Site preparation hazards

Time and effort must be spent in preparing a site for the cleanup activity to ensure that response operations go smoothly and that worker safety is protected. Site preparation can be as hazardous as site cleanup. Therefore, safety measures should be afforded the same level of care at this stage as during actual cleanup. Table 16.11 presents the major steps in site preparation prior to any cleanup activities. 

Many of the site controls have been covered earlier in this chapter (Section 7.2 - General hazards and controls). Site controls can be conveniently subdivided under four headings - site planning, site preparation, site security and the arrangements with the client and/or occupier of the premises. 

Some of the hazards encountered during site preparation include being struck or crushed by heavy equipment slips, trips, and falls on uneven or unstable ground overhead power lines simultaneous operations and site congestion excavation collapse and other related hazards and falls from height. 

In addition, this chapter will discuss hazards related to site preparation, including ... 

Falls, struck-by, and crushing hazards are just a few of the dangers that employees face when it comes to the use of heavy mechanical equipment during site preparation. Employers and employees should examine the work environment to detect any unsafe or unhealthfully conditions, practices, or equipment, and take corrective action before someone gets injured or killed. 

To reduce exposure to lead-based paint hazards created by renovation activities, the work practices standards in this regulation provide basic requirements for occupant protection, site preparation, and cleanup. 

Some of the most important errors identified in the PHEA worksheets were inadequate isolation of process equipments, inadequate labelling of equipment, delay in starting the work after issue the work permit, improper gas testing, inadequate site preparation measures etc. 32% of predicted errors, were related to inadequate isolation of process equipments and hazardous energy source which are one of the main causes of accidents in process industries. 

The sectors Manufacture of Weapons Ammunition (25.4) and Other First Processing of Steel (24.3) show the highest hazard ratio and can be regarded as the most risky sectors to work in. The top 10 high-hazard sectors features three branches of the metals industry, two mining branches and two branches closely related to construction Demolition site preparation (43.1) and Manufacture of articles of concrete, cement and plaster (23.6). Various branches in the construction sector show hazard ratios ranging from 4.0 to 5.2. 

Regulate the design and operation of defined major hazard installations. All necessary measures are required to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents. Operators of upper-tier sites must produce a detailed Safety Report those of lower-tier sites must prepare a Major Accident Prevention Policy. 

Prepare and implement an emergency preparedness and response plan. Such a plan is required because of the large quantities of ammonia and other hazardous materials stored and handled on site. 

Occupational Safety and Health Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities. Prepared by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSHj, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), October 1985, p. 4-1. 

We mention the hazardous waste standard due to the speeifie requirements of this standard. However, should your operation involve hazardous materials, the same basie prineiples apply. Those prineiples, simply stated, are that workers should be properly trained, qualified, and prepared to perform their work. If their work is responding to an emergeney situation or release, the worker should be able to do so without beeoming injured. It does not matter if your site is a hazardous waste site or not workers should be adequately prepared to perform expeeted work. 

The prime contractor s SSAHPs for Sites D, E, and G and the subcontractor s SSAHP for Site I did not contain detailed discussions of specific work tasks to be performed by employees or the hazards associated with those tasks. As a result, SOPs associated with each job or task had not been prepared. 

The toxicological profiles are developed by ATSDR pursuant to Section 104(i) (3) and (5) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) for hazardous substances found at Department of Energy (DOE) waste sites. CERCLA directs ATSDR to prepare toxicological profiles for hazardous substances most commonly found at facilities on the CERCLA National Priorities List (NPL) and that pose the most significant potential threat to human health, as determined by ATSDR and EPA. ATSDR and DOE entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on November 4, 1992, which provided that ATSDR would prepare toxicological profiles for hazardous substances based upon ATSDR s or DOE s identification of need. The current ATSDR priority list of hazardous substances at DOE NPL sites was announced in the Federal Register on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38451). 

McKone TE (1993) CalTOX, A multi-media total-exposure model for hazardous wastes sites. Part II. The dynamic multi-media transport and transformation model. A report prepared for the State of California, Department Toxic Substances Control by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory No. UCRL-CR 111456PtII, Livermore... 

This statement was prepared to give you information about hexachloroethane and to emphasize the human health effects that may result from exposure to it. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 1,416 hazardous waste sites as the most serious in the nation. These sites make up the National Priorities List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for long-term federal clean-up activities. Hexachloroethane has been found in at least 45 of the sites on the NPL. However, the number of NPL sites evaluated for hexachloroethane is not known. As EPA evaluates more sites, the number of sites at which hexachloroethane is found may increase. This information is important because exposure to hexachloroethane may cause harmful health effects and because these sites are potential or actual sources of human exposure to hexachloroethane. 

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