Hazardous process
Fertilizer Industries (Nitrogenous; Phosphatic; Mixed)
A hazardous process listed in the First Schedule to the Factories Act 1948 (s.2(cb)).
Typical industries: Urea/ammonia plants, phosphatic (SSP/DAP) plants, NPK/mixed fertilizer units.
Principal hazards
- Ammonia gas
- Nitric/sulphuric/phosphoric acids and oxides of nitrogen (NOx)
- Fluorine/SiF4 (phosphatic)
- Dust; high-pressure/high-temperature processes; explosion (ammonium nitrate)
Health effects
Ammonia/NOx respiratory injury and pulmonary oedema, acid burns, fluorosis, chronic bronchitis; blast injury risk from AN.
Key engineering controls
Closed reactors and pipelines, ammonia and toxic-gas detection with automatic isolation; scrubbers for NOx/fluoride; acid bunding and emergency showers; pressure relief and segregation/quantity control of ammonium nitrate.
PPE
- Ammonia/acid-gas respirators or escape sets and SCBA for response
- Full chemical splash suits and gloves
- Goggles/face shields
- Acid-resistant boots
- Personal gas alarms
Statutory vs annotation: only the industry name is First-Schedule statutory text. The hazards, health effects, controls and PPE are standard occupational-hygiene practice, not statutory text.
This page is a statutory / occupational-health reference for factory Occupational Health Centres. It is not medical or legal advice. Verify against the current bare Act, Rules and your State amendments before acting.
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