Do you work with dangerous material?

[Trailer Fire]

As the thread title implies, do you work with any dangerous materials? Is it on a daily basis? Weekly? What is the most dangerous product you deal with?

I'm curious because I recently started working in a smelter/refinery and I've been exposed to a plethora of deadly and dangerous materials that are all new to me.

Most notable, for me, would be Mercury. I work in a Mercury removal plant, and have to deal with several forms of HG on any given day. Be it Mercurous Chloride, or the much more dangerous Mercuric Chloride. Elemental Mercury is also common, but is dealt with through entirely different processes and is hardly a concern as personal involvement is minimal. Second to Mercury is definitely dynamite. Explosives are used to microblast the roasters, boilers, and drag. As often as once a week I'm carting around 100 1lbs sticks of dynamite.

Do you regularly work with ready or dangerous goods?

[peter12]

Just people.

[Weitz]

At my old job I used to have to handle radioactive sources. That was always interesting having to carry around a little tag that measured my radiation intake.

[Wormius]

Lead. Lots of lead.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Trailer Fire

As often as once a week I'm carting around 100 1lbs sticks of dynamite.

[calumniate]

Did you take your work hazardous safety course? If so, you should be good

[Trailer Fire]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Lead. Lots of lead.

I deal with a lot of lead myself, but the exposure rate is a lot longer than that of Mercuric Chloride. Luckily I don't deal with lead fumes all that much. Just calcine dust which contains lead.

Where do you work, if you don't mind me asking? What are your protocols and acceptable blood lead levels?

[Otto-matic]

I guess printer toner is my dangerous material. Mostly the waste toner that comes out from the printer.

[PaperBagger'14]

Electricity at dangerously high levels (up to 240 000 volts), along with whatever our client produces or consumes. Frequently it's coal and LNG, along with all of the chemicals used in the process.

[EverfresH15]

As often as once a week I'm carting around 100 1lbs sticks of dynamite.

Can I have just 1? Please! I promise to play nice

[Mazrim]

I used a nuclear densometer for a summer job (school work placement) a long time ago. I'd say the most dangerous part was driving it around more than the actual use of the thing. It was pretty well shielded.

[PostandIn]

OP can you clarify what you are asking about? Do you just want general feedback regarding conditions and chemicals / agents in other members' workplaces or are you looking for some guidance regarding what your health and safety risks are, and what your expectations ought to be, based on the basic description of duties that you've mentioned.

I'm guessing, based on your post, that there has not been much in the way of training provided by your new employer. There are a number of issues here: training, competency, WHMIS 2015, Explosives Act, and others, that are too lengthy to describe in detail here. Feel free to PM me.

[troutman]

Years ago I had a summer job doing data entry on MSDS for a petroleum fluids company. For example, I had to research the flashpoint for all these different chemicals. Some really toxic and reactive stuff.

[Finger Cookin]

I do not.

[Trailer Fire]

Originally Posted by PostandIn

OP can you clarify what you are asking about?

I just want to know if other members of the board handle, or otherwise deal with, any form of dangerous goods. I'm just curious because my previous job had me dealing with diesel and 89 octane gasoline. I'm now in constant (though not direct) contact with H2S, high concentrations of SO2, CO, ammonius hydroxide (spelling may be way off), lead, mercury, sulfuric acid (and countless other acids), as well as high degrees of heat (though not technically a material..)

As far as training, I went through 3 days of sitting in an empty classroom to be able to put an insulated and neutralized box of explosives on a custom made air-ride trolley. I also spent a week in the same classroom learning about the dangers and hardships in the Merc Plant.

[FireGilbert]

Are you working at the Teck Cominco smelter? My grandfather was exposed to asbestos there...

I don't physically work with anything too dangerous but manage people who do. My biggest worries are HV electricity and fire fighting foam. To be honest though the most dangerous thing we do at work is driving and I consider the three hour drive to one of our sites as our riskiest activity.

[calgaryblood]

Lacquer, paint, and painting supplies. The worst is the autobody glaze we use. That stuff is like cancer in a tube.

[nik-]

I work with Mercury all the time and I've never noticed any ill effects.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by nik-

I work with Mercury all the time and I've never noticed any ill effects.

me too

[CroFlames]

Haha nik.

I visit a lot of dusty industrial sites like concrete and cement plants, lime plants, and mineral sites.

I visit probably a few times a month, but I'm forced to do safety training at each site.