Ammonia gas is a compound that is composed of hydrogen and nitrogen using the formula chemically NH3. It is a colourless gas that is identified by the smell, as it is characterized by an intense smell. Ammonia gas is used in the manufacturing of fertilizers and refrigerants however you're likely to detect it prior to it becoming harmful to your health. The risk ammonia gas poses is largely determined by the amount and the amount of time exposure that you've had to endure. Read more here: https://www.blacklinesafety.com/solutions/gas-sensors/nh3
Gas Characteristics
Colorless
State of the gas
Compressed
Toxic
Flammable
Corrosive
Lighter than air
Water soluble
Explosive (at high concentrations and in tight space)
Pungent, suffocating odor
Can decompose at high temperatures forming very flammable hydrogen gas
OTHER NAMES: Anhydrous ammonia, ammonia, azane, hydrogen nitride
Industrial NH3 hazards
farms compost piles are situated on mushroom farms produce ammonia gas. Manure pits, as as any enclosed or indoor space where animals are kept from farms could be the source Ammonia gas.
Refrigeration System Ice skating rinks, as well as factories for ice make use of liquid ammonia. In the event it leaks out it transforms into a gas.
Liquid ammonia is a fertilizer and cleaner that is typically mixed together with other chemicals.
A few manufacturing methods use ammonia
You can be exposed to ammonia through products for cleaning that contain ammonia
and h2oOther sources of occupational exposure include the silvering of reflective mirrors, making of glue, tanning leather , and around nitriding furnaces
Ammonia is created as an end-product of coal distillation, as well as through the action of steam on calcium cyanamide, and through the decomposition of nitrogenous substances
Ammonia naturally is found naturally in soybean (8,600 ppm) and the seeds from evening primrose (2,300-2,455 ppm) as well as lambsquarter as well as leaf tobacco (Duke 1992).
Ammonia leaks are increasing because of the increased use of natural refrigerants in preference to alternative fluorinated gases.
(Process Equipment & Control News)
High Risk Scenarios
Ammonia levels are usually higher in warm than colder ones.
In a closed area, ammonia can explode if the ignition source is there
In the absence of accidental releases of ammonia, the risk for exposure to extremely high levels ammonia is the highest in restricted space entry
Technically speaking an employee is thrown off the edge of an opening, they are actually entering into an area that is enclosed. When ammonia is present, employees must be aware that enclosed areas can pose dangers to their health.
In the case of a leak , or CSE procedure It is not true that the odor of ammonia will be enough to warn