Oil & Gas

What is Hexane and Where Can it Be Found? Hexane is a chemical commonly extracted from petroleum and crude oil. It is a colorless liquid that gives off a subtle, gasoline-like odor. Hexane is highly flammable, yet it can be found in many household products such as stain removers for arts and crafts projects. Because […]

You may not have heard of toluene, but you’ve almost certainly encountered household products that contain this potentially harmful chemical. Toluene & Its Chemical Uses Toluene is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with a sweet, pungent odor. This chemical (previously known as toluol) can be produced industrially or in a laboratory, and it also appears in […]

What Exactly is Hydrochloric Acid & Where is it Found? Hydrochloric acid hazards are serious. However, you may be surprised to learn that hydrochloric acid is commonly used in many types of industrial processes. Approximately 20 million tons of hydrochloric acid are produced globally each year, and you can even find it in your own […]

Here are 5 stories, with 5 lessons, that illustrate why chemicals in the workplace, no matter the size of the company or the number of employees, are serious business. As demonstrated below, how chemicals are used, stored, labeled, and disposed of, and how employees are trained on chemical hazards, affects workers, customers, and in some […]

Where and How Sulfuric Acid Can Be Found Sulfuric acid is one of the most hazardous and common chemicals you may encounter. It’s actually an international commodity chemical produced in large quantities all around the world. While sulfuric acid has primarily industrial uses, it’s also found in common household products such as drain cleaner and […]

Methanol is a natural by-product of wood alcohol, natural gas and coal. It has also recently garnered attention for being used in biofuel. But don’t let the “green” of this chemical fool you. Methanol is very dangerous and can cause death when mishandled. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how to handle methanol in a […]

Used many years ago in soaps, sodium hydroxide – also known as lye – is still a widely used chemical today. Its uses range from food processing to petroleum refining, but it can be a very dangerous chemical. Here we’ll examine its usual uses, and the specific properties that make sodium hydroxide a threat to […]

Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) Safety Information It whitens your whites, cleans your floors and acts as a great sanitizer. But bleach, (also known as its chemical name, sodium hypochlorite) can be quite hazardous when not handled properly. What Is Bleach AKA Sodium Hypochlorite? Sodium hypochlorite is a green/yellow liquid that smells like chlorine. It is a […]

Latex Painting Safety Tips As we continue our too-fast cruise through fall, house painting is the focus for many homeowners, particularly for those looking to place their home for sale during the robust upcoming winter market. Whether you are painting your home yourself or are a house painting contractor, we at VelocityEHS would like to […]

by Blake McGowan, CPE There are many things that are new and exciting when one works at Humantech. There is the standard list; working as part of a team of dedicated professionals, working in foreign countries, being introduced to diverse cultures, a great variety of types of business, and so on. But one thing I […]