Executive Summary
One of the greatest problems facing humanity is disease and poverty. These are compounded and
perpetuated in a dire lack of hygiene across third world countries even today. The overwhelming social
and economic burden upon these people living in the twenty-first century hinders any chance of a positive
future. Devikulam, a small rural; community in southern India, is no exception. The village is located in
the Kerala state where research suggests thirty-four per cent of people are accustomed to washing their
hands after defecation. Studies suggest a vast percentage of preventable and potentially fatal diseases may
be reduced with the improvement of personal hygiene.
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Team Reflection
We the GREEN TEAM is made up of 5 members: Sachin Kulkarni, Jack Lowe, Gennaro, Lloyd and Myles
respectively. Our aim is to raise the standard of living of the members of the community of Devikulam through the
provision of cleaner, safer and reliable source of continuous gain – not just monetary but hygienic and educational
too. Hence our decision of soap industry diverted from a large industry to a small – scale industry which has the
capability to evolve into a larger industry when situations permit. The early stage of our solution focused on using
soap to increase the awareness amongst the Devikulam members about hygiene. Together as a group, we tackled
many challenges along the way through effective time management, goal management, decision taking techniques
and most importantly effective communication.
Communication being one of the most sort out skill, we decided to focus on being able to contact each other
whenever needed and the right message is sent across. We achieved this by creating a „Google Group‟ which
allowed the team members to effectively post new discussions which were automatically emailed to all the
members. This was just part of the strive to achieve the best. We also had one of the members suggesting a
document saving tool called „Drop Box‟. It is an online „box‟ where each of the members could access and store
their research in. This proved very helpful as everything we did was in the drop box and we could access it 24/7.
As a group, we decided a time which was suitable for all the members and a weekly meeting was scheduled. Each
week, a reminder email was sent through Google groups account about the time and place to meet for confirmation.
This proved very efficient as all the members were present for most of the meetings. However, credit should be
given to each member as we prioritized this project and left no stone unturned to finish tasks on time. The meetings
were a good place to share our new research, discuss about any issues arising from them and new tasks being
allocated. We worked hard to come to meetings prepared and the discussions proved extremely production.
Although we had many contradictions, we all agreed on the decision taken. These contradictions helped us to see the
same issue from a different perspective and this is one thing all of us definitely learnt to judge something, it is
important to look at both sides of the coin.
By the time we had worked for about 2 weeks, a healthy relationship between each of us was developed. We were
able to step into each other‟s boots and respect their views and opinions and taking all into account we moved into
the later developmental stage of our solution. This is where things got a bit hard. Holidays came, and the amount of
research to be conducted was growing. As a group we managed to come out of it through understand, mutual respect
and being practical at the same time. The key features of our projects were decided after much debating which
proved to have increased the effectiveness of the feature. Hence we realized that such debates actually mean the
members are working as a team. They are able to share their opinions freely in front of the group and that they have
the ability to make a difference. Such characteristics of our group, makes it a successful design team.
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We are thankful to the EWB association and UniSA for providing us such opportunity to implement our problem
solving techniques in a real life context where we learned to make our solution much more sustainable. This also
enabled us to think us how a solution is multi-faceted when the application of it is considered. Why does the
cultural, economic and social issues which become so important when implementing a technical solution in a remote
community? Why is almost mandatory to think about sustainability? It is because the community is not called a
community with only built environment in, it is the people that make it a community. It is their culture that sets it
apart and gives the community its identity. Hence it is always necessary to think about the impacts on the culture
and how to make the engineering solution more sustainable as it for the people that the solution is being designed
for.
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Contents:
Executive Summary
1
Team Reflection
2
Contents
4
1. Introduction
5
2. PROJECT OUTLINE
5
2.1 Volunteer based Initiative (Visionary Approach)
5
2.2 Paid Worker Industry
6
3. Process, Pathway and Structure
8
4. Project Assumptions
11
5. Industry monitoring and evaluation
12
5.1 Location of Facility for Soap Making
12
6. Education
14
6.1 School Education
15
6.2 Community education
17
6.3 Safety and Training
19
7. The Saponification Reaction
20
7.1 Apparatus Requirements
22
7.2 Skills Required
23
7.3 Further Analysis of Production Method
24
8. Cultural Issues
25
9. Environmental Considerations
26
10. Soap Industry - Ideas of implementation to the people.
27
11. Safety Equipment & Instructions (MSDS Review)
28
12. Problems, Solutions & the Future
29
13. Recommendation
30
14. Conclusion
31
15. Appendix
32
16. Reference List
52
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1. Introduction
The rural community of Devikulam may benefit greatly through the introduction of the soap making
industry with a community based personal hygiene program. The education of the community in both the
synthesis and proper use of soap may provide financial income as well as actively improving the health
profile of the community. If this program proves successful and is continued there is the potential to
impact the community for generations to come; thus improving the quality of life of villagers to a great
extent.
2. PROJECT OUTLINE
There are two options available to the community for initiation and implementation of an industry such as
the soap industry. In both cases the people will work for a common goal, to generate income which may
be utilized to solve community issues. Either option would hopefully result in the community being seen
as „a collective group working toward a social goal rather than income maximization [for a few]‟
(Indigenous Enterprise Project 1998).
2.1 Volunteer based Initiative (Visionary Approach)
The first option for the soap industry would be that of a volunteer based organisation in which time and
labour is liberally provided by community members. An example of where this approach has worked is
the Indian village of Ralegan Siddhi. The people of this village through the transforming efforts of Anna
Hazare, (a pioneer in Indian social structure change), were able to bring themselves out of poverty and
become one of many productive village‟s contributing to India‟s growth that have followed Anna Hazares
approach. The concepts brought to the village were that by working together and overcoming cultural
restrictions, such as caste discrimination, they could rise above their poverty. In one situation he “urged
the villagers to donate their labour in reconstructing the village water tank and embankment” (The Perfect
Republic – A Village in India). This is known as “shramdan” or voluntary labour. The incentive being
that the villagers through working together are able to create ongoing and sustainable industries,
providing income and ability to pay off loans, the end result being for the benefit of the village. “The
villagers cultivated their land in 1983-84 and 1984-85 through shramdan, repaid the bank loan, and saved
their land.” (Siddhi, 2010).
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In this scenario multiple workers would need to be trained to allow for flexibility in work schedules.
Given they are volunteer‟s, they will be more likely to contribute to a project if it doesn‟t unnecessarily
impede their priority tasks, for instance looking after family “Social change is not possible if people are
haunted by the daily problem of making two ends meet.”(Siddhi 2010). This approach would have the
benefit of having a very minimal startup cost, aside from capital outlay, which would be ideal given the
fact a lot of the villager live below the poverty line. However an Industry approach such as this without
the aid of a visionary and on ground supervisor such as Anna Hazare would make tasks such as arranging
and relying on donations such as goat‟s milk and excess coconuts very complicated and could potentially
jeopardize the industry. Disruption to a soap yield could result in copious amounts of time and energy
being wasted at great expense.
It is possible the villagers could overcome their social conditioning as other villages have however, a
project such as the one proposed cannot be reliant on one particular approach, and as with the case for all
village implemented programs “What works in one instance and with one group of people does not
necessarily work with another” (Patricia Lustig, Time to be a Leader). Therefore another method needs to
be provided for the villagers to start a business. The tried and true scheme of workers being paid for their
time and labour would be a guaranteed way of providing results, especially given the constraints of not
immediately having an on ground visionary such as Anna Hazare to unite the people to a common cause.
2.2 Paid Worker Industry
The second option would be for industry to be established as a business and the soap workers to receive a
wage. This approach would be modeled after existing and proven business models that have worked for
small cottage industries. This could be achieved through means of a government grant, which as
mentioned should be available to the Devikulam council through the pre-existing government allocation
of funding.
Government grants have been used extensively across India to establish small industries in rural areas.
An example of this comes from a town call Puramatton in the state of Kerala, where “The village and
cottage industries are promoted under government sponsored programs like IRDP, PMRY [Prime
Ministers‟ Rozgar Yojana][Integrated Rural Development Program], etc.” (village of puramatton
website).
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These government sponsored programs are the result of Indian legislation passed in “The Kerala State
Aid To Industries Act of 1963” stating that:
“10.Industries which may be aided.-(1) The industries to which aid may be given under this Act shall be
such as have an important bearing on the economic development of the country and shall be(iv) small scale industries
(v) cottage industries”
The definition of small scale industry in India according to the Small Scale Industries Board in 1955 is
defined "as a unit employing less than 50 employees if using power and less than 100 employees if not
using power and with a capital asset not exceeding Rs. 5 lakhs.” Of course the soap industry proposed
requires only 3-4 workers to function and therefore is clearly defined as a small industry. Application for
funding depends on the required funds needed to start a business as there are varying levels of
government authorisation required as funding amounts increase, for example
“(3)Every application for State aid exceeding Rs.15,000 shall be placed before the Board and shall be
granted only with its concurrence.” (The Kerala State Aid To Industries Act of 1963).
Government grants are usually interest free and repayments are usually made in installments to the
government. The goal of this industry is to generate enough profit to address community problems and
needs such as facilities for the school and the community while at the same time being able to pay back
the loan over time. Considering the loans are available for small industries to get established and that this
is a standard practice across India, incorporating loan repayments will need to be considered by the
council at the beginning of the venture.
The soap industry would ideally be based around the philosophy of 'Sarvodaya' meaning 'the welfare of
all' (Gandhi for Peace, n.d.). This approach has been used by a company called the Shri Mahila Griha
Udyog Lijjat Papad, providing employment to women only, it started off as a small cottage industry then
grew to become one of India‟s larger companies. Their business model worked because people identified
with the concept of collective ownership and equal status among the workers. This approach we believe
could also work in Devikulam as the philosophy of Sarvodaya is universal and is not based on gender. It
allows for the program to have direction initially and if it were to expand, then they would have a proven
business model to follow in that respect as well.
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Expansion in this regard is an option that is available to all industries given the right conditions and
factors for growth such as profit and company objectives.
Previously health campaigns, sponsored by multinational companies, have been through the Kerala state
of which Devikulam is a part of. A perception developed among the people “that multinationals would
take over the [local soap] market” (The Hand-washing Handbook 2000). These attitudes and perceptions
ultimately resulted in political pressure on the state cabinet to “abandon the program in august 2003” (The
Hand-washing Handbook 2000). Considering the benefits of the philosophy of Sarvodaya coupled with
the strong beliefs of the people to accomplish an industry for themselves, this adds more impetus to this
project as it aligns with the attitudes of the people and ultimately their positive input could sustain this
project for a long time.
The reality is that the soap workers would need some form of immediate benefit for their labour and
input. Making soap is difficult and would impede on their daily life, however if it was their job, they
would more readily work on the project. This would greatly increase the chances of the industry
succeeding, as the complicated issue of dealing with donations and managing “unknowns” that come with
volunteering would be eliminated. Although an actual wage would need to be determined by the business
plan, a rough guide could be taken from the National Rural Employment scheme (Business, n.d. ) which
evolved from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Nrega, n.d.). This
scheme aims to pay unskilled workers 80 rupees per day for 100 days in a year. This may be a little high
for this industry initially however in the later stages when a profit is being generated this may be an
acceptable wage. At least this industry must pay the workers slightly more than the average income per
capita of 20 R‟s per day. “estimated that 77 per cent of India‟s population, or 836 million people, lived on
an average consumption of less than Rs. 20 per day in 2005” National Commission for Enterprise in the
Unorganised Sector (NCEUS).
The benefits of having all the soap workers equal and sharing responsibility is that they are fully trained
in all aspects of the industry and production. This not only ensures the tasks are understood by all but also
would prove vital in expanding the industry if they chose to pursue that option. As with the Lijjat
Company the workers would be able to train more workers and potentially open other facilities elsewhere,
alternatively if one worker were to leave, the knowledge of how the company works would not be lost
and a replacement could be trained.
3. Process, Pathway and Structure
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Within both options however there are even further alternatives on how to start the program. Having
multiple options and alternatives allows the workers the flexibility to decide on the best path for the
program to follow and less reliance on resources which may or may not be present at the time.
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Ideally if funding was limited or not present at all, a trading scheme could be started amongst the
community. This sort of scheme would involve members of the community either donating or selling
excess ingredients such as goat‟s milk to the soap workers. A pledge system would need to be in place to
minimise wastage due to batch requirements and storage of ingredients. This would mean people
“pledge” what they will be selling or donating one batch in advance. Of course a system like this would
rely heavily on community awareness and involvement in the project, and it would be a mistake to
assume everyone in the community would have the time, reason or positive outlook to be involved with a
project such as the one proposed. Given time and exposure to a working project people‟s attitudes may
change and all could potentially contribute. The benefits that come with a donation scheme however is
that the cost of the soap to produce would be a lot less than if they had to purchase the ingredients. This
would greatly increase competitiveness of the soap product on the market.
The other starting point would be in using the available funding to purchase all equipment and ingredients
to start making soap and pay the wages to the workers. This approach would not be reliant on the
community and many unknowns such as supply issues would be eliminated. Hard to get ingredients such
as lard, glycerine and fragrance used in soap could be purchased and this in turn would also result in a
better product, although slightly more expensive. If this approach were taken an alternative sales pitch
would be needed, however the option would be there to make both cheap and expensive soap, catering for
a broader range of consumers. The ideal scenario would be for the price of the soap to be competitive
with the other soap that is present on the market.
In order to meet the industry‟s ongoing requirements, loan repayments and have enough spare money for
community endeavours, a lot of soap will need to be produced daily. As an example a production rate of
10 bars of good quality soap per day for 300 days sold at 20 R‟s per bar could generate a net profit of
around 60000 R‟s. The critical factors for this industry however would be to focus on the loan repayments
and base the industry size around meeting the loan which are considerably less and usually interest free.
For example, repayments being paid in ten six monthly installments on a loan of 5000 R‟s would be
roughly 1000 R‟s per year, this would work well for the fledgling business as soap production could be a
lot less in the initial years and there would be less pressure on the workers. Given the many options
available for government funding and many unknown factors determining the end sales price and wage
price being paid, a confirmed outline of costing and expenditure is unable to be provided within the scope
of this report and would require further information and consultancy with the Panchayat in conjunction
with local knowledge.
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For a clearer view, please refer to appendix 3.
The manufacture of a glycerin based hand sanitiser would also be ideally manufactured with the existing
soap recipes. Not only is it easy to make, but would complement the other products, caters for people with
allergies unable to use goats milk soap and could be cheaply supplied to the Devikulam school.
Before this program starts there must be a set of criteria met in order to ensure the program is ready to
commence. This could be accomplished by the council and workers identifying all factors required to
make the industry operational such as funding, training, equipment and overall business plan. This is
something we assume they are already capable of. For a program such as this it would also be necessary
to make it clear the various roles within the project. The council would be in charge of funding and the
soap workers would be in control of the running industry aspects. Training and education would need to
be provided to all involved. This will be addressed at a later stage of this report.
4. Project Assumptions
It was deemed necessary to make some assumptions about the situation in Devikulam in order to form an
appropriate initiative to help the community. The major assumption being that the Devikulam council or
Gram Panchayat would have access to government funding for setting up small industries. “There are also
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many centrally sponsored schemes that help in funding the Panchayat's in India” (Maps of India website).
Considering this is the role of the Gram Panchayat and its connection with the Indian Government it is
believed that with the right business plan the council would be possible to aquire the appropriate funding.
Another important assumption to be made is that the Caste system in Devikulam is not a major issue and
that the people would be able to work together on a project upon a social and cultural plane. “The
relationship between the two castes is generally very good”(Buzza: Devikulam Information, n.d.). Other
sources state that although caste based discrimination was abolished in the 1950‟s Indian constitution, it
still “remains very much a part of rural India” (Rao A 1999). Ultimately we feel that the people of
Devikulam will have the knowledge on how to work together on a project and work within their cultural
constraints. If the caste system presents itself as a major issue in Devikulam and the people do not wish to
overcome the cultural constraints then it will be up to the community to allocate the project and tasks
according to the caste system present.
The possibility that this industry could grow and become much larger raised the question “are the people
adequately trained in how to manage funding and projects?‟. „Some of the reasons for failure of
enterprises included poor administration of the funding program itself, and the inadequate business skills
of the recipients of the funds.” (Jarvie 1990:8). This question is raised because during the initial stages the
project is kept simple to ensure it works, however if it became a larger business then a more complicated
system of management would need to be employed. In this case separate skills and training would need to
be provided which is outside the scope of the immediate stages of this project.
Considering there are many options open to the workers to take this industry, at any point in time, it
would be vital that these changes to the overall path were communicated to everyone in the industry.
Changes to the original plan could come about from previously unforeseen circumstances which could
affect for example the supply of a needed ingredient, or alternatively, increased confidence by all
involved to progress the project to a higher level. This would need to be approved and meet the funding
requirements of the Panchayat.
5. Industry monitoring and evaluation
Considering the simplicity of industry, when compared with larger industries, and the minimal amount of
workers during the initial stages, monitoring and evaluation of how the program is progressing and where
to take it next should be evident to the workers as they go and can be addressed on a daily basis. However
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if the program were to expand for example; to involve more workers, product, profit therefore a more
complicated system of evaluation and monitoring would need to be employed as is the case with any
business that reaches a certain size. The reason for keeping these aspects of the business simple during the
initial stages is due to the fact that a complicated industry model including roles such as occupational
health and safety officer, human resources department, for instance, are not needed for small scale
industries and it would be a hindrance to the people and detrimental to establishing the industry. However
as previously mentioned, if the industry were to grow these roles would by necessity start to appear
within their industry.
It is important that the workers know the importance of quality control and manufacturing a quality
product. The main reasons for this are to eliminate waste which in turn means they minimise costs and
also to provide a good product for sale. Initially, though it is critical to not have any wasted product, the
problems associated with wasted a batch can be dealt with through appropriate training and quality of
ingredients. Along with training the key to success in this industry would be by continually updating and
perfecting the industry‟s practices. This would ideally be accomplished through ongoing weekly and
monthly meetings in which problems could be solved and better methods could be conveyed to all
members of the team.
All industry models benefit from keeping a record of expenditure and use of resources. This would need
to be tracked by the workers themselves and in keeping with the philosophy of Sarvodaya, the financial
records would be available to all working on the project. The workers would also need to be aware of the
importance of “looking ahead”. As in the case of changing the recipe or sourcing ingredients elsewhere,
they would need to have foresight as to the impacts that may be incurred on their current industry.
5.1 Location of Facility for Soap Making
Every effort will be made to utilise an existing site for the manufacturing of the soap, to avoid the
additional expense and delay of building a purpose built facility. Some selection criteria have been
developed for the location and makeup of this facility.
1. The area should be away from other dwellings as hazardous chemicals will be stored there.
2. The facility must be easily accessible by the workers.
3. The facility must be well ventilated as some production processes may be oxygen depleting.
4. The facility must have a storage area such that all chemicals and equipment can be stored safely.
5. The facility must have a cooking or production area which fulfills the requirements of the soap
making process.
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Other Factors that may improve the operation of the facility
1. The facility could have tin roof so that monsoonal rain could be harvested in an environmentally
sealed tank.
2. Roof ventilators may be fitted to roof to assist in and improve ventilation.
In the case a facility cannot be found that meets most of the above criteria, a new facility must be built.
6. Education
„In India, over 600,000 children under the age of five die annually from diarrhoea. Studies have shown
that almost half these deaths could have been prevented by simply washing hands with soap.‟
(UNILEVER, 2010) „Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections.‟
(Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, 2009). There are three ways in which infections can
be spread by the hands, faecal-oral, respiratory secretions and hands contaminated with urine, saliva or
other bodily fluids. Some of the infections that can be stopped with effective hand washing are Hepatitis
A, Influenza, diarrhoea, typhoid and the common cold. (Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 2010)
The success of the Soap Initiative is dependent on the rate of uptake of hand washing using soap by the
community. Education promoting the benefits of hand hygiene is therefore a key component of this
initiative. Hygiene and hand washing programs have been in use for many years and are often not taken
up by the community for many reasons. In Kerala State one such program was started by the government
in 2001. This program was facilitated by the World Bank and The Water and Sanitation Program. The
Government of Kerala partnered with Indian Soap and Toiletries Manufacturers Association and
attempted to develop a program throughout the state. One of the major reasons this program was
abandoned was that it was felt the program was designed to bring in the large soap manufacturers and
their other products. The program was abandoned in 2003 (Curtis et al., 2005).
„Handwashing is one of the most important factors in controlling the spread of micro-organisms and in
preventing the development of infections.‟ (Guinana et al., n.d.). It been shown that if the hands are
washed more frequently then the water consumption will increase greatly, this is what needs to be
avoided in this community as there is not a lot of good water available. This means the time for washing
hands has to be made long enough to be of benefit, but not so long it wastes too much water.
Part of the education program must be to ensure the community sees the value of washing their hands by
reforming their opinion about hand hygiene.
All of the education ideas may require further refining during continuous consultation with the people
involved to help improve the programs.
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The education program will be split into three parts; the school education, the wider community and the
soap workers. Before any part of the education program is rolled out, the council and any other relevant
authorities will be consulted for the approval of the information being distributed, covering aspects such
as ensuring the content does not to offend and is at the right level and language for the target audience.
Ultimately however, the final stamp of approval will come from the council.
6.1 School Education
„Schools are a key environment not just for learning about hand washing, but for the introduction of the
habit, so it lasts‟ (Curtis et al., 2005). Children spend approximately eight hours per day for eight months
of the year at school, during which they learn to socialise, play and learn. This makes school a highly
effective place to learn and practice good habits such as hand washing. The key to the children‟s
education is that they are enthusiastic to learn new things. It will be important for the teacher of the
children to have good training so that they can become passionate about the cause and to pass that passion
to the children.
A multifaceted education campaign will be introduced to the school. Posters will be placed in the school
and will help remind the children to wash their hands before eating, after activities/sport and after using
the toilet. An example of the type of type of poster to be placed in the school is shown in Figure 1. The
poster must be simple enough so that the students can understand the message.
As part of the solution when funds become available, two rain barrels (Padre, 2005) will be positioned at
the school and be treated with bleach to make the water safe for hand washing only, which will be
monitored with help of the teacher. Rain barrels are round poly tank with a sponge filter medium at the
top to filter out contaminants. A similar idea was used in a Kenyan hand washing program and was very
successful at stopping diarrhoea in the school trailed. After the successful trial, the project was expanded
to 70 public schools. (Migele et al., 2007 ) This could also be taken to each house on a larger scale if it is
successful or even just the rainwater capture as most people are unaware of the rainwater capture potential
of such a system.
Additional ideas such as a weekly prize for hand washing may also help boost student enthusiasm and to
cement the habit, as hand washing becomes a competition with the children aspiring to win the prize.
Another part of the approach could be to have drawing contests to show how to wash hands, which could
then be taken home to also help enforce the message at home.
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Bringing in a third party consultant similar to „Lifebuoy‟ (UNILEVER, 2010) to show the advantages of
soap use to the students will also help reinforce the ideas being learnt through the school. If at all possible
the consultant should be unaffiliated to the multinational companies. Lifebuoy is a UNILEVER brand
and as part of their hygiene/hand washing program they have a touring consultant group that uses
ultraviolet dyes to show the benefits of hand washing.
Figure 1 An example of a poster that could be used at the school (The Mother and Child Health and
Education Trust, 2011)
6.2 Community education
The objective of the community education program is to get the community to wash hands with soap after
using toilets, changing a child, before eating and before cooking, to improve the quality of life and health
of the community (Kathleen Shordt, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, for the Hygiene
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Improvement, 2006). Hand washing at these times is essential to assist in the reduction diarrhoea and
similar diseases. „They found that this required mothers to wash their hands an average of 32 times a day,
needed an additional 20 litres of water and an additional hour per day. It is not practical to recommend
washing hands on too many occasions.‟ (Kathleen Shordt, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre,
for the Hygiene Improvement, 2006). Devikulam already has a water shortage issue so it is important to
make sure that water is not used or wasted unnecessarily
The program is designed to start with the children and radiate outwards into the community. The children
with their knowledge will help when at home to pass on the message about hand washing to their family
and can help change the household attitude towards hand washing.
With the assistance of the council, various areas will be chosen as a focus of the community education
program, such as the community centre or the health centre as requested by the community. It is
envisaged these sites will have hand washing facilities and possibly posters to remind people of the
importance of hand washing and also the basic steps of how to wash hands effectively.
At the times when the consultants come to the school, parents and friends will be invited to the school to
become part of the “show”. This may also help combat cultural inertia, beginning with the slow change of
ideas the community may have about the usage of soap.
An example of a poster that could be used in the Community or Health Centre is shown in Figure 2. This
poster shows with limited words the important times for hand washing. Other posters can be developed or
found on a needs basis.
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Figure 2 An example of a poster that could be used for Community or Health Centre (Global
Bureau of Health/HIV-AIDS, U.S. Agency for International Development, n.d.)
6.3 Safety and Training
After the project has been accepted by the community and council, a meeting will be held for anyone who
is interested in learning about the industry. The technical and safety sides of making soap will then be
taught to the soap production workers. It will also incorporate any legal requirements that have not been
researched for this document. Initially the plan will be outlined so that all people involved have a strong
knowledge of what is happening and what is required for the plan to work. This will include a hand
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washing education so it is easier to communicate the information to others, thus helping their business
along.
This will be followed by a technical “How to make soap” presentation. In this part the procedures and
products will be presented to the group. This could be done in many ways, a practical demonstration,
presentation or a booklet of some kind. Once again this will need to be discussed with the council on how
they believe this would work the best. Alternatively further research will be needed to find how to
present this most effectively.
The Safety Training will follow, aimed at people directly involved with the making of the soap.
An important part of any industry is the safety of the employees. To make sure the employees stay safe,
Safe Work Procedures and Material data sheet will be explained and the importance of wearing PPE will
be worn where required whilst manufacturing the soap will be emphasised. It will also be noted that if
there is no PPE, the production must stop until the PPE is replaced.
Material datasheets will be found for the chemicals being used. Some examples of Material datasheets are
in Appendix 2. From these it is possible to create safe work procedures and also get any personal
protective equipment required for the processes.
Safe Work Procedures will be developed to protect the workers and will help these members of the
community become more aware of how to create a safe place to work. An example of a safe work process
form is contained in Appendix 1.The training should include the knowledge required to change/update or
make new procedures when required.
Other tools may be needed to produce all the safety requirements required, these are not detailed in this
report.
The workers and Teacher will be helped to find where they can source extra information from. The
information they are looking for could be new recipes, technical data or new ideas for the school program.
These sources could include the internet, which may require someone else to assist in getting the
information depending on the soap workers literacy level. Other sources could include nearby libraries
and government bodies.
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7. The Saponification Reaction
Soap production relies on the saponification reaction, which is the chemical process responsible for the
physical change and manipulation of its ingredient‟s molecules. This reaction results due to the hydrolysis
of triglycerides. Triglycerides can be described as „glyceride where the glyceride is esterified with three
fatty acids‟(3DChem, n.d.). These molecules naturally occur as animal fats and natural oils in various
forms. There is no chemical difference in classification between fats and oils other than the distinguishing
phase states. The physical variation from the molecule‟s linear carbon chain components results in a
higher tendency to have a characteristic melting point below or around room temperature. Triglycerides
are composed of these three long carbon chains with a propan-1,2,3-tiol backbone (SACE, 2010). The
„packing‟ ability of these chains is related to their tendency to remain in a solid or liquid state at room
temperature. Triglycerides in solid form are defined as fats, while if liquid, are defined as oils. The
Devikulam community‟s healthy abundance of goats presents a viable supply of goats milk, a source of
triglycerides. Goat‟s milk contains a proportionally substantial content of saturated triglycerides (The
Composition of Goat‟s Milk, n.d.). Saturated triglycerides have a greater tendency to remain solid at room
temperature, due to inexorably linear carbon chains which aid even and effective Van da Waal‟s
secondary bonding; therefore a reasonable source of fat content for soap production.
Hydrolysis may be literarily expressed as the „adding of hydrogen‟(SACE, 2010). The „ester links‟ that
attach the carbon chains contain double carbon bonds, in which two of the four valence electrons of each
carbon atom involved are covalently shared between the atoms(SACE, 2010). A carbon chain that
contains double or triple bonds, in terms of organic chemistry nomenclature, is termed „unsaturated‟, as
all four valence electrons of each carbon do not bond to their full capabilities. This „unsaturation‟ gives
hydrogen the opportunity to „break‟ this bond and „add across‟ it(SACE, 2010). This saturation causes the
removal of the propan-1,2,3-triol „backbone‟ and the separation of the three carbon chains, now with a
carboxylate ion head (RCOO-). The hydrogen required for the reaction is found in the form of KOH or
NaOH, the main constituents of the charcoal and water mixture commonly known as „lye‟ (What is Lye?,
n.d.). The oxygen atom from the hydroxide enables the formation of the reaction‟s main by-product, a
transformation of glycerine into glycerol with the addition of a hydroxyl functional group (OH-)(SACE,
2010). The result is a number of free carbon chains with carboxylate ion heads. These products are
responsible for the cleansing action of soap(SACE, 2010).
The cold process of soap production is the most rudimentary and does not require the large amounts of
thermal energy needed for the hot process. This is the main difference between the two processes. There
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is no chemical difference between the reactions, only the level of thermal energy applied to „push‟ the
saponification reaction to the products side. Chemical reactions require a certain level of free energy,
termed the „activation energy‟ of the reaction(SACE, 2010). This is the thermal content needed to induce
the reaction. The cold process begins this reaction by heating the lye and triglyceride mixture to an
appropriate level, not far above 100°C depending on the recipe. The saponification reaction is initiated for
a high proportion of the mixture. However, the cold process is complete only after up to six weeks of
„curing‟, until the reaction is complete. The speed of this reaction is increased by applying a greater
volume of thermal energy, and as according to La Chatelier‟s Principle, thus increases the rate of the
forward reaction, reducing the curing time required.
7.1 Apparatus Requirements
Many of the chemicals pose significant threats to health if they are handled incorrectly. The caustic nature
of lye requires it to be both stored correctly as well as handled safely during the soap production process
(What is Lye?, n.d.). Due to the nature of this solution, it is recommended that a stainless steel pot during
this process. The basic pH of lye could result in damage to pots made of other materials, reducing the
long term efficiency of the soap making initiative. Furthermore, the pre-fabricated waterproof pot will
allow for easy cleaning as well as added safety during the process, eliminating the chance of leakage of
hot, corrosive material that may harm workers.
Lye is essentially a mixture of ash and water, due to both cost and suggested practice, lye is to be stored
in a wooden container which allows extended storage time as well as allowing for periodic stirring to
make sure an even distribution of ash is present throughout the mixture (What is Lye, n.d.). Furthermore,
to minimise any chance of spillage, a small tap fitting is to be added to the base or side of the container, to
allow for safe draining of the solution while also reducing chance of contact with skin.
Once the reaction has taken place, moulds are required for the soap to „cure‟ in. Although it is assumed
the community has access to mud or even clay which could be utilised by skilled workers within the
community to make individual moulds, another method is viable. Many recipes suggest allowing the soap
to cure to a point of solidification in a tray before cutting into individual bars. Essentially, this process
would be most successful if carried out in metal trays, although relatively expensive, such an investment
would reduce the likelihood of contamination of the bars from soil particulates found within mud trays
and also provide a smoother surface with better cleavage for removal of the bars.
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Only basic utensils will be required for the soap making process, due to costs, existing supplies of
wooden spoons, basic measuring apparatus to be determined by a volume based measuring program for a
recipe and other mixing equipment will be needed. Furthermore, safety equipment is of paramount
importance. The reasons and need for such protective clothing is to be discussed later in this report.
7.2 Skills Required:
The skills required for the soap making process are basic and yet need to be taught at an appropriate level
for the community. Both processes require skills that are not dissimilar to basic cooking skills. The
mixture itself has similar steps to a traditional recipe. Boiling, stirring, scraping, pouring and cleaning are
required. Although these skills are not difficult, safety must be upheld in these situations. The corrosive
nature of the lye is the most challenging issue. The issues surrounding chemicals used in the process will
be outlined in this report, however it must be stressed that‟s the guidelines of the safe working practice
plan must be upheld. The soap making process is not inherently dangerous is all information is known to
the community. Workers will be trained in order to overcome these issues. Other skills which need to be
addressed are quite rudimentary. Patience must be observed in the process. If the method is not carried
out effectively, the soap yield may be adversely affected. Due to the financial restraints that are present in
the Devikulam community, this is not desirable. Thus, the importance of rejecting „shortcuts‟ must be
taught to the community. This skill is further compounded in the need for the soap to be cured for a
number of weeks. Villagers who choose to use the soap without waiting for this process run the risk of
skin irritation due to the incomplete reaction within the bar. This furthermore demonstrates the needs for
these skills, outlined in this report to be part of the education program in order to maintain the success and
longevity of the program.
7.3 Further Analysis of Production Method
Although soap production is relatively simple, there are two ways to “cook” soap. One with the help of
extreme temperature, soap can be manufactured faster than the other method which can make it a more
popular choice among the Devikulam community. This method is the hot process. Below are the steps
involved in the hot process:
1. Get the ingredients ready
2. Pour lye into the water – By pouring water into lye, there is a possibility of splash which can
cause eye and skin damage upon contact.
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3. Mix lye and oils and wait till it is traced – Traces usually start to occur in 1 hour
4. Heat the lye-oils mixture and let it boil slowly on low flame
5. Stir if it over boils, and then pour into the greased moulds
6. One it has cooled down, unmould it and cut into bars
7. Leave for it to cure for a few weeks
Curing should take about four weeks. It is important to leave the soap bars in open air and also keep it
flipping so that the entire soap surface is exposed to air. Curing makes the soap much smoother on skin.
The other method – Cold process is essentially the same with a slight variation. It starts off the same with
getting the ingredients ready and pouring the lye into water. Also melting the solid oils to about 32-35
degree Celsius is important. Now is the tricky part. Before mixing lye and oils it is important to ensure
that the temperature of lye and oil are within 5 degrees of each other (about 32-35 degree Celsius),
otherwise the soap will not form. Again wait till the mixture traces without heating too much to avoid
boiling and hence will take much longer stirring. This is the difference between cold and hot process.
Now the mixture should be left in the moulds for about seven days and should be checked for fingertip.
Again the curing procedure is the same for four weeks but it may require for up to six weeks (Winsby
2010).
The advantage of hot process over cold process is it takes about two weeks extra as well as less amount of
stirring during the tracing time. Also cold process requires good approximation of the temperature which
cannot be done without a proper thermometer. But hot process clearly requires more energy to heat up
and the person will be dealing with high temperatures for up to 120 degrees. Hence, it can be concluded
that hot process should be the choice.
No matter what process is used, certain safety precautions are important to follow which are listed below:
1. Need to be in close proximity of a stove.
2. Stay near the stove and have access to large amounts of water.
3. Have large flat work area.
4. Have soap moulds greased.
5. Have woolen blankets somewhere close by in case of fire.
Also some safety equipment is essential and should always be worn when around the cooking soap:
1. Rubber gloves.
2. Fire resistant apron.
3. Safety goggles absolutely important when handling lye.
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The list of equipment needed is tabulated along with the approximate costs:
Large Stainless steel cooking pot (50L)
Rs.7300
Wooden barrel for lye
Rs.2350
Large stirrer
Rs.11000
The community should buy any equipment it finds suitable but the criteria for each are:
1. Large stainless steel cooking pot –should be minimum 50L capacity which is quite hollow
2. Large stirrer-should be wooden as wood is a bad conductor of heat and should be longer then the
steel pot
8. Cultural Issues
The religious demographic within Devikulam pose multiple challenges to the soap. Hinduism is one of
the most dominant religions, in India with approximately 81% of the nation following the faith. There are
three other main „Dharmic‟ religions which are also known and followed worldwide Buddhism, Jainism
and Sikhism present in India. The other main two religions account for approximately 10-15% of the
population are Islam and Christianity.
In Devikulam the main religion is Hinduism; with this being a very community based culture. The
villagers are known to take advantage of masses, rituals and festivals all together as a community. Great
symbolic practises such as ceremonies which involve dancing and creativity which consequently are also
an integral part of the village use another correlation between their religious views can be seen are cows.
Cows are ideal in the soap making process in the western world as their milk and fats are inexorably
suitable for making high quality soap in a rural community. The protein formed in cow‟s milk actually
reacts within the saponification reaction and delivers a much firmer soap, than with any substitute milk.
However, in regards to the cultural aspect of cows, cows are a symbol of ahimsa which means the law of
non-violence and are very sacred animals (Jayaram V .2011). The Hindu faith also considers cows as
bringers of all good, fortune and wealth. This is why it is seen as an act of worship to feed the cow. Their
milk can still be used if is not taken of what‟s already being used. The biggest issue with soap making is
the fats that are needed, fats give the best outcome for soap and is very cheap, easy and readily available
but there are a few reasons why fats can‟t be used or harm any animals just so fats can just be used. Fats
can be externally bought in but this is a community based project and until the industry is making a profit
and “dipping in the piggy bank” to purchase the products needed is not an option unless the soap itself
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can pay for it. In the mean time, community sourced products provide the most viable source of
ingredients available.
When undertaking any community project; the cultural, religious are social practice of the community are
of monumental importance. Firstly, the cultural complication of the fat issue is ending, excess fats
available from the community could be used, but the people don‟t eat any meat. This is due to the fact that
eating meat has been lead to believe that anything that people eat is what affects their consciousness,
emotions and experiential patterns. By consuming animal meats, this will cause prolonged jealousy,
anxiety and a terrible fear of death. That was the spiritual reason, but there is a health reason in that eating
animal meats will impose more burdens and more impurities in the body. Hence you will be paying
higher medical bills and may lead to early death. There is also „the Karmic Consequences Reason‟ which
states “All actions, choice of food, have Karmic consequences. By involving oneself in the cycle of
inflicting injury, pain and death, even indirectly by eating other creatures, one must in the future
experience in equal measure the suffering caused” (KnowsWhy.com.2011). .
Another Cultural factor that must be addressed is the present perception of soap in the community. The
cultural hierarchy suggests Males are in control of the income generated by the family, as well as
community finances. Thus they may not see it as a necessity; generally, looking at the average price of a
bar of soap being an eighth of their daily wage. Therefore they may reject it and this could be a possibility
why there is no soap present in many Devikulam households and hence will not be encouraged to use
soap. It has also been suggested that women may only wash their face with soap before they go out to an
event or ceremony; they see soap as not a hygiene issue but rather as a cosmetic product, and for the
special occasion. This means even if there is soap in their households, may not be included to uses it on a
daily basis and studies have shown that 99% of Kerala wash their hands after using the toilets but only
15% use soap at all, this may be a reflection of the different perspective on soap and its use as a hygienic
cleaner. This would be the only time of the day they would use soap.
9. Environmental Considerations
Ever since the tsunami hit in 2007, the quality of the soil in Devikulam has severely decreased; with
rising salinity in the soil has slowly recovered ever since. The natural disaster has not majorly affected the
people but it is something that must be considered. Further salt pollution of the soil could render it
unusable and this is highly undesirable when implementing a sustainable operation within the community;
with hopefully for sustained economic growth and community morale. The main environmental issue that
must be addressed with soap is the correct disposal the wastage and by disposing on soil. When soap is
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then introduced in a river it does not frequently breakdown immediately. Chemicals breakdown within
soil is of a higher effectiveness and will last forever in a river or pond. Soap is a chemical and incorrect
disposable will result in contaminated drinking water or animal life in the rivers. Furthermore, the use of
running alcohol and glycerine will produce by-products which will be safe to dispose of anywhere;
however, the caustic lye must be disposed of in soil for safety and environmental protection.
(Environment Protection Authority.2004)
When considering the village setting of this soap making process it must be ensured that the community
will properly dispose of the waste involved in the process (The designation for a set of criteria for them to
meet regarding suitable building for industry setup). As described above, proper training will be needed in
handling with dangerous chemicals but also the disposal of the waste. The disposing of chemicals in a
domestic drainage system is never justified; some of the by-products have low melting temperatures and
therefore are prone to solidify at low temperatures, for instance coconut oil may exhibit this behaviour
solidifying at temperatures ranging around 15 degrees Celsius. These solidify when they are going down
drains and can cause problems and other issues drain blockages. Additionally, some by-products present
may take many years to degrade, with the potential to contaminate fresh water and render it unpotable.
However, as mentioned above, the by-products can be broken down through soil too greater extent
however the paths of safe handling as well as the rules. and regulations of the governments national and
federal laws will be upheld in any situation that may present environmental hazards.(Conway,C.2005)
Industrial ecology is being used in the setup which is basically taking the waste from one industry and
moves it to another. Wood ash is being made from the community waste and collecting rainwater. It is
also being used with the donated products of the community such as goat‟s milk and coconut oil. Coconut
is one of the easiest processes as Kerala is one of the biggest Coconut oil producers in India and with that,
the easy processes learned from ancestral methods, The industry can efficiently use the waste from the
communities daily life.
10. Soap Industry - Ideas of implementation to the people.
For introducing soap to the community a good way to bring the idea forth is to announce at a festival. A
performer like a drummer would normally make announcements after a performance and would be an
excellent way to try and boost the communities‟ morale about the soap industry. It may be a good way to
introduce the idea to the community, after all, it will have a very big impact on the community as it will
be a group effort and adding to that they may not see the benefits such as economical gain straight away
so there is more impact lag than implementation lag.
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The idea of sending out a brief and concise pamphlet of the soap industry, something that would inform
the community of what‟s going on, something in their own language with lots of images, just something
that gets them talking because let‟s face it, the project can‟t just be thrown at them and start getting things
kicked off because it will take a few weeks to set up the equipment to create the soap and the idea can be
sat in their minds. Maybe think it over and with education combined into it starting with the children
about hygiene a positive moral and support can be achieved out of the community.
11. Safety Equipment & Instructions (MSDS Review)
Potassium Hydroxide is extremely hazardous with PH levels of up to 13.5, it is therefore extremely
corrosive and capable of causing severe burns and can be fatal if swallowed. Necessary attention safety
precautions must be followed, not only safety equipment, but, proper education in concerning its
handling. The equipment should be colour coordinated (i.e. black & white striped) and stored away from
other equipment. (Sciencelab.com, Inc.2010).

Eye goggles and a face shield is needed.

Lab coat & apron is required.

Possibly a rubber apron properly resisting the corrosion of the caustic soda.

Proper rubber gloves for the corrosion resistance are needed.

Vent hood may be required.
As they are not experienced, taking safety precautions are essential to ensure their protection. The room
should be well ventilated as the gases from the potassium can be inhaled and cause serious health risks.
(HEALTH RATING 3)
Goats Milk only concerns people with allergies, no real precautions should be taken unless there is an
allergy involved. Milk allergies, nut allergies and bleach allergies are very uncommon but must be taken
into consideration.(Gazzola,A, 2010).

latex gloves and an apron may be worn.
This product must be disposed of correctly under federal law. (HEALTH RATING 0)
Coconut is surprisingly hazardous, it may cause a slight skin irritation, but also eye irritation in which
case, immediate washing is required. But the real danger is the potential to aggravate a number of medical
conditions. This product is flammable and can combust at higher temperatures so it would be

necessary to use PPE such as eye goggles and latex gloves.

maybe an apron just to be sure.

A fire extinguisher should be provided as well as a fire blanket.
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When cooking the coconut oils before it gets mixed in with the goat‟s milk and lye solution. It should be
correctly stored away from heat as it starts to melt as low as 21 degrees, but can be stored in a fridge or
cool area as it solidifies at 15 degrees.(Sciencelab.com, Inc.2010). (HEALTH RATING 1)
The costing will not be too expensive. Shipping the items from Chennai to Devikulam may be pricy so
not to include the postage of the goods also being very hard to get a good estimate of pricing without
knowing their services for postage in India. Getting 3 of each item required can cost up to. 250 R‟s,
totalling 750R‟s; these items should be upgraded every few years and may be an ongoing cost. The
biggest issue is about purchasing the equipment is quality, should the PPE be purchased in India, or is it
worth paying 4 times the cost for shipping the items over from Australia. (GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,
2004)
Aus (Pros)
Aus (Cons)
Ind (Pros)
Ind (Cons)
Very good quality
Transport expensive, may
Very cheap, good for
May need to be
Lasting 5-10 years
take 2-3 months to get to
economy as we are
repurchased every few
Devikulam
buying from locals
years
Great safety, ultimate
May cost 4 times the
Safety equipment not a
Transporting materials are
insurance of protection
amount of purchasing
big thing in India, may be
very expensive for such a
from India.
correct approach
short distance
12. Problems, Solutions & the Future
The main problem in Devikulam is the social, health and economic issues all of which can be quite costly
towards the already poor standards of living. Unemployment and underemployment are serious
contributor to this in Devikulam, especially for women. Females work approximately 100 days a year,
approximately a third of the mean wage which is approximately 25000 Rupees, (approximately $450), the
mean wage is already less than two dollars a day US. The solution to this problem is to hopefully expand
the small industry over time so economic gain may be heavily relied on to pay for extra staff to overall
increase productivity of soap. There is a lack of hand washing equipment supplied at schools. To further
the long term educational benefit of this industry it is only logical to improve the hand washing facilities
upon a community plan. Therefore supplying a basin/tap sink along with soap, sourcing the water supply
from the local rainwater tanks will enable the children to wash their hands between meals and hopefully
kills all the germs which give the kids such health related symptoms such as diarrhoea.
The volume of water required is relatively large for the saponification reaction during the procedure. To
secure an appropriate and non invasive water supply, a rainwater tank is needed. Close proximity to the
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work area, a number of other sources may also be appropriate such as transporting water from external
sources or setting up collection from rooves and gutters. These ideas are acceptable yet impractical, being
either non efficient in providing enough water or too expensive to set up and maintain.
The source of the apparatus for the manufacturing process must also be scrutinized for the initial stages of
setting up. First of all the sourcing of equipment such as

35 gallon stainless steel pots and smokeless stoves. Also 50-100 gallon rain water barrels for the early
collection of rain water and for making the lye.
These items can be easily and cheaply purchased in Chennai. Sourcing and purchasing must figured out in
addition to transporting the items over to Devikulam.
Long term if expected that the industry will have the capacity to expand. The industrial goal is to first
purchase the needed ingredients and expand the range such as recycling the glycerine waste from making
soap, combining it with alcohol and creating an anti-bacterial gel. Another possible concept for the
community is to upgrade infrastructure and equipment using the funds from sales. With the introduction
of a community hub with one or two computers for educational purposes, could boost the morale of the
Devikulam people thus enhancing the social and economic benefits of the soap initiative. Other possible
outcomes are

housing or needs of the Devikulam people such as clean drinking water.

We can also try and upgrade to LPG to fuel fires for cooking so there is no poisonous smoke from their
wood fires.
Using industrial ecology it is possible to collect Human or animal faeces and create a methane gas
solution to fire up the stoves, although methane gas is harmful to the environment, in small doses it will
be acceptable, but start-up costs might be too expensive.
13. Recommendation
The idea of establishing this industry through volunteer input although superior to the paid worker model
is not recommended due to the unknown difficulties associated with the caste system at present and the
lack of a visionary person such as Anna Hazare onsite to help the villagers overcome their cultural
restrictions. Volunteer based programs are inherently difficult to get going in the first place let alone with
the added difficulty of groups that are unable to work together through cultural customs. It is very
difficult to propose long term goals to people with no immediate benefits, for someone already struggling
the long term gain is usually forgone. Therefore it is our recommendation that the soap industry start with
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paid worker‟s using funding available to establish a business with guaranteed worker commitment, better
product and minimal complications that are inherent in the volunteer donation model.
14. Conclusion
Indeed monetary gain is deserving of importance, it does not justify the multi-national companies
developing an industry in a remote community. It not only has negative impact on the culture of the
community but also results in declination of such industry. This is where our industry is unique. It utilizes
the philosophy of sarvodaya (created by the people of India and proven by the Lijjat Industry) which
makes this industry or rather initiative much easier for the members of Devikulam community to accept
it. This solution does not have any negative impacts or even if it does, it has been considered and the
solution is modified. The major positive aspect of this project is that it is the community handling it the
way it wants. Hence, this industry will surely take off and benefit the community.
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15. Appendix
Appendix 1
Below contains an example of a safe work method statement. These shall be filled in during the
development of the program in the community. (Worksafe, Victoria, 2008)
Safe work method statement
This SWMS is a site-specific statement that must be prepared before any high-risk construction work is
commenced.
Person responsible
Date:
for ensuring
compliance with
this SWMS:
High-risk job:
What are the tasks involved?
Location:
What are the hazards and
How will hazards and risks be
risks?
controlled?
(describe the control measures and
how they will be used)
Think about the worksite and each stage of the project, including preparation and clean-up.
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Safe work method statement (continued)
Steps for filling out
1. Discuss with relevant employees, contractors and HSRs what work will be high-risk, the tasks, and
associated hazards, risks and controls.
2. In the „What are the tasks involved?‟ column, list the work tasks in sequence to how they will be
carried out.
3. In the „What are the hazards and risks?‟ column, list the hazards and risks for each work task.
4. In the „How will the hazards and risks be controlled?‟ column, select the hazard or risk and then work
through the control levels 1 – 4 from top to bottom. Choose a control measure (and how it is to be used)
that is as close to level 1 as is reasonably practicable.
Control levels
1. Eliminate any risk to health or safety associated with construction work.
2. Reduce the risk to health or safety by any one or any combination of the following:

Substituting a new activity, procedure, plant, process or substance

Isolating persons from the hazard, such as barricading, fencing or guardrailing, or

Using engineering controls, such as mechanical or electrical devices.
3. Use administrative controls, such as changing the way the work is done.
4. Provide appropriate personal protective equipment.
5. Brief each team member on this SWMS before commencing work. Ensure team knows that work is to
immediately stop if the SWMS is not being followed.
6. Observe work being carried out. If controls are not adequate, stop the work, review the SWMS, adjust
as required and re-brief the team.
7. Retain this SWMS for the duration of the high-risk construction work.
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Appendix 2
Below are some links to some Material Safety Data Sheets. One full example follows:
Avantor™ Performance Materials, 2011. MSDS Glycerol. [Online] Avantor™ Performance Materials
Available at:
http://www.avantormaterials.com/SearchDocuments/usa/English/G4774_msds_us_Default.pdf?terms=g4
774[Accessed 7 June 2011].
Certified Lye, 2011. MSDS Lye. [Online] Certified Lye Available at: http://www.certifiedlye.com/MSDS-Lye.pdf [Accessed 7 June 2011]. Certified Lye™ is a subsidiary of Eco-Yank
Enterprises, LLC.
Natural Sourcing, 2011. MSDS Beeswax, white. [Online] Natural Sourcing Available at:
http://www.naturalsourcing.com/msds/MSDS_Beeswax_White.pdf [Accessed 7 June 2011].
Natural Sourcing, 2011. MSDS goat milk powder. [Online] Natural Sourcing Available at:
http://www.naturalsourcing.com/msds/MSDS_Goat_Milk_Powder.pdf [Accessed 6 June 2011].
Natural Sourcing, 2011. MSDS Organic Palm Oil, RBD. [Online] gate34.com Available at:
http://www.naturalsourcing.com/msds/MSDS_Organic_Palm_Oil_RBD.pdf [Accessed 6 June 2011].
Occidental Petroleum Corporation, 2011. Saftey Data Sheet, Dry Caustic Potash (ALL GRADES).
[Online] Occidental Petroleum Corporation Available at:
http://msds.oxy.com/DWFiles/M31867_NA_EN%234.pdf [Accessed 7 June 2011].
Science Stuff, 2009. Material Safety Data Sheet, Coconut Oil. [Online] Science Stuff Available at:
http://www.sciencestuff.com/msds/C1523.html [Accessed 6 June 2011].
ScienceLab.com, 2005. Material Safety Data Sheet, Coconut oil. [Online] ScienceLab.com Available at:
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927500 [Accessed 7 June 2011].
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(Occidental Petroleum Corporation, 2011)
SAFETY DATA SHEET
®
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.: M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
1. CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
Company Identification:
Occidental Chemical Corporation
5005 LBJ Freeway
P.O. Box 809050
Dallas, Tx 75380-9050
24 Hour Emergency Telephone
1-800-733-3665 or 1-972-404-3228 (U.S.); 32.3.575.55.55 (Europe);
1800-033-111
Number:
(Australia)
Page 35 of 55
To Request an MSDS:
[email protected] or 1-972-404-3245
Customer Service:
1-800-752-5151 or 1-972-404-3700
Trade Name:
Caustic Potash - Crystal; Caustic Potash - Flake; Caustic Potash -
Flake 90%
Synonyms:
Potassium hydroxide, KOH Dry
Product Use:
Glass manufacture, Cleaner, Process chemical, Petroleum industry,
Food processing
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
2. HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
*************************************************************************************
****************************************************
EMERGENCY OVERVIEW:
Color:
White / Off-white
Physical State:
Solid
Odor:
Odorless
Signal Word:
DANGER
MAJOR HEALTH HAZARDS: CORROSIVE. CAUSES BURNS TO THE RESPIRATORY
Page 36 of 55
TRACT, SKIN, EYES AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. CAUSES PERMANENT EYE
DAMAGE. EFFECTS OF CONTACT OR INHALATION MAY BE DELAYED.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS: Mixing with water, acid or incompatible materials may cause splattering and
release of heat. Do not store in aluminum container or use aluminum fittings or transfer lines, as
flammable hydrogen gas may be generated. ECOLOGICAL HAZARDS: This material has exhibited
moderate toxicity to aquatic organisms.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 1 of 8
Page 37 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.:
M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS: Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Do not breathe dust. Keep
container tightly closed. Wash thoroughly after handling. Use only with adequate ventilation.
**************************************************************************************************
***************************************
POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS:
Inhalation: May cause severe irritation of the respiratory tract with coughing, choking, pain and possibly burns
of the mucous membranes.
Skin contact: Causes skin burns.
Eye contact: Causes serious eye damage.
Ingestion: Causes burns.
Chronic Effects: None known.
Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure: Respiratory system (including asthma and other breathing disorders)
See Section 11: TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Component
Percentage
CAS Number
Page 38 of 55
Potassium hydroxide
84.5 - 90.5
1310-58-3
Water
9.5 - 15.5
7732-18-5
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. FIRST AID MEASURES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
INHALATION: If adverse effects occur, remove to uncontaminated area. Give artificial respiration if not breathing. If
breathing is difficult, oxygen should be administered by qualified personnel. If respiration or pulse has stopped, have a
trained person administer basic life support (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and/or Automatic External Defibrillator)
and CALL FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY.
SKIN CONTACT: Immediately flush contaminated areas with water. Remove contaminated clothing, jewelry and
shoes. Wash contaminated areas with soap and water. Thoroughly clean and dry contaminated clothing before reuse.
Discard contaminated leather goods. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
EYE CONTACT: Immediately flush eyes with a directed stream of water for at least 15 minutes, forcibly holding
eyelids apart to ensure complete irrigation of all eye and lid tissues. Washing eyes within several seconds is essential to
achieve maximum effectiveness. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
INGESTION: Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious or convulsive person. If swallowed, do not induce
vomiting. Give large amounts of water. If vomiting occurs spontaneously, keep airway clear. Give more water when
vomiting stops. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 2 of 8
Page 39 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.:
M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. FIRST AID MEASURES
Notes to Physician: The absence of visible signs or symptoms of burns does NOT reliably exclude the presence of
actual tissue damage. Probable mucosal damage may contraindicate the use of gastric lavage.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. FIRE-FIGHTING MEASURES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fire Hazard: Negligible fire hazard.
Extinguishing Media: Do not use water. Use extinguishing agents appropriate for surrounding fire.
Fire Fighting: Move container from fire area if it can be done without risk. Cool containers with water. Wear NIOSH
approved positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus operated in pressure demand mode. Avoid contact with
skin.
Sensitivity to Mechanical Impact: Not sensitive.
Sensitivity to Static Discharge: Not sensitive.
Flash point:
Not flammable
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Occupational Release:
Page 40 of 55
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment recommended in Section 8 of the SDS. Shovel dry material into suitable
container. Keep out of water supplies and sewers. This material is alkaline and may raise the pH of surface waters with
low buffering capacity. Releases should be reported, if required, to appropriate agencies.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. HANDLING AND STORAGE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Storage Conditions: Store and handle in accordance with all current regulations and standards. Keep container tightly
closed and properly labeled. Do not store in aluminum container or use aluminum fittings or transfer lines, as
flammable hydrogen gas may be generated. Keep separated from incompatible substances (see Section 10 of SDS).
Handling Procedures: Avoid breathing dust. Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Wash thoroughly after
handling. When mixing, slowly add to water to minimize heat generation and spattering.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. EXPOSURE CONTROLS / PERSONAL PROTECTION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Regulatory Exposure limit(s):
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 3 of 8
Page 41 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.: M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. EXPOSURE CONTROLS / PERSONAL PROTECTION
Component
Potassium hydroxide
CAS Number
1310-58-3
OSHA Final PEL
OSHA Final PEL
OSHA Final PEL
TWA
STEL
Ceiling
-----
-----
-----
OEL: Occupational Exposure Level; OSHA: United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration;
PEL: Permissible Exposure Level; TWA: Time Weighted Average; STEL: Short Term Exposure Level
Non-Regulatory Exposure Limit(s):
- The Non-Regulatory United States Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) limits shown in
the table are the Vacated 1989 PEL's (vacated by 58 FR 35338, June 30, 1993).
- The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) is a voluntary organization of
professional industrial hygiene personnel in government or educational institutions in the United States. The
ACGIH develops and publishes recommended occupational exposure limits each year called Threshold Limit
Values (TLVs) for hundreds of chemicals, physical agents, and biological exposure indices.
Component
CAS
ACGIH
ACGIH
ACGIH
OSHA
OSHA
OSHA Ceiling
Number
TWA
STEL
Ceiling
TWA
STEL
(Vacated)
(Vacated) (Vacated)
Potassium hydroxide
1310-58-3
-----
-----
2 mg/m³
-----
-----
2 mg/m3
ENGINEERING CONTROLS: Provide local exhaust ventilation where dust or mist may be generated. Ensure
compliance with applicable exposure limits.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:
Eye Protection: Wear chemical safety goggles with a faceshield to protect against eye and skin contact when
appropriate. Provide an emergency eye wash fountain and quick drench shower in the immediate work area.
Page 42 of 55
Skin and Body Protection: Wear protective clothing to minimize skin contact. When potential for contact with
wet material exists, wear Tychem® or similar chemical protective suit. When potential for contact with dry
material exists, wear disposable coveralls suitable for dust exposure, such as Tyvek®. Always place pants legs
over boots. Thoroughly clean and dry contaminated clothing before resue. Discard contaminated leather goods.
Hand Protection: Wear appropriate chemical resistant gloves
Protective Material Types:
Butyl rubber, Natural rubber, Nitrile, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Tychem®, Tyvek®
Respiratory Protection: A NIOSH approved respirator with N95 dust/mist filter (1/2 facepiece) or N100
dust/mist filter (full facepiece) cartridges may be permissible under certain circumstances where airborne
concentrations are expected to exceed exposure limits, or when symptoms have been observed that are indicative
of overexposure. If eye irritation occurs, a full face style mask should be used. A respiratory protection program
that meets 29 CFR 1910.134 must be followed whenever workplace conditions warrant use of a respirator.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Physical State:
Solid
Color:
White / Off-white
Odor:
Odorless
Molecular Weight:
56.11
Molecular Formula:
KOH
Boiling Point/Range:
Not applicable
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 4 of 8
Page 43 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.: M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Melting Point/Range:
752 F (400 C)
Vapor Pressure:
60 mmHg @ 1013 C
Vapor Density (air=1):
Not applicable
Specific Gravity (water=1):
2.044 @ 20 C
Water Solubility:
100%
pH:
Not applicable
Volatility:
0%
Flash point:
Not flammable
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reactivity/ Stability: Stable at normal temperatures and pressures.
Conditions to Avoid: Mixing with water, acid, or incompatible materials may cause splattering and release of large
amounts of heat. Will react with some metals forming flammable hydrogen gas. Carbon monoxide gas may form
upon contact with reducing sugars, food and beverage products in enclosed spaces.
Incompatibilities/ Materials to Avoid: Acids, Halogenated compounds, Prolonged contact with aluminum, brass,
bronze, copper, lead, tin, zinc or other alkali sensitive metals or alloys
Hazardous Decomposition Products: None known
Hazardous Polymerization: Will not occur
Page 44 of 55
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
TOXICITY:
As a solid, this material interacts with moist tissue to cause damage. When in solution, this material will affect all
tissues with which it comes in contact. The severity of the tissue damage is a function of concentration, the length of
tissue contact time, and local tissue conditions. After exposure there may be a time delay before irritation and other
effects occur. The material is a strong irritant and is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. This material
may cause severe burns and permanent damage to any tissue with which it comes in contact.
CARCINOGENICITY: This product is not classified as a carcinogen by NTP, IARC or OSHA.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
ECOTOXICITY DATA:
Aquatic Toxicity:
This material is alkaline and may raise the pH of surface waters with low buffering
capacity. This material has exhibited moderate toxicity to aquatic organisms.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 5 of 8
Page 45 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.:
M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Freshwater Fish Toxicity:
LC50 (Mosquito fish): 80 mg/L/96 hr (static bioassay in fresh water at 18-19 C)
LC50 (Fathead Minnow): 179 mg/L/96 hr (static at 22.3-24.7 C)
Invertebrate Toxicity:
EC50 (Daphnia magna): 60 mg/L/48 hr (static bioassay at 20.3-20.7 C)
Algae Toxicity:
ErC50 (Selenastrum capricornutum): 61 mg/L/96 hr (static bioassay at 23-23.9 C)
FATE AND TRANSPORT:
BIODEGRADATION: This material will disassociate into ionic form in the aquatic environment. Natural
carbon dioxide will slowly neutralize this material.
BIOCONCENTRATION: This material will not bioconcentrate.
ADDITIONAL ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION:
This material has exhibited slight toxicity to terrestrial organisms.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 46 of 55
Reuse or reprocess, if possible. Dispose in accordance with all applicable regulations.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. TRANSPORT INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
U.S.DOT 49 CFR 172.101:
PROPER SHIPPING
NAME:
Potassium hydroxide, solid
UN NUMBER:
UN1813
HAZARD CLASS/ DIVISION: 8
PACKING GROUP:
II
LABELING
8
REQUIREMENTS:
DOT RQ (lbs):
RQ 1,000 Lbs. (Potassium hydroxide)
CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS:
SHIPPING NAME:
Potassium hydroxide, solid
UN NUMBER:
UN1813
CLASS OR DIVISION:
8
PACKING/RISK GROUP: II
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. REGULATORY INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 6 of 8
Page 47 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.:
M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. REGULATORY INFORMATION
U.S. REGULATIONS
OSHA REGULATORY STATUS: This material is considered hazardous by the OSHA Hazard
Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) (US)
CERCLA SECTIONS 102a/103 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES (40 CFR 302.4):
If a release is reportable under CERCLA section 103, notify the state emergency response commission and local
emergency planning committee. In addition, notify the National Response Center at (800) 424-8802 or (202) 4262675.
Component
CERCLA Reportable Quantities:
Potassium hydroxide
1000 lb (final RQ)
EPCRA EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES (40 CFR 355.30): Not regulated
EPCRA SECTIONS 311/312 HAZARD CATEGORIES (40 CFR 370.21):
Acute Health Hazard
EPCRA SECTION 313 (40 CFR 372.65): Not regulated.
OSHA PROCESS SAFETY (PSM) (29 CFR 1910.119): Not regulated
FDA: This material has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status under specific FDA regulations. Additional
information is available from the Code of Federal Regulations which is accessible on the FDA's website.
NATIONAL INVENTORY STATUS
Page 48 of 55
U.S. INVENTORY STATUS: Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA): All components are listed or exempt
TSCA 12(b): This product is not subject to export notification
Canadian Chemical Inventory: All components are listed
STATE REGULATIONS
Component
Potassium hydroxide
California Proposition 65 Cancer WARNING:
Not Listed
California Proposition 65 CRT List - Male
Not Listed
reproductive toxin:
Not Listed
California Proposition 65 CRT List - Female reproductive toxin:
Massachusetts Right to Know Hazardous Substance List
Listed
New Jersey Right to Know Hazardous Substance List
Listed
Listed - corrosive
New Jersey Special Health Hazards Substance List
New Jersey - Environmental Hazardous Substance List
Not Listed
Pennsylvania Right to Know Hazardous Substance List
Listed
Not Listed
Pennsylvania Right to Know Special Hazardous Substances
Pennsylvania Right to Know Environmental Hazard List
Listed
Rhode Island Right to Know Hazardous Substance List
Listed
CANADIAN REGULATIONS
This product has been classified in accordance with the hazard criteria of the Controlled Products Regulations and the
MSDS contains all the information required by the Controlled Products Regulations.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 7 of 8
Page 49 of 55
DRY CAUSTIC POTASH (ALL GRADES)
MSDS No.:
M31867
Rev. Date: 2010-Aug-25
Rev. Num.:04
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________
WHMIS Classification: E
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________
16. OTHER INFORMATION
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________
Prepared by: OxyChem Corporate HESS - Health Risk Management
HMIS: (SCALE 0-4) (Rated using National Paint & Coatings
Rating Instructions, 2nd
Association HMIS:
Edition)
Health:
3
Flammability:
0
Reactivity:
1
0
Reactivity:
1
NFPA 704 - Hazard Identification Ratings
(SCALE 0-4)
Health:
3
Flammability:
IMPORTANT:
The information presented herein, while not guaranteed, was prepared by technical personnel and is
true and accurate to the best of our knowledge. NO WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR WARRANTY OR GUARANTY OF ANY
OTHER KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IS MADE REGARDING PERFORMANCE, SAFETY,
SUITABILITY, STABILITY OR OTHERWISE. This information is not intended to be all-inclusive
as to the manner and conditions of use, handling, storage, disposal and other factors that may involve
other or additional legal, environmental, safety or performance considerations, and OxyChem
assumes no liability whatsoever for the use of or reliance upon this information. While our technical
personnel will be happy to respond to questions, safe handling and use of the product remains the
Page 50 of 55
responsibility of the customer. No suggestions for use are intended as, and nothing herein shall be
construed as, a recommendation to infringe any existing patents or to violate any Federal, State, local
or foreign laws.
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 requires that information be provided to employees
regarding the hazards of chemicals by means of a hazard communication program including
labeling, material safety data sheets, training and access to written records. We request that you,
and it is your legal duty to, make all information in this Material Safety Data Sheet available to
your employees.
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________
Print date: 2010-Aug-25
Page: 8 of 8
Page 51 of 55
Appendix 3:
Page 52 of 55
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Conway,C.2005. Even Biodegradable Soap Can Pollute Water Sources, Available:
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Environment Protection Authority, 2004, The Disposal of Soaps and Detergents, Available:
http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/xstd_files/Waste/Information%20sheet/soaps_detergents.pdf. Last accessed
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http://www.aerb.gov.in/T/PUBLICATIONS/CODESGUIDES/SG-IS-03.PDF. [Last accessed 2-62011].
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http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/ahimsa.asp. [Last accessed 2-6-2011]
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http://www.buzza.in/Gramap2/Devikulam_information.html
Jarvie, W 1990, Review of the Economic Independence Program of the Aboriginal Development
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