HAZARDOUS SPILL CONTROL AND PROCEDURE

Effective Spill Control begins with being prepared; that means having an Emergency Plan that includes the following criteria;

1. Training
2. Protective Clothing
3. Clean Up Equipment
4. Clean Up Supplies
5. First Aid Supplies

ALL EMPLOYEES should be made aware of the Emergency Plan, with regular training sessions, involving possible emergency situations.

The Emergency Plan should include training of your Emergency Response Team, so that they are aware of the hazardous nature of the materials they are handling and their dangers.

Your Emergencey Plan, should include detailed information about protective clothing, clean up equipment and supplies and also first aid supplies.

The Emergency Plan should detail the actions you should take and those you should not. It should include telephone numbers to call and the location of protective clothing, equipment and clean up material.

The right protective clothing is vitally important and may include chemical resistant overall, gloves, goggles, boots, respirators etc.

The Emergency Response Team must be familiar with all protective clothing and spill equipment.

PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW WHEN SPILL OCCURS

Follow these 10 steps, you choose the order to fit the nature of the spill;

01. Get away
02. Identify what you saw
03. Get Help
04. Seal off the area and alert others
05. Look for injuries
06. Identify Hazard
07. Plan of Action
08. Get proper equipment and material
09. Contain spill
10. Clean up spill

01. GET AWAY

Turn off any ignition source, if you can. If you see or smell a hazard, move away to a safe distance.

This seems obvious but it is surprising how many people spot a hazard or spill and try to take a closer look. Without proper protection they could be disabled or killed.

Remember that any spill, large or small can be dangerous. Unless you know the nature of the material involved, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE and wait for someone with more training or experience.

02. IDENTIFY WHAT YOU SAW

What is it?

In many cases this will be a split second observation. Don't go back to find out, just think for a second;

Did you see a label?

Was it foaming or fuming?

Is there Fire?

What did it smell like?

What was it doing?

All theses questions are important and accurate information should be passed to the Emergency Response Team.

03. GET HELP

Call your Emergency Response Team. You may also need to advise the emergency services by dialling 999.

04. SEAL OFF AREA & ALERT OTHERS.

This will keep other people away and isolate the area.

Warn your fellow employees about the dangers. Use barrier tape/free standing signs.

05. LOOK FOR INJURIES

If there are casualties or injuries, deal with them first.

Remember, do not put yourself at risk.

Do not try and retrieve an injured person from a spill area unless you are completely protected yourself.

06. IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

What chemical is it?

What are the dangers?

Check the Material Safety Data Sheet. These are required for all hazardous chemicals. It details the chemical name, the hazard and what to do in an emergency.

If identification necessitates someone going back into the spill area, assume the worst and be careful. Use full body protection with breathing apparatus.

DO NOT ENTER spill area alone or without back up.

If you do not have the right equipment or training to deal with the hazard, GET HELP.

07. PREPARE PLAN OF ACTION

Once the chemical has been identified you need to decide what action to take.

The Emergency Response Team Leader, or his deputy, will co-ordinate this.

08. PROPER EQUIPMENT & MATERIAL

The correct protective clothing should be worn.

Be certain the right equipment is utilised for the situation you are dealing with.

09. CONTAIN THE SPILL

Containment is vital in all spill situations. The faster the spill is contained, the less damage there is to people, to plant and to the environment. Always approach with caution and don't take risks.

Containment really means two things;

Firstly, stop the spill or leak. This may only mean closing a valve, or shutting off a pump to stop a flow, or applying an industrial bandage to a leaking hose.

Secondly, build a barrier to stop the spread of the leak, or divert the flow to a controlled area. It is extremely important that the spill does not reach a watercourse, or drain, where it can contaminate the water supply, lakes, or rivers. Containment involves the use of clean up materials such as socks, booms, pillows, sheets, drain covers etc.

Shut off ventilation and air conditioning systems to keep gases, vapours and mists from spreading to the rest of the plants.

This is what containment is all about - The control of all possible hazards.

10. CLEAN UP

Be careful - do not touch the spill. Use the correct clean up materials.

Do not smoke or make sparks of any kind. Always be sensible.

By acting quickly you can minimise environmental contamination and costly clean up operations.

Materials used should be properly stored in a suitable container.

Remember that the absorbed materials have the same properties and hazards as the original spilled material and must be dealt with and disposed of accordingly. When the clean up is complete, safely dispose of contaminated material, overalls etc.

REVIEW

After the spill, review what happened, could it have been prevented, review your plan, which material worked, which didn't.

Report the incident to your Safety Officer.

Replace material supplies immediately.

All spills are dangerous and should be treated seriously, no matter how small. But if you act quickly and know what to do to minimise the hazard, then you will be ready when an emergency happens.

FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM;

This document is for guidance only, contact Oil-Dri (UK) Limited for further information.