Proper Chemical Handling for Plating

Q: I’ve experienced turnover with my staff recently. How can I educate my team on the proper protocols for using and handling chemicals in our workplace?

A: Every year, improper chemical handling in industrial environments leads to injury and significant financial loss. When working in a plating facility, you work with or around chemicals every day. The constant presence can easily lead to complacency from employees who interact with chemicals regularly. I have observed many simple chemical handling mistakes, near misses and accidents. All instances could have damaged businesses through lost time, faulty parts, having to completely scrap a bath or, in the worst cases, employee injury.

Chemical compatibility knowledge should be paramount on the minds of those who are handling hazardous chemicals as well as those in leadership positions at your company.

Several years ago, a team of solution maintenance employees were given an add sheet containing chemical additions that required several different tanks in a process line. In this case, there were additions required for nickel chloride to the bright nickel tank and sodium cyanide for the cyanide copper tank. Both chemicals were weighed, placed in buckets located in the chemical storage area, then carried to the plating line. A second operator picked up the nickel chloride and by mistake added it to the cyanide copper tank instead of the nickel tank.

While there was no injury in this case, the tank needed to be scrapped and rebuilt, costing the company both time and money. This situation could have been much worse.

When a new chemical is brought into a facility, all employees must be trained and aware of how the chemistry reacts with the other chemicals and processes in the area, ideally with callouts for the most hazardous situations. Engineering controls and visual reminders at the point of addition can be used to continuously remind parties involved regarding the incompatibilities for specific chemistries.

By knowing the hazards of the different chemicals in the building, employees can be confidently prepared to respond to an event properly. Use the facility’s emergency system to evacuate the affected areas or, if necessary, as in the sample case above, the entire building. Testing can then be done through air monitoring to detect harmful reaction products before reentering the building and assessing the situation further.

If human employees are involved, it is a challenge to eliminate the possibility of mistakes when handling chemicals. However, steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood through proper training, preparedness and a robust safety culture. Your plating facility may not have the most dangerous processes, but these steps, which are universal when dealing with hazardous chemicals, are essential:

• Provide chemical safety training regularly for all personnel working with or near chemicals. Be consistent with your format so employees know where to find important information.
• Have an evacuation plan and alarm system that all personnel are trained to activate and know how to respond accordingly. Something as simple as a bullhorn can be effective if you do not have a facility-wide alarm system.
• Provide visual reminders such as posters and signs highlighting key safety points and emergency procedures.
• Enforce proper PPE use for all employees and encourage a culture to lead by example.
• Have dedicated and labeled pumps for each chemical.
• Have dedicated and labeled buckets for each chemical.
• Do not put multiple chemical additions on the same add sheet. Make each one an individual sheet that then is kept with the chemical as it is transported. Consider color coding the different processes.
• Integrate technology to your process with RFID or barcodes on chemical additions.
• When working with cyanide, have multiple HCN detectors installed. Make sure they are calibrated and maintained as necessary. It is best practice to have each detector on a different calibration schedule.
• When working with cyanide, have multiple antidote kits available. Pay attention to expiration dates on antidote kits and replace them as necessary. Stagger the purchases by several months so there is a rotation of available antidotes.

It’s essential to integrate safe chemical handling into your company’s safety culture, ensuring that employees are fully informed about the risks associated with the materials they handle. Relying solely on top-down enforcement for chemical safety is unlikely to be effective. Cultivating a shared commitment to safety, with continuous emphasis on the importance of chemical safety from both management and staff, is crucial for protecting your employees, the community and your business.