Cop exposed to Anhydrous Ammonia

[SS Junk]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bb7_1291660979

[turbostang]

Damn, that's some bad shit!

I had no idea what it was for - but this explains a lot. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ageng/safety/ae1149-1.htm

Check this shit!

Table 1. Exposure Levels and The Human Body.

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Exposure (ppm) Effect on the Body Permissible Exposure

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50 ppm Detectable by most people No injury from prolonged, or repeated exposure

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134 ppm Irritation of nose and throat Eight hours maximum exposure

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700 ppm Coughing, severe eye irritation, may lead to loss of sight One hour maximum exposure

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1,700 ppm Serious lung damage, death unless treated No exposure permissible

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2,000 ppm Skin blisters and burns within seconds No exposure permissible

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5,000 ppm Suffocation within minutes No exposure permissible

[PandaBear]

wow, that sucked

[SS Junk]

With the amount of exposure I highly doubt any of them survived.

[Denny]

Not a lot of info, but there are many reports of anhydrous ammonia exposure. Depending on the route of entry, it can easily be treatable. From the sound of being overcome, I take that as inhalation at a heavy dose, so the area was probably confined. Most of the time it isn't a problem because of its specific gravity. The heavier gases are what gets people usually. Does anyone have any other specific information on this?

[cobrajet69]

That's terrible for victims.
That stuff has a violent nature and is extremely deadly. It is also used in industrial refrigeration for coolers/freezers.

I was exposed to it in a sub-zero refrigeration facility and can tell you that just one small teaspoon amount can devastate a very large volume area.



David

[AnotherRedHead]

Water will absorb the ammonia gas, which is why the firemen would be ok. Thats what anhydrous means, without water....

[Denny]

Where is everyone getting the info? I only get a one line statement that an officer was overcome by anhydrous ammonia and that's it when I click the link.

[AnotherRedHead]

go to brooks link, its about managing safety risks with the crap. Why you would use that shit to fertilize crops, I have no fucking idea....

[turbostang]

go to brooks link, its about managing safety risks with the crap. Why you would use that shit to fertilize crops, I have no fucking idea....

It's FULL of nitrogen... one of the other links said at least.

[cobrajet69]

Not a lot of info, but there are many reports of anhydrous ammonia exposure. Depending on the route of entry, it can easily be treatable. From the sound of being overcome, I take that as inhalation at a heavy dose, so the area was probably confined. Most of the time it isn't a problem because of its specific gravity. The heavier gases are what gets people usually. Does anyone have any other specific information on this?

This stuff has a rather odd nature in controlled environments. My exposure was in a warehouse facility. One exposure/leak was just after the high pressure feed line. It would drip from the ceiling to the ground and dissipate like acid, in a small cloud of smoke and a sound like water on a hot plate. You would smell it several hundred feet away before you got to the leak, and once you got there, the smell was less intense because the ammonia, in a controlled atmosphere, would stay low to the ground until it warmed up, then rise - say 10 feet or so away from the impact point.

Another leak happened inside the freezer it's self and the blast blowers would spread the smell everywhere making it very difficult to find the leak.

Bad stuff.


David

[Denny]

go to brooks link, its about managing safety risks with the crap. Why you would use that shit to fertilize crops, I have no fucking idea....

It makes the soil full of nitrates. Miracle Grow on the cheap.

[AnotherRedHead]

It's FULL of nitrogen... one of the other links said at least.

yeah, three parts nitrogen to one part hydrogen with the same molecular weight. I guess risking human lives to find easier ways to fertilize crops is ok. I mean, I guess its just on a massive scale and without the high concentration it would be nearly impossible to be profitable.

[Denny]

yeah, three parts nitrogen to one part hydrogen with the same molecular weight. I guess risking human lives to find easier ways to fertilize crops is ok. I mean, I guess its just on a massive scale and without the high concentration it would be nearly impossible to be profitable.

When being used outdoors, its specific gravity makes it a very little hazard. It's lighter than air.

[badass88gt]

fireman did a good job with the fog nozzle, allowed them others to get everyone out!