Bedford Hills Haz-Mat Job

[X2321 133]

What would you do if you were the incident commander and arrived to find a tractor trailer leaking an unknown liquid with these placards on the side of the trailer.

http://www.lohud.com/videonetwork/2761848516001/Hazmat-team-contains-leak-I-684-rest-area-re-opened

[SageVigiles 1,194]

First of all its a Clean Harbors truck, so you know its going to be a nightmare sorting through all the different products you're going to have inside. But it should be run the same way any other HAZMAT call runs, use the 8-Step Process:

1. Site Management and Control - Isolate the area, evacuate anyone nearby, set up some initial zones based on an unknown product, since this is a Clean Harbors truck and is likely a collection of various HAZMATs picked up from locations all over the place. Start ICS and make sure you have an IC and a Safety Officer. In CT we're also going to call the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection as required by state statute, they'll send one or two of their Emergency Response Coordinators out to assist. Regional (or in NY's case, County) HAZMAT team also added and EMS for standby.

2. Identify Product - The placards are only telling me so much. We're going to need some kind of paperwork on the products involved. If the leak isn't all over the place, we can likely send someone into the cab to get some shipping papers. If not, remember we're dealing with Clean Harbors here, not Crazy Joe's Overnight Waste Removal and Handyman Services. Its a HUGE environmental company with some professional management staff, and I wouldn't be totally surprised if they had an electronic database that will tell me exactly what's supposed to be inside that truck. Obviously we're going to trust but verify, but it will give me a starting point to get my research guys on.

3. Hazard and Risk Evaluation - Sure, the placards look scary, but realistically what states of matter am I dealing with? What's the hazard to my personnel if I send them in there? What are the exposure limits, etc?

4. PPE and Equipment - Based on the info from 2 and 3, I'm going to confer with my HAZMAT guys to determine what the right suit is to wear. Say it with me: NOT EVERY HAZMAT CALL REQUIRES LEVEL A!!!! Our team uses the HAZMATIQ system in our region, so based on the chemical name the "playbook" we use tells us what our PPE should be for our mission posture, either "Rescue" or "Plumbing," and what the metering package is that's relevant for that/those products. It will also lay out the "red light" meters, ones that, if they go off, indicate there's something unexpected happening or something we haven't accounted for in our plan. It really simplifies the process and cuts back on a lot of the chemistry lessons we need to give non-HAZMAT geek Chiefs and ICs on scene. Based on the video these guys are in turnouts and SCBA and some of the guys were in the Lion or Blauer suits with the Nomex outer shell so its probably pretty safe to assume the flammables were really their main concern, along with the respiratory hazards that we almost always protect ourselves from.

Most likely we're bringing in pH and F paper to ensure its not a corrosive atmosphere before we bring in the expensive toys, then a 4-gas, PID, Drager Chipset if you can narrow things down, maybe a First Defender or other Raman Spectroscopy device if you're really coming up with nothing at all (but only if you're sure its not a flammable)

5. Information Management and Resource Coordination - Do I have my ICS set up to make sure the right people are running the right operations? Do I have all the personnel and equipment I'm going to need for this operation? If not, who am I calling to get them? Do I have a RIT/Backup team in place? Am I going to need a forklift and/or jack for moving some of these drums?

6 - Implement Response Objectives - Now that we have ourselves organized and know what we're dealing with, lets go in and start moving some drums. Sort them out, figure out what's leaking and how to stop it. If we can't stop it, lets over-pack it and let the cleanup company get it the hell out of my district. But remember, we can't do anything until we have #7 at least set up first!

7 - Decontamination - Clean up the guys, the gear and the other drums that weren't leaking but have some product on them. Assuming the product wasn't that "Dangerous When Wet" one, we're probably just talking about soap and water, but again its based off what my research came back in steps 2/3.

8 - Termination - Brief everyone on short/long term symptoms of exposure, quick hotwash of what went well and what we can improve on. Start taking up and handing off the scene to the cleanup company (who will probably just end up being Clean Harbors again anyway.)

Edited October 23, 2013 by SageVigiles

[velcroMedic1987 330]

So what did it turn out to be in this case?

[Bnechis 3,961]

This is a national hazardous materials clean up company. They are transporting HM from a hazmat site. Even with the best documentation & instramentation you will never know what might be involved because its waste. any number of items could have mixed.

The amount that is leaking is very minor and based on 55gal drums, thats the most that could be released. The truck is in a location that is easy to isolate.

Maybe instead of using local hazmat resources, let clean waters send a team, it is their truck, their responsability and what they actually do everyday.

If it was joes hauling...Sage is right on.

[efd184 59]

RUN!!!!!

[efd184 59]

and RUN FAST!!!!!

you only have to be faster then the last guy!

[Bnechis 3,961]

and RUN FAST!!!!!

you only have to be faster then the last guy!

That only works with a wild animal. Hazmat you have to out run the chemical and it does not stop at the 1st victim

[x635 4,066]

So what did it turn out to be in this case?

A small crack in a 55 gallon drum of acetone, I believe. Westchester County Hazmat placed it in an overpack drum and sent the drum and truck on their merry way.

[E106MKFD 56]

This is a national hazardous materials clean up company. They are transporting HM from a hazmat site. Even with the best documentation & instramentation you will never know what might be involved because its waste. any number of items could have mixed.

The amount that is leaking is very minor and based on 55gal drums, thats the most that could be released. The truck is in a location that is easy to isolate.

Maybe instead of using local hazmat resources, let clean waters send a team, it is their truck, their responsability and what they actually do everyday.

If it was joes hauling...Sage is right on.

I think it would be a larger waste of time waiting for Clean Waters to send another team or cleanup unit. If such a small isolated incident as this one I believe it would be smarter to isolate and mitigate as the Hazmat did in this scenario. SInce the Hazmat quickly isolated the issue now all units can be released and the Park and Ride can be reopened. Its not even a waste since Clean Waters can be billed for the equipment used at a Hazmat scene which was caused by their own company.

I would agree to have them respond if a larger incident took place where you would need be deploying larger resources. They would be an asset to have on scene and would provide better knowledge of their chemical storage. But to have them respond to a BS leak like this one in BH seems silly. You will only keep responders on scene longer, area shutdown longer then need be, and waisting time as a result.

[x635 4,066]

This is something that would cost a couple hundred to a couple thousand for a private company to come do the cleanup. Yet, Westchester County Haz Mat goes and does it for free. Is their any way the County could bill a private company for something like this, which wasn't a result of an MVA or anything?

[E106MKFD 56]

I had been interning for a County Fire Office in Western NY and their Hazmat team can bill for Hazmat material used at an incident. They have a similar team and setup as WCDES and they as well do it to free. They do or can however bill parties involved in the spill for the cost of equipment used (ex. Absorbent pads, hand tools, etc.).

I am not sure of specifics or any standard guidelines for governments to charge other then I know it is possible.

[Bnechis 3,961]

This is something that would cost a couple hundred to a couple thousand for a private company to come do the cleanup. Yet, Westchester County Haz Mat goes and does it for free. Is their any way the County could bill a private company for something like this, which wasn't a result of an MVA or anything?

It cost clean waters either way.

Westchester does not do it for "free", the county tax payers are paying for it.

Federal Law "Sara Title III" allows for billing at any hazardous release and requires the spiller to pay all associated costs.

Last year FASNY pushed a law through the state that would limit the ability for FD's to recover all cost. Luckily the State Chief convinced Cumo to veto it.

[Bottom of Da Hill 76]

and RUN FAST!!!!!

you only have to be faster then the last guy!

come on its not a parade now,its a hazmat call you dont run away,