CORROSIVENESS:
Acids, anhydrides and alkalis are among the most commonly carried corrosive substances. They can rapidly destroy human tissue and cause irreparable damage. They can also corrode normal ship construction materials, and create a safety hazard for a ship. Acids in particular react with most metals, evolving hydrogen gas which is highly flammable.
The IMO Codes address this, and care should be taken to ensure that unsuitable materials are not included in the cargo system. Personnel likely to be exposed to these products should wear suitable personal protective equipment.
➢ PUTREFACTION:
Most animal and vegetable oils undergo decomposition over time, a natural process known as putrefaction (going off), that generates obnoxious and toxic vapours and depletes the oxygen in the tank.
Tanks that have contained such products must be carefully ventilated and the atmosphere tested prior to tank entry.
It must not be assumed that all vapours produced by cargoes liable to putrefaction will in fact be due to putrefaction; some may not be obvious, either through smell or appearance of the cargo. Carbon monoxide (CO), for instance, is colourless and odourless and can be produced when a vegetable or animal oil is overheated.
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