Ozone - Environmental Health & Safety

Toxicology

Ozone is a toxic gas.

Ozone gas has a distinct odor - described as sweet and pungent or as “melon rind” by winemakers, which is detectable at low levels. People in the vicinity will be aware if a leak is present. Piper Environmental Group believes strongly in utilizing ambient ozone monitors interlocked with ozone generators to shut down ozone production in case of a leak.

The human detection level of ozone is approximately 0.03 to 0.07 ppm, depending upon the individual’s sensitivity and health. Therefore, personnel will generally smell ozone long before it becomes a concern to health.

Ozone is neither carcinogenic nor persistent.

OSHA has specific limits for worker exposure. For more details, please refer to OSHA link following this section. The OSHA PEL-TWA is 0.1 ppm for an 8 hour period. “PEL” indicates “Personal Exposure Limits” and “TWA” refers to “Time Weighted Average” for an 8-hour period with two 10-minute breaks and 30 minutes for lunch.

The OSHA PEL-STEL is 0.3 ppm for 15 minutes. “STEL” is short term exposure limit. NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has taken a position that less exposure is acceptable. If a worker has been exposed to ozone, specific symptoms will occur. In the event of acute exposure, the following symptoms have been reported:

• Dryness of mucous membranes, specifically the nose and throat
• Headache
• Eye irritation
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Difficulty breathing

In severe or chronic exposure, pulmonary edema will result. Even after pulmonary edema, the lungs will clear within a month. There have been no reports of death associated with ozone. Researchers estimate exposure to ozone at 50 ppm for 60 minutes can be fatal to humans.

Safety
Safety is a primary concern for Piper Environmental Group's employees and customers. Ensuring proper design and application of the ozone systems will greatly increase worker safety. Most problems we have seen are a result of substandard construction materials, inadequate mixing and degassing, and a lack of destruct systems.

We consistently design our systems to be as safe as possible with ambient ozone monitors to shut down the ozone generator at many points. In addition, our systems utilize remote turn off and external shut down systems.

Personnel can also utilize hand held ozone monitors to ensure that any leaks are identified and fixed in a timely manner. Ambient ozone monitors that shut down the ozone generators in case of a leak are the most reliable means to ensure personnel safety.

Safety & Environmental Links
OSHA homepage
www.osha.gov

Ozone in the workplace, OSHA standards
www.osha.gov/dts/sltc/methods/inorganic/id214/id214.html

State of California site for ozone
www.arb.ca.gov/aqd/y2d_v2doz.htm