Canadian Occupational Safety

February/March 2017 23 It can cause an explosion," he says. Neutralizing an acid or base may require a lot of neutralizing chemical. A colour indicator on some products will show when the spill is neutral. Otherwise, you must check the pH to see that the chemical has been properly neutralized. Different areas of a facility should have an emer- gency spills response plan specifi c to that area: one plan around the acid tanks; a different one in the area around alkalines. After the spill is cleaned up, the absorbent should be disposed of properly, Chacon adds. DSV puts contaminated absorbent into special containers and every month, a company responsible for the disposal of those chemicals takes away the waste. Every spill incident should also be documented. PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT While best practices regarding chemical spills are largely driven by safety concerns, they also aim to minimize exposure to the environment. For example, if a spill occurs off site, Chacon says, Environment Canada is notifi ed. It will investigate what happened and how it happened. It may look at worker training and emergency plans. Environmental protection is a par ticular concern for companies that handle hydrocarbons, Nibber says. In the case of large spills of hydrocarbons at a facil- ity, the oils must be controlled to prevent spreading and igniting. Floors should be graded and drained away from equipment and other surfaces. Spilled oils should be collected in what is called a closed hydrocarbon drain system. This helps contain and recover the fl uids and prevents them mixing with (if a fi re occurs) fi re water and other liquids, which can spread and contaminate surrounding land. The drains around equipment should be linked to the closed hydrocarbon drain system. "That's one of the good things a lot of the organized facilities do to minimize the level of contamination," says Nibber. When oil leaks are small, the best thing to do is cover the storm-water drain and allow the oils to go into the closed hydrocarbon drain system, he says. "In effect, there are two separate drain systems at most large facilities. One is to capture the hydro- carbon spill as much as possible. With the other one, any water or contaminants due to high rainfall will go into a storm-water system. There, you can sample and you use a weir system to skim the oil off. Skimming is a very important feature and only then do you allow the clean water to be released to the river or outside." Rob Pennington, acting platoon chief at Toronto Fire Services, says most companies that deal with hazardous chemicals are very responsible. The Fire Services itself does not get many calls to respond to chemical spills. Most hazardous material calls are natural gas leaks and fuel leaks from vehicles. He says if company employees are not trained to handle a particular chemical, they should just call 911 and evacuate the facility immediately. Some organizations, he adds, conduct sim- ulated spills training in co-operation with the Fire Services. "We'll get together. Larger companies, universities and hospitals will have a simu- lated leak or spill on their site. They exercise their internal procedures fi rst," Pennington says. "That's when we respond... It tests their whole system, from the 911 call to the mate- rial getting picked up." In the event of a spill, May of Mayken Hazmat Solutions says staff must know how to protect themselves, fi rst and foremost, and then protect the environment. Train- ing often includes taking workers through table-top scenarios. It is also essential to conduct hands-on training so they can see how spills occur. "If they are using a forklift, for example, and they have their forks at the wrong angle or the wrong height, they could puncture a drum or a tote and cause a leak. With many products, you can temporarily patch the drum or tote that's leaking until you can transfer it into a different container," he says. The paint spill in the Alberta parking lot was initially contained by putting several bags of a general absorbent down on top of the storm drain in the middle of the parking lot. Another couple bags were then placed around the drain. Cleaning up was made easier because the paint was water-soluble. Using the pressure washer unit on a vacuum truck, they pressure-washed every- thing down and gathered all the paint up as they were washing. "It sucked up all the free liquids," he says. "Luck- ily, it was spilled on asphalt, not gravel. So we were able to wash the paint off the parking lot." Linda Johnson is a freelance journalist based in Toronto. She can be reached at lindajohnson@sympatico.ca. PREVENTION • Evaluate ways to minimize potential spills in the storage area as well as during transportation, transfers and use. • Protect containers and pipes from damage. • Inspect containers and pipes regularly for leaks, corrosion or signs of degradation. • Use spill trays and secondary containment where leaks may occur. • Be aware of any instability or incompatibility that may lead a container to break or overfl ow. • Use only as much of the material as you need at a time. PREPAREDNESS • Be prepared and have appropriate spill equipment and procedures in place. • Evaluate the hazards (such as fi re, health or reactivity) of the materials you work with and be prepared to properly and safely clean up a small spill or leak. • Ensure appropriate spill kits, tools and personal protective equipment are readily available. • Ensure that engineering controls are adequate and are working properly. • Post emergency response contact numbers and information in a visible location. • Practise your spill response plan. RESPONSE • Know when to initiate the emergency response plan. • If you cannot respond safely, then evacuate the area and restrict access. • Contact the your spill response team or emergency services. It can cause an explosion," he says. Neutralizing an acid or base may require a lot of neutralizing chemical. A colour indicator on some products will show when the spill is neutral. Otherwise, you must check the pH to see that the chemical has been properly neutralized. Different areas of a facility should have an emer- gency spills response plan specifi c to that area: one SPILL SOLUTIONS There is always a chance that a spill or leak can happen when chemicals are used in the workplace. The employer is responsible for developing procedures that are appropriate for the workplace and should include prevention, preparedness and response. Source: Health Canada PREPAREDNESS • Be prepared and have appropriate spill PREVENTION • Evaluate ways to minimize potential spills in PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT While best practices regarding chemical spills are RESPONSE • Know when to initiate the emergency response plan.

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