19931119 Use of hydrofluoric acid in the petroleum refining alkylation process. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletins Use of hydrofluoric acid in the petroleum refining alkylation process. HIBs are initiated based on information provided by the field staff, studies, reports and concerns expressed by safety and health professionals, employers, and the public. Information is compiled based on a thorough evaluation of available facts and in coordination with appropriate parties. In recent years the petroleum refining industry has placed an increasing emphasis on the safety of the use of HF in petroleum refineries.
Hydrofluoric acid is hazardous and corrosive and, if accidently released, can form a vapor cloud.
If the vapor cloud is concentrated enough it can be toxic until sufficiently dispersed. In the past five years, there have been a number of accidental releases of this acid from alkylation units at major petroleum refineries in the United States. It boils at 67 degrees Fahrenheit and, depending on the release conditions, can form a vapor cloud if released to the atmosphere. It is completely soluble in water, in which it forms HF, which, in concentrated solutions, vaporizes in air to form a noticeable cloud. American Industrial Hygiene Association, Emergency Response Planning Guidelines , AIHA Emergency Response Planning Guideline committee, Akron, Ohio, 1988.