Guía para la manipulación segura de productos bituminosos BP Amoco’s global HSSE mission statement is “no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment”. BP Bitumen are campaigning on this theme with “Focus on Zero”, zero accidents, zero harm and zero environmental impact. Nuestras metas son claras: “Ningún accidente, ningún daño a las personas ni al medio ambiente” Seguridad ante todo

El betún se suministra CALIENTE – hasta 230 ºC. ¡Cuidado, quema! El betún se suministra CALIENTE – hasta 230 ºC. Debe ser manipulado correctamente para minimizar los riesgos de quemadura y/o otras lesiones. Mas del 50% de los accidentes relacionados con el betún ocurren durante el proceso de suministro. Bitumen is delivered very hot, way above the boiling point of water. People handling hot bitumen must be aware of the potential dangers, particularly from burns. There are also fire hazards to consider and effects from inhaling fumes if product is over-heated or in confined spaces. Over 50% of accidents occur during bulk bitumen deliveries.

¡¡¡El betún puede quemar!!! El betún es manipulado a temperaturas superiores a la del punto de ebullición del agua. Las quemaduras de betún pueden causar graves daños tanto a los ojos como a la piel. A veces, los incidentes requieren la realización de dolorosos injertos de piel. The most likely injury to occur following a spillage is burns. Bitumen is delivered and stored in excess of 150 C, much hotter that boiling water. Bitumen burns can cause severe damage to eyes and skin, and incidents have resulted in workers requiring painful skin grafts over long periods of time.

Protéjase – Utilice las prendas de protección adecuadas. Casco con visera Guantes resistentes al calor Ropa de trabajo con manga y pantalón largo Personal Protective Equipment must be worn when handling hot bitumen to protect all areas of the body. Safety helmets should be equipped with: neck apron attached to prevent spills entering the overalls around the sides and back of the neck. A full face visor that reaches under the chin for full face protection from spills and splashes. Overalls should be of heavy duty cotton, fire retardant and one piece, and should be buttoned at the neck and sleeves. Gloves should be gauntlet style, heavy duty heat resistant, and be sufficient in length to reach at least midway between to the forearm and elbow. Safety Shoes should be an approved industrial type, and to prevent bitumen spilling inside openings, trouser legs should never be tucked inside shoes or boots. Calzado de Seguridad

Primeros auxilios Quemaduras de betún Enfríe la zona afectada con abundante agua fría durante tanto tiempo como sea posible, preferiblemente hasta obtener asistencia médica. No debe intentarse quitar el betún adherido a la piel ya que proporciona una barrera de protección estéril. In the event of a incident causing a bitumen burn it is vitally important to cool the effected area without delay. Get into a shower or other source of running water and STAY there until medical assistance can be found. If the burn covers a large area, get into a shower and remain there until the ambulance arrives. NEVER remove bitumen from the skin as this will cause more damage. Bitumen will actually protect by forming a sterile protective barrier. If bitumen covers the whole circumference of a limb or other body part, it should be spilt to avoid a tourniquet effect as the bitumen cools. Bitumen adhering to circumferential burns could restrict movement and/or blood flow. El betún adherido de forma envolvente debería cortarse con objeto de evitar el “efecto torniquete”.

Agua – Un peligro real de derrame El betún caliente reacciona violentamente en contacto con el agua. Se estima que el agua expande unas 2000 veces su volumen cuando se mezcla con betún caliente. Asegurar siempre que el recipiente receptor esta completamente seco antes de ser cargado con betún. ¡Esto no está recién pintado! Esta cisterna derramó violentamente 7 toneladas de betún cuando se introdujeron 20 l de agua en una operación de limpieza externa. Water is a real hazard when working with hot bitumen, and can react violently depending on water content. Vessels containing water can be heard ‘spitting’ inside the container, and sometimes an all out ‘volcano’ effect happens as bitumen is forced out of the container. This is known as a ‘boil-over’ and can be extremely dangerous. Water can expand up to 2000 times its own volume when coming into contact with hot bitumen. Boil-Over's can happen in ANY container, from sample jars to storage tanks. Always check that the container is thoroughly dry before filling with hot bitumen.

Otros recordatorios de Seguridad FUEGO – Pueden ocurrir en lo alto de los depositos de almacenamiento y otros recipientes. Utilice espuma, extintores de polvo seco o gas inerte o agua nebulizada. ¡NO UTILICE CHORRO DE AGUA! VAPORES – El betún caliente puede desprender vapores que pueden ocasionar irritación de ojos, nariz y garganta. Podría ser necesaria la utilización de equipos de respiración, particularmente en espacios cerrados. Other hazards associated with bitumen products are:- FIRE - bitumen fires can start in the top of storage tanks due to ‘coking’ inside tank roofs, where heat and air flow combine under certain conditions to cause ‘auto-ignition’. Bitumen ‘cutbacks’ containing kerosene have a lower flash-point and will ignite much easier. Always fight bitumen fires with dry powder or foam. NEVER use water jets directly on a bitumen fire. FUMES - Hot bitumen may give off fumes resulting in eye, nose and throat irritation. Over heating bitumen not only causes fire hazards, but increase fuming levels. Workers in confined spaces where hot bitumen is present may require respirators, such as disposable face masks with charcoal filters. LARGER SPILLS - Although bitumen is not considered a big environmental threat, it can cause problems if entering waterways, or coming into contact with vegetation or wildlife. Bitumen should be prevented from entering waterways by blocking entry points using dams built of sand. All residue or globules entering waterways or vegetation should be cleaned away and disposed of in an approved landfill site. Derrames importantes – En este caso: Aisle la fuente y cierre valvulas y bombas. Elimine las fuentes de ignición proximas. Contenga el producto utilizando arena. Asegure tapar los sumideros para evitar el acceso a las aguas.

Incendios de betún – Un peligro más En este depósito de almacenamiento comenzó un fuego al fallar el termostato y aumentar la temperatura por encima de los 250ºC. El betún fluidificado se auto-incendió enviando llamaradas a través de la tubería de ventilación, provocando la combustión de un derrame anterior. This mobile storage tank was left overnight with its burners on in a parking yard beside a wood. When operators returned in the morning they noticed heavy fuming from under the trailers vent pipe. Operators noticed that the temperature gauge was reading 250C, which was its maximum reading. They shut off the burners immediately and retreated to a safe distance. About half an hour later, flames were spotted coming out of the vent pipe under the trailer, which set alight some cutback bitumen that had been spilled on the floor previously. As the fire grew it spread to a re-fuelling line which had been left on the ground beside the mobile tank, which was still connected to a fuel bowser. The fuel line ignited, and the fire spread up the line to the fuel bowser causing an explosion. As the front of the bowser blew off, 1300 litres of gas oil was sprayed onto the fire under the mobile tank adding to the intensity. Following the explosion, the fuel bowser was projected like a missile, 30 metres into the air and into the woodland behind scorching trees and grassland. A host of sequences and events were responsible for this incident: overheating of bitumen due to a failed thermostat, a fuel line and bowser left near the storage tank and a previous spill that had not been cleaned up. All the ingredients for a nightmare !!

No sea víctima Don’t take short cuts, think about the task ahead. Wear correct PPE. If receiving product ensure there is sufficient ullage to receive the load. There should be at least 10% ullage space remaining (of total tank contents) AFTER delivery to allow for line clearance and any product swelling. Regularly check and test tank gauges, high level alarms and other measuring devices for accuracy. If these appear defective or inaccurate, re-calibrate them to ensure everyone is protected from spillage. No tome atajos, asegúrese de que los medidores de niveles y las alarmas funcionan y de que el depósito receptor esté seco. Compruebe que existe, al menos, un 10% de espacio extra en el depósito con objeto de contener posibles derrames y expansiones de producto. Utilice siempre las prendas de protección personal.

Tenga cuidado........ Take Care - stop and think about the task before handling hot bitumen products. Every time you are required to handle hot bitumen, try doing a mini risk assessment in your mind. Ask Yourself: “How can I get hurt doing this job”? “How can I hurt someone else by doing this job”? “What would be the worst Probable Injury”? “What can I do to prevent that from happening”? Asking yourself these simple questions may well prevent injury to yourself and your co-workers. Deténgase y piense en la tarea a realizar antes de manipular productos bituminosos calientes.