I have seen these signs I want to know what is half/life of Phosphine gas before it is safe to enter the boxcar
I did a google, didn’t see anything that makes it seem radioactive:
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/safety/phosphin.htm
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg177.html
Looks like it’s use as a rat/rodent poison
Why would anyone with half a brain want to enter a placarded boxcar without protective clothing?
It is just a fumigant to keep pests out of grain hoppers etc. I’d rather that than find a rat turd in my Wheaties…
Yum!
There wouldn’t be a half-life - that’s for radioactive stuff. It would be dependent on how long and how well the car has been ventilated. If in doubt I’d wear whatever protective equipment was called for on the MSDS.
If I remember correctly, (and thats not a given) the stickers say open doors and hatches, and vent for one hour before entering the car…its a fumigant, kills the bugs like roaches…dissipates safely in air, respirator required in close spaces, if it comes in contact with clothes or skin, wash clothes, or rinse skin with clean water for five minutes…
Food products in tank cars often have nitrogen blankets added, to keep the contents from contact with air and spoiling.
Ed
Simply Ed: What is a nitrogen blanket?
A layer of nitrogen, added to the top of the contents of a tank car, say, corn syrup.
Because nitrogen gas displaces air, (its heavier and more dense) and you can not, or don’t want to fill a tank car all the way to the top, nor pull a vacuum on it like you find in a canned food, you add a shot of nitrogen, it settles in a “blanket” on top of the product, and protects the product from the small amount of air in the tank car by pushing it out the vent as it (the nitrogen) expands.
When you get the nitrogen gas escaping from the vent, you close off the vent, and the tank is now air tight…
Depending on the product, edible tallow, corn syrup, molasses, peanut oil, you can expect a nitrogen blanket in the tank.
When you need to unload, you simply vent the car, the gas escapes, and you go about unloading.
Nitrogen is non polluting, and non toxic, works great for this.
Ed
Why bother explaining? Remember who asked the question.
I guess I am missing something here, why would you say that? Seemed like a interesting question, I definately learned about a new poison/fumigant
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uspscsx
Don’t enter ANY confined space without first testing the air, OSHA requirement.
Personally, I’d also force-ventilate the area before entering it, especially if it had any oxygen-depleting gases in it or dangerous gases. This includes nitrogen blankets and phosphine gas.
Phosphine gas is BAD. Don’t mess around with it or take it lightly.
Mark in Utah
Thanks for the warning. May save a life or prevent illness some day.
What does that mean?
Adrianspeeder
Kickmytrainfinderincleveland (currently going by Peterson6868) seems to like to ask questions that he does not really want the answer to, or at least ignore the answer if it is not what he wants.
I am thinking that these are the complimentary “blankets” that are given to you when you ride in the shackle boxcar.[;)]
In all seriousness though, that is a really cool idea. I had never thought about it, but it does make a lot of sense. Thank you Ed for teaching me something today!
Your welcome.
I learn something here all the time.
And the longer I railroad, the more I realize that the KISS principle works better than I ever thought.
Ed
Besides the fact they had signs warning of Phosphine gas,did they have
any extra warnings/signs that said “SHACKLES INSTALLED” ?