Abstract
The contribution of an operational industrial hygienist to the safe demolition of a large storage tank and associated equipment for blending lead alkyl into gasoline is described. The operation was undertaken in 1983–1984 at an oil refinery in a Middle-Eastern country where there was no immediate market for recovery of the tank for scrap metal. The operations included the complete drainage and cutting up of a 2000-tonne†1 metric tonne=2204 Ibs tank used for storing tetraethyl lead, incineration of all plate and components for safe burial, and the drumming of all lead-containing sludge for return to the supplier. To ensure control of the high potential health risks, the company that supplied the products sent out a field team with specialized equipment to direct and coordinate the work of a local contractor, who had no previous experience in work involving such risk. The monitoring program, based on air and urine analysis, demonstrated that both occupational and public exposure were effectively controlled, and that monitoring has an important role to play in implementing health and safety measures. With the gradual elimination of lead as a gasoline additive throughout the world, this type of operation will be repeated elsewhere (though generally on a smaller scale), and lessons learned may be of value to others engaged in similar operations.