing agent for fires and spills associated with reactive chemicals if water is present in the chemical makeup of the extinguishing agents.

Using standard fire-fighting foam on a reactive chemical may create an outcome where the water in the foam causes the release toxic and corrosive hydrogen chloride vapors. Then the fire-fighting foam might trap additional hydrogen vapors under the foam blanket.  And the use of dry chemical fire suppressors on reactive chemical might be ineffective.

There is a safe alternative.  Use a specialty hyper immobilizing solidifying absorbent like PetroGuard.

PetroGuard is recommended by the SEHSC and CES-Silicones Europe trade associations.  It will quickly absorb and solidify the liquid chemical, and also thereby reduces or eliminates vapor production.

Once it absorbed and solidified, the solidified matrix will no longer be affected by air or water making it safer to handle. Using PetroGuard’s reaction-free application to the foam will suppress any incidental vapor production.

Having PetroGuard available during transportation, when responding to spills or even taking samples and servicing feed lines is like having extra insurance when road accidents or spills occur.

If you aren’t using PetroGuard yet then it’s time.  It’s better to be safe than sorry!

At Guardian Environmental Technologies we strive to provide the most effective spill mitigation products for efficient chemical spill cleanup. We have years of industry experience, allowing us to navigate supply-chain operations and objectives that benefit our clients.

Contact us today at (860) 350-2200. Let our innovative solutions keep you safer and save you money.