Ammonia gas is an element made up of hydrogen and nitrogen by using the formula chemically NH3. It is a colourless gas that can be identified by its smell as it has a strong smell. Ammonia gas is commonly used in the production of fertilizers and refrigerants however you'll be able to recognize it before it is harmful for your wellbeing. The risk ammonia gas poses is largely determined by the amount and the amount of time exposure you've endured. 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 massive concentrations or in tight spaces)
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 found on farms that produce mushrooms produce ammonia gas. Manure pits, as as any enclosed or indoor space where animals from farms are kept could be a source for ammonia gases.
Refrigeration System: Ice skating rinks as well as manufacturing facilities to make ice utilize liquid ammonia. If it spills out the liquid, it is transformed into gas.
Fertilizers and Cleaners Liquid ammonia is typically mixed together with various other chemical.
Some manufacturing procedures also utilize ammonia
You can be exposed to ammonia through products for cleaning which contain ammonia
Other sources of occupational exposure include the silvering of reflective mirrors, making of glue, tanning leather and around nitriding furnaces
Ammonia is produced as an end-product of coal distillation as well as by steam's action on calcium cyanamide as well as through the decomposition of nitrogenous compounds
Ammonia is naturally found inside soybean (8,600 ppm) and in the seeds in night primrose (2,300-2,455 ppm) and lambsquarter and tobacco leaves (Duke 1992).
Ammonia leaks are rising due to the growing use of natural refrigerants over the alternatives of fluorinated gas.
(Process Equipment & Control News)
High Risk Scenarios
Ammonia levels are typically higher in warm than colder ones.
In a closed area, ammonia could explode when the ignition source is in place
If there are no accidental release of ammonia the risk for exposure to extremely high levels ammonia is highest during restricted space entry
Technically speaking, when an employee does not fall off the surface of an opening, they enter an enclosed space. If ammonia is present, workers should be aware that confined areas can pose dangers to their health.
In the instance of a leak or CSE procedure It would be wrong to believe that the ammonia odor will provide a sufficient signal to alert