Emergency response dikes

Emergency Response Upon discovery of a product or waste leak or spill, appropriate regulatory agencies are notified and immediate actions are taken to repair the source of the release and abate any immediate threat to safety, health, or the environment (e.g., fire, explosion, etc.). Such emergency response measures may include site access control, containment diking, product removal, vapour suppression, protection of water resources, and/or contaminated soil and debris removal. The emergency response is complete once the release has been terminated and any associated acute hazards (i.e., immediate threats to safety, health, etc.) have been identified and controlled. 

Steps to be taken if the materials is released or spilled. Do not touch spilled material. Stop leak if you can do it without risk. Do not get water inside container. For large spills, dike spill for later disposal. Keep unnecessary people away. Isolate hazard area and deny entry. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 Section 304 requires that a release equal to or greater than the reportable quantity for this substance (1 pound) must be immediately reported to the local emergency planning committee, the state emergency response commission, and the National Response Center (800) 424-8802 in Washington, DC metropolitan area (202) 426-2675. 

Finally, dikes are located around process units and storage tanks to contain liquid spills. Emergency response plans are used to address extreme situations, inform the nearby community, and implement evacuation plans, if necessary. 

The first and best response to any liquid spill is to immediately clear the area of aU people and quickly notify an instructor. In academic labs, it is very likely that identifying what was spilled will be fairly easy. Since liquids spread easily, if possible to do so safely, it is best to build a small dike around the spiU area using sand, an absorbent material, or a spill pillow that both absorbs the liquid and prevents further spread. Containing the spill is best, but you should not put yourself at risk to do this. If you use a spiU kit, you should tell someone in authority about the incident and particularly note that the spill kit was used. Returning an empty spill kit to a shelf is unsafe since it will not be ready for a subsequent emergency ... 

The alternative release scenario could include a worst-case release amount but with passive (e.g., dikes or sumps) or active responses (e.g., a deluge system, emergency shutdown system) in place, or a release based on past history. The modeling is done under either typical meteorological conditions or a D atmospheric stability and a wind speed of 3 m/s. 

---