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Safety analysis
The Hazardous incident provision requires the operator of a plant to carry out a safety analysis. This analysis primarily serves as an inspection instrument for the operator. As opposed to the safety report required by laws pertaining to nuclear processing, the safety analysis remains in the possession of the operator and is to be presented to the responsible authorities upon request; the operator is responsible for updating the safety analysis on a regular basis. The five parts of the safety analysis:
1. The plant description
2. Presentation of the technical plant components which are critical from a safety standpoint
3. Description of the substances existing in the plant or which could result from a malfunction
4. Presentation of the precautionary measures carried out
5. Information pertaining to the impact in the case of a hazardous incident
Safety observation
Work method to determine the technical state of plant safety with an acceptable level of effort. Standardized methods (e.g. fault tree analysis) are possible if very similar plants are compared to one another (e.g. nuclear technology plants) and if certain preliminary requirements, such as numeric failure rates of components, are known. Usually, chemical industry plants can not be observed using these procedures because each plant is individual and failure rates are not known. Therefore, a pragmatic procedure has been developed to inspect the safety of individual components of a plant and safe connection between the components, under the assumption that the process itself is safe. The impact of conditions related to the operating environment, such as human error, are also taken into account in this procedure. The safety observation should determine that the inspected plant poses no potential hazard. If this is not true, then appropriate measures have to be carried out to ensure the plant's technical safety.
Secondary pollution
Pollution of water by products resulting from decomposition of initial pollution.
Sedimentation
Settling of solids that are heavier than the surrounding liquid medium.
Self-monitoring of large-scale businesses
To utilize data pertaining to numerous and diverse safety systems concentrated especially in the chemical industry, the task of monitoring was delegated by the State to large companies, whose experts must be officially accredited.
Separate sewer system
As opposed to the mixed system, this municipal sewage system comprises two separate sewer pipe networks. The rain water network leads directly to the receiving body of water, whereas the sewage or industrial water is piped to the sewage treatment plant.
Separation procedure
Procedure of separating the components of substance mixtures. In addition to traditional methods such as filtration, distillation, decanting, shaking out, extraction and sublimation, the rapid development of biochemistry demands procedures for the smallest substance quantities.
- fractionated distribution: separates substance mixtures based on the differences in solubility in aqueous or organic media
- chromatographic procedure: chromatography
- molecule filters: clay-like minerals with spaces in the crystal lattice, which can thus accommodate smaller molecules in a reversible manner
- ion exchanger
- paper electrophoresis
Separator
Device for separating fats, oils, gasoline and other light materials from waste water. Also: Device for separating heavy particles from lighter particles by means of gravitational and centrifugal forces, e.g. as an impingement separator for removing suspended particles from a gas.
Service water
Industrial water for which drinking water quality is not required.
Settling solids
Solids that settle at the bottom of a water sample over a certain period of time.
Sewage fee
Law from 1976, in effect since 1.1.1981. For waste water to be introduced into a body of water, a fee must be paid. The fee is determined by the harmfulness of the waste water, calculated from its quantity, the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, the heavy-metal content, the chlorine compounds (See: AOX) and the toxicity presented to fish, expressed in pollution units. This law has already been frequently amended. It applies to waste water introduced directly, i.e. not via the public sewage system.
Silicones
Polysiloxanes, an important group of synthetic polymer substances with technically valuable properties, which form easily flowing, oily, resin-like or rubber-like substances depending on molecular size and structure. Can be used for a wide variety of applications due to their thermal and chemical resistance as well as their physiological indifference: oils as lubricants, brake and hydraulic fluids, cosmetics, resins as insulation material and waterproofing, rubber for thermally resistant seals, wire and cable insulation. In the painting industry: as Additives in low concentrations for improvement of surface tension of the paint film and prevention of surface blemishes (e.g. craters).
Sludge
A mixture of liquids and solids.
Soaps
Mixtures of sodium or potassium salts of high fatty acids used for cleaning purposes. They are surface active and therefore belong the group of Tensides. The soap molecules dissociate in an aqueous solution to form fatty acid anions, which are polar due to the connection of the water-repelling (hydrophobic) hydrocarbon chains with the waterattracting (hydrophilic) carboxyl ions. The fatty acid anions accumulate vertically on surfaces, thereby lowering the surface tension of the water and facilitating wetting, emulsification and suspension. The foaming property of soap can also be traced back to orientated adsorption. Pure soaps result in weak alkaline solutions and are easily biodegradable. Calcium and magnesium salts in hard water result in insoluble calcium soap that does not wash and leads to bothersome deposits on washed goods and in washing machines. This low resistance to water hardness and the dependency on expensive raw fatty materials were primary causes for the fact that the soaps in washing powders and cleaning agents have been entirely superseded by biodegradable synthetic tensides, which do not form insoluble salts with calcium and magnesium.
Sodium chloride
Table salt or rock salt, an important sodium mineral. Occurrence: massive deposits in northern Germany, Galicia and the Salzkammergut and up to 3% in sea water. Sodium chloride deposits were created by the drying up of prehistoric parts of the sea. Usage: plays a large role in technology. Basic material for all other sodium chloride compounds. In order to regulate the osmotic blood pressure, humans need 5 to 10 grams per day. Impure sodium chloride is used as thawing salt (thawing agent).
Softening
The removal of water-hardening calcium and magnesium salts from the water, e.g. by heating, addition of chemicals, or ion exchangers.
Solids
The solid materials in running water.
Special waste
Common term for waste that requires special monitoring, i.e. waste that can not be disposed of with household trash due to type or quantity of the waste. This waste is excluded from community garbage collection with approval by the responsible authorities. Proof of proper disposal is required, and this waste can only be stored in specific landfills or burned in special incineration plants.
Straight-run gasoline
Also called naphtha, it is a naphtha cut in the boiling range from 30 to approximately 200° C/210° C. Also acquired by hydrocracking crude oil fractions with a higher boiling point. Most important petro-chemical raw material, especially for manufacturing olefins in the steam cracking process and for production of aromatic compounds and synthetic gases.
Submicron dust
Dust with a particle size less than 1 micron.
Substances hazardous to water
Solid or liquid substances that can negatively affect the physical, chemical or biological properties of water, e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons and waste oils.
Sulfur dioxide
Symbol: SO2. A colorless, pungent smelling, cough-inducing gas. Sulfur dioxide results from burning sulfur and especially from burning large quantities of sulfur-containing fossil fuels such as crude oil and coal. It is one of the primary factors of air pollution. See: Desulfurization.
Surface tension
Surface-active substances
Surface-active substances such as Tensides, washing powders, surfactants and emulsifiers.
Surfactants
Substances that lower the surface tension of liquids so that these liquids can more easily penetrate deep into solid substances. Usage: e.g. as a dispersion agent to improve wettability of pigment surfaces with binding agents in paint products. Surfactant solutions also penetrate between layers of dirt to dissolve the dirt (washing powders and cleaning agents), e.g. soaps, sulfonated castor oils, fatty alcohol sulfates and alkylbenzene sulfonates. See: Tensides.
Suspended matter
Solids that float in water (or another medium) because they have the same or nearly the same specific weight.
Synergy
The impact that several agents have on one another which leads to an enhanced effect or a new type of effect which usually can not be foreseen.
Systems requiring monitoring
The systems listed in section 24 (GewO) German trade regulations, the safety requirements of which are to be monitored upon installation and operation.
Systems requiring permission
According to the regulations laid forth in section 24 GewO as to hazard potential, certain systems require explicit permission for usage. Examples of these systems include boilers, filling devices for pressurized gas containers, certain elevators, acetylene systems and systems for combustible liquids. If systems requiring permission are components of a system requiring authorization according to BlmSCHG, then the permit will be issued with authorization. According to section 7 WHG (German Federal Water Act), water usage systems can also require permission.
Systems subject to approval
Systems which are used for commercial purposes and could, due to the usage of machines and devices, operating methods, furnishings or other factors, pose a hazard to the lives or health of the business operator and other involved family members, neighbors, customers, the property or other real rights of the neighbors; could pose a nuisance to neighbors due to odors, noise, smoke, dust, vibration or other factors; could hinder religious practice in churches, lessons in schools, operation of hospitals and treatment facilities or the use or operation of other neighboring institutions serving the public interest; could significantly hinder the safety and flow of traffic on or along public streets, or could have an adverse effect on the quality of bodies of water if this does not require approval anyhow due to water regulations. According to section 4 of the BlmSCHG and the corresponding plant regulations, establishment and operation of these plants is subject to approval.