BEST PRACTICES

The following best practices include practices not specifically addressed by regulation but are still recommended. Even when not required by environmental regulations, the following best practices are recommended.

Emergency Planning

An Emergency Response Plan must address the following:

• Identification of potential emergencies
• Roles and responsibilities of management, employees and coordination of roles with potential offsite responders such as police and fire departments or local hazardous materials response teams. Identify facility emergency coordinators and means of contact.
• Description of how emergencies might be recognised and communicated within the facility.
• Identify evacuation routes, safe congregation areas and procedures for accounting for personnel, including visitors.
• Describe procedures for activating facility alarms and notifying local emergency response services.
• Describe procedures for personnel to obtain emergency medical treatment and first aid.
• Describe amount and types of training in-house personnel receive to be able to respond to emergencies consistent with the roles and responsibilities identified.
• Provide an inventory of Personal Protective Equipment and other equipment and tools for use in emergency situations.

Emergency Equipment

Typical emergency equipment that would be included at a waste storage facility should include:

• Emergency eyewash stations and showers installed in areas where there is the potential to come into contact with hazardous chemicals. Eyewash stations and showers should have unobstructed access from any point in the area within 10 seconds and be on the same level as the potential hazard.
• Fire extinguishers easily accessible of size and type to be effective against an anticipated fire.
• Fire Blankets
• Fire suppression systems.
• Communications systems including telephones, radios, and alarms.
• Emergency personal protective equipment including SCBA’s, disposable coveralls, gloves, eye protection, short term escape respirators.
• Spill control equipment including, spill pillows, absorbent pads, drum berms, drain plugs, hand pumps, neutralisation solutions.
• Air monitoring instrumentation, either portable or fixed systems if needed.
• First aid kit, including burn kit.
• Periodic inspection of equipment to ensure its effectiveness and availability.
• Provide personnel adequate hands-on training in use of emergency equipment to be able to effectively use equipment and respond to emergencies.
• All equipment must be tested and maintained as necessary to ensure that it will function properly in time of emergency.

In addition to the above planning and equipment, drills should be conducted periodically to assess the facilities capabilities to respond to emergencies and identify areas of response weakness. Drills and responses to emergencies should be subject to a follow up critique to identify areas of weakness and corrective actions to be taken.