Chemical Spills

CHEMICAL SPILLS

by Scott Lawson

Many companies establish spill-response plans to comply with the HAZWOPER standard (CFR 1910.120), yet fail to develop a program that addresses their specific hazards.

HAZWOPER programs are required only if there is 'an occurrence which results, or is likely to result, in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance.' If you have a low level of chemical use and chemicals are only incidental to your business, you might not need a full-blown 1910.120 HAZWOPER program.

A better approach is to train your employees to deal with spills or leaks of the chemicals they use in their work areas. The greatest danger comes when an individual worker does not respect or understand the hazards of the materials with which he or she works. Make your hazard communication program address low-volume spills rather than complying with 1910.120. You may need to provide workers with commercial spill kits and sorbents to deal with small spills.

These suggestions are most applicable to users of moderate amounts of chemicals, where chemical use is incidental to the nature of the business. These establishments have few chemical containers or drums on site, usually not exceeding a 55-gallon capacity.

A higher level of chemical use is found in workplaces where chemical usage is integral to its operations. There may be many 55-gallon drums and a wide variety of chemicals. In addition, more complex chemicals from bulk storage tanks may be present. Spills may affect entire work areas and pose a danger to the entire company and even to the community.

The basic approached to handling chemical spills are:

1. Train your employees to handle spills. The HAZWOPER standard usually requires a 40-hour generic training program with eight hours of refresher training annually. Tools, equipment, medical monitoring, and respirator training may be required. It is easy to spend over $30,000 for a minimal 1910.120 program.
2. Use municipal HAZMAT teams. Many communities have HAZMAT teams to respond to chemical emergencies. Check with your municipality to see how it operates.
3. Hire a local spill-response company. Such companies should evaluate your worksite, guarantee a response time, and most important, provide a list of credentials that will permit you to check with past and current clients to evaluate the company.

Finally, there are large facilities with a wide variety of chemicals in volumes that can pose a hazard to the environment and community. These chemicals may include solvents, corrosives, and compressed gases.

This level of use warrants HAZWOPER training as well as coordination of emergency response planning with a variety of municipal and private organizations such as police departments, fire departments, and hospitals.

I strongly believe in letting experts do what they do best instead of trying to make experts out of those who never will be. Experts are trained to do something well all of the time. If you need help, get it.

Don't limit your consideration of hazards to internally generated accidents. Consider the possible effects of floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. In today's environment, violent acts, sabotage, and civil disturbances must be assessed for their potential to cause or exacerbate dangerous hazardous material situations.