Experimental Determination of Safety Parameters of Chemicals Détermination Expérimentale des Paramètres de Sécurité des Produits Chimiques

Abstract

Chemicals – as all other products – can present two hazards: in condensed form, thermal decomposition by external heating or by internal heat accumulation, in scattered form, explosion. These hazards, common for all materials, each have specific characteristics and must be evaluated or measured. For this evaluation, scientists have elaborated tests, initially qualitative, which have allowed, using a large safety margin and a good know-how, the safe production and storage of chemicals for many years. Later, with the improvement of measurement techniques, we could use new quantitative tests, with better accuracy, and some computing methods. In fact, using the new available software, we can solve nearly all safety problems in relation with the chemical behavior, reducing the uncertainty margin and the safety margin, and meeting current economic requirements.