Spill Response Personal Protective Equipment

CERS Computerized Emergency Response Series Advanced Systems Laboratories, Inc. 7137 West Main St. Uma, NY 14485 (716) 624-3276 Determines response procedures for incidents based on data from CMSDS and CHIMS. Includes firenghting information, personal protective equipment, emer ncy first aid procedures, spill and containment procedures, waste disposal procedures, and physical and health hazards. Requires 640K memory and hard disk. 

Store only pesticides, pesticide containers, pesticide equipment, and a spill cleanup kit at the storage site. Do not keep food, drinks, tobacco, feed, medical or veterinary supplies or medication, seeds, clothing, or personal protective equipment (other than personal protective equipment necessary for emergency response) at the site. These could be contaminated by vapors, dusts, or spills and cause accidental exposure to people or animals. 

Spills Happen A Training Program for Small Spill Response Fast and effective spill reporting, identifying chemicals, containing source, personal protective equipment, people and environmental protection, preventing fire and explosions after spills, use of absorbents, hazardous waste disposal, and restoring normal operations. 

The use of personal protective equipment is very important in spill situations because response personnel face exposure to chemicals that could cause serious injury or illness. The hazards are accentuated by the unknown physical environment of the spill site and the random nature of spills. The multiple hazards of spill sites distinguish such incidents from spills in the laboratory or exposure to chemicals in the workplace. Spill responders entering a site cannot always predict what chemicals or concentrations they will encounter and what other hazards may be present. There is also a lack of standards and guidelines for selecting and using personal protective equipment for chemical spill emergency situations. Most standards are written for use in the workplace and may not be fully applicable to emergency situations. 

Ventilate area of leak or spill. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment as specified in Section 8. Spills Sweep up and containerize for reclamation or disposal. Vacuuming or wet sweeping may be used to avoid dust dispersal. Small amounts of residue may be flushed to sewer with plenty of water. US Regulations (CERCLA) require reporting spills and releases to soil, water and air in excess of reportable quantities. The toll free number for the US Coast Guard National Response Center is (800) 424-8802. 

In the workplace, this lack of understanding of chemical toxicity can result in serious problems. New graduates need to realize the use of toxic chemicals cannot be avoided. Large quantities of chemicals are often used on a day-to-day basis, and it will usually be the new chemist s responsibility to handle waste disposal. They must know how to respond to a spill, and the proper personal protective equipment to use. Lack of understanding of chemical toxicity is related to the failure to make the proper choice of personal protective equipment, and to use it consistently. A new chemist in the workplace may make choices based on the less toxic materials used in classroom setting. 

There should be one or more senior operatives who are knowledgeable and well trained in precautionary and protective measures and also compliance with pesticide regulations. They should be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of plant operations, applications in the field, etc. No person should work alone while handling or likely to be exposed to anti-ChEs. There should always be an additional person nearby, designated as safety officer, who can view the operation at a distance sufficient, if necessary, to raise an alarm, to allow protective clothing and equipment CO be donned, and to undertake the initial rescue and possible first aid and resuscitation measures. Thus, ideally this person should be trained in the emergency mea.sures for an anti-ChE leak, spill, and exposure, and it is desirable for him or her to be trained in first aid measures to treat OP and CM poisoning. 

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