Facilities Management

Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for

Hazardous Chemical Spills or Leaks

Contact OfficersSenior Technical Officer H &.S - Janelle Hobbins QUT Sustainability Co-ordinator – Julia CallaghanManager Maintenance Services – Harvey Baldwyn

Approval Date 17/04/2012

Approval AuthorityAndrew FrowdDirector of Facilities Management

Date of Next Review 10th August 2015

Document Identification PLN 805_017

Rev # 1:12

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this plan and the associated procedures is to provide practical guidance for Facilities Management (FM), to ensure that:

FM is prepared in the event of a hazardous chemical spill or leak within the FM work activities or areas of responsibility on campus

FM is able to respond in a timely and appropriate manner to protect the safety of all University personnel, including spill response crew members and University property

FM can prevent hazardous chemical spill incidents from having serious consequences for the environment and possibly result in costly fines and clean-up activities for QUT.

The plan supports the objectives of the Facilities Management Business Continuity Plan (FMBCP) and the response is to be risk based and dynamic to the level of chemical or material spill or leak.

2.0 Scope

This plan and the associated procedures apply to all FM staff and contractors at all work locations where hazardous chemicals or substances are transported, purchased, stored, handled or used, including vehicles of visitors or contractors, during normal FM business activities.

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It also covers situations where FM is required to provide spill control, containment or clean up and remediation assistance to QUT common areas, with the exception of teaching or research laboratories or areas using or storing hazardous chemicals.

The plan does not

o Override any situation where Emergency Services provide specific advice on spill preparation requirements.

o Cover teaching or research laboratories or storage facilities which must have their own specific chemical based procedures in place and their own local staff trained in chemical spill management techniques.

Initial chemical spill or leak incident reporting processes remain the same as for all emergency situations with either initial reporting to work area supervisors or as conditions demand, an escalation to the Help Desk on 31383000 ( bus hrs) or to Security (A Hrs).

3.0 Definitions

Business Continuity Coordinator (BCC)

The Business Continuity Coordinator (BCC) role is to be taken as the same as is specified in the Facilities Management Business Continuity Plan (FMBCP).In an emergency chemical spill event, the FM Maintenance Services Manager or the appropriate Campus Coordinator will take appropriate action as the BCC in initiating or co-ordinating the spill response and crew to the site of the spill, depending on location and resource availability.

Facilities Management Business Continuity Plan (FMBCP)

FMBCP is a sub plan of the QUT Crisis Management Plan. The FMBCP contains information on ensuring a comprehensive and timely approach to the recovery of normal services and facilities after a range of events which may negatively impact on the University and that may change from a minor incident through to a disaster.

FM Facilities Management

HSR Health and Safety Representative – at local work area

Major Spill or Leak These are spills that do pose an imminent threat to health, safety or environment and do have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame.

Minor Spill or Leak These are spills that do not pose a significant risk to employees or students in the immediate vicinity or the environment. These spills do not have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame.

MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet

Spill Response Crew (SRC)

A group of FM Maintenance and Cleaning staff who have been trained in spill response procedures. The SRC team personnel can be contacted through the FM Help

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Desk 83000 or the Security number (88888).

Work Area Supervisor/Manager

The line manager or other person responsible for the work area and/or the team.

4.0 Spill Response Resources

Sufficient and appropriate spill response kits and materials suitable for the substances or chemicals transported, purchased, stored, handled, or used shall be provided by FM for use by trained FM Spill Response staff.

4.1 Spill Kits:

Based on risk assessments from Emergency Manifests, Annual Chemical Register reviews and other similar data sources, suitable kits shall be stocked with appropriate absorbent material, containment devices, PPE and instructions on most effective use.

These kits must be checked regularly for the integrity of the attached kit “audit tags” which if intact, indicates to users that the kit contents are untouched and ready for use. Kit checks can be done through work area Hazard inspections or local HSR & supervisors monitoring the use of kits.

Spare blue “audit tags” are available through the FM Senior Technical Officer H & S.

Kit stocks must be maintained by Work Area Supervisors or designated personnel to the appropriate levels as per stock checklists provided with each bin unit.

Kits have been assessed and installed in the following work areas or facilities for FM use only.

See attached maps for KG & GP campuses – Appendix 2

Site Location Building/Room Bin Colour Type of kit and details

KG Maintenance Workshop D block Orange 1 General Purpose kit plus extra

equipment

KG CleaningE block Rm

2.04 Orange1 General Purpose kit plus extra

equipment1 Biohazard kit

KG Cleaning F block Rm 3.04 Orange

1 General Purpose kit plus extra equipment1 Biohazard kit

KG Grounds Flammable Goods Store Yellow 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (240 Lt)

KG Emergency Power Generator

D block (carpark) Yellow 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (240 Lt)

KG Emergency Q block (IHBI) Yellow 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (240 Lt)

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Facilities Management Site Location Building/Room Bin Colour Type of kit and details

Power Generator Lev 3

GP Maintenance Workshop

GH Link Room 100 Orange 1 General Purpose kit plus extra

equipment

GPEmergency Power Generator

Q block-Rm 117 for

Fire/pump room

Yellow 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (240 Lt)

GPEmergency Power Generator

Q Blk plant room for UG

tanks and Day tank Lev 11

Yellow 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (240 Lt)

GP Cleaning S block Rm 1.09 Orange

1 General Purpose kit plus extra equipment (240 Lt)1 Biohazard kit

GP Cleaning Z block Rm 1.02 Orange

1 General Purpose kit plus extra equipment (240 Lt)1 Biohazard kit

PCH

MERF Emergency Power Generator

Red 1 Oil and Fuel spill kit (120L)

4.2 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Minor Spill : Minimum General Requirements:

Nitrile gloves (suitable for limited contact).

Chemical safety goggles.

Full length protective clothing covering arms, legs or body

Safety foot wear (capable of resisting minor chemical contamination)

Major Spill: Minimum General Requirements:

See Section 4.1.3 for required PPE for specific substance categories

Chemical safety goggles.

Chemical resistant Gloves ( for prolonged contact) .

Disposable overalls (e.g., Tyvek suit).

Safety footwear – Chemical resistant

Half face respirator with cartridge appropriate to contaminants (as per AS/NZS 1715:1994).

4.3 Particular Spill Types and Recommended Kit Absorbent Material and PPE

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Substance Type Spill kit absorbent or treatment PPE

Petrol, Diesel,Lubricants andHydraulic Fluid

Absorb spilled substance with kitty litter, sand, earth or vermiculite.

PVC gloves.(min)

Half face respirator with organic vapour cartridge (filter complying with AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716).

Safety glasses or face shield complying with AS/NZS 1337.

Cooking Oil Absorb spilled product using a

cellulose fibre based product e.g.: sawdust

PVC gloves (min).

Strong Acid

The spillage should be contained with earth or sand and or neutralised with commercial acid neutralisers.

Alternatively, special non leaching absorbents/materials suitable for strong concentrations of acids or alkaline may be used instead. (Note: Unisorb ™ in FM kits for this purpose)

Spill kits containing soda ash (sodium bicarbonate) can be sprinkled liberally over the spill.

Do not use rags or sawdust to clean up oxidising acid spills.

This procedure is not valid for Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) spills. Research groups using HF must have their own HF spill management process and equipment available.

Neoprene gloves.

Strong Alkali

The spillage should be contained with earth or sand and or neutralised with commercial acid neutralisers. Alternatively, special non

Neoprene gloves.

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Substance Type Spill kit absorbent or treatment PPE

leaching absorbents/materials suitable for strong concentrations of acids or alkaline may be used instead. (Note: Unisorb ™ in FM kits for this purpose)

Ensure that no contact occurs between spilled material and aluminium or zinc.

Pesticide/ Herbicide

Contain and absorb liquid spills with kitty litter.

PVC gloves.

Full-face shield or chemical safety goggles.

Half face respirator with combined dust and organic vapour cartridge.

Use of suitable rubber boots or rubber overshoes when cleaning up spills if contact is likely.

Solvent or Paint

Spills of organic solvents (e.g., turpentine and methylated spirits) should be absorbed using DRY earth, sand or a proprietary product suitable for the absorption of the liquid.

Commercial solvent neutralisers, such as Solusorb ™, may act to reduce vapours and raise the flashpoint of the mixture.

PVC gloves.

Half face respirator with organic vapour cartridge.

4.4 FM General Personnel and Spill Response Personnel ( Crew) & Training

FM shall ensure that all nominated FM staff are trained and sufficiently competent to 6 of 16

Facilities Management assist in a spill response action, relative to their day to day use of chemical products or provide assistance to others as required.

Any FM personnel who generally use hazardous chemicals in their work area must have an understanding of the requirements for basic spill control for those substances they use; and any substance storage incompatibility or reactivity, based on information from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). They should also be able to convey that information to the FM spill response team if they are required. The FM Spill Response Crew may assist as required if the situation escalates.

The FM Spill Response Crew personnel must be able to attend a spill site with spill equipment or kits and undertake basic containment and or clean up as directed by either their local work area supervisor or the Business Continuity Co-ordinator (BCC) in the event of a more significant spill event. Their training should address issues such as:

Emergency alert Public safety considerations Initial assessment of a spill situation ( Risk Mgt) Selection of appropriate spill response action Safe methods of spill response – containment and cleanup Safe remediation of spill area Spill resources and maintenance Waste disposal methods

If the spill is outside the scope of training or capability of FM spill crews, their training should enable them to take sufficient and proper action to contain the spill only, with emergency services (HAZMAT) or other external spill remediation contractors engaged to perform the full clean-up and remediation process of the gross contamination site.

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5.0 Actions and Responsibilities:

5.1 PRE-EMERGENCY Spill Responsibilities

Key Tasks Who Action

Make information available for relevant staff about hazardous chemicals used and stored within the work area.

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager

Obtain, update and review MSDS.

Display or make available MSDS at suitable locations within the work place.

Ensure that sufficient quantities and appropriate types of spill absorbent or control materials, as prescribed in the MSDS, are available.

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager

Ensure regular spill kit inspections are undertaken and replacement of any equipment or absorbent materials is completed.

Ensure that required PPE is available and maintained.

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager

Ensure that appropriate PPE (as described in Sections 4.2 & 4.3) is available and maintained ready for use.

Ensure that nominated Spill Response Crew personnel are familiar with the spill procedures to be followed in the event of an incident, and locations of spill kits.

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager

Ensure appropriate spill response training is provided including refresher training at periodic intervals.

Monitor and review of local spill procedures.

Include and up-date the location of the spill kits on noticeboards or through tool box talks.

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5.2 MINOR Spill Actions and Responsibilities

Key Tasks Who Action

1. Assess Risk and Alert.

Individual(s) involved in the spill (e.g., QUT student, staff or general public who initially became aware of the spill/leak).

Inform Work Area Supervisor and/or Help Desk (83000) or Security (88888).

2. Correction, Containment and Clean-up.

The individual(s) involved in the spill and/or QUT Spill Response Crew.

Restrict access to the affected area.

Have the MSDS, spill equipment and PPE appropriate for the material readily available.

Prompt and proper clean-up in accordance with the MSDS instructions

Use the appropriate PPE as trained

5.3 MAJOR Spill Actions and Responsibilities

Key Tasks Who Action

1. Assess Risk and Alert.

The individual(s) involved in the spill (e.g., QUT student, staff or the members of the public who became aware of the major spill or leak).

If there is a fire (or fire risk) and/or medical attention is needed, immediately contact Emergency Services (000).

Immediately alert Security (88888) and FM Help Desk (83000).

2. Alert and Response Initiation.

Business Continuity Coordinator (BCC) or Security personnel.

If there is a fire (or fire risk) and/or medical attention is needed, immediately contact Emergency Services (000).

Organise Spill Response Crew personnel to attend scene if appropriate.

3. Correction and Containment.

Security personnel and/or FM Spill Response Crew

Restrict access to the affected area.

Evacuate the affected area, if necessary.

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Key Tasks Who Action

In the event of a major chemical spill , FM Spill Crew personnel should follow the directions of External Emergency Services teams when they arrive on site.

FM Spill Response Crew and/or a Spill Competent Contractor.

Initiate measures to contain the spill/leak and recover (where possible) spilled material.

Business Continuity Coordinator (BCC)

Establish sufficient resources including material and human resources to mitigate the impact of the spill.

Engage contractors and consultants (if required).

4. Assessment, Clean-up and Remediation.

Business Continuity Coordinator (BCC)

Coordinate Spill Response Crew and contractors.

5. Statutory Notification.

FM Director or Associate Director, or authorised designate

Fulfil statutory requirements including notification to Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) using Pollution Helpline (1300 130 372) and/or

QUT Health and Safety Advisory Services.

5.4 AFTER Emergency Spill Operations

Key Tasks Who Action

1. Contaminated Material Disposal.

FM Cleaning/ Grounds Manager

External Contractors/consultants

Assess the type and volume of spill and contaminated material to find the most appropriate waste disposal option.

Dispose of used spill kit material through QUT Chemical Disposal Scheme or through a Regulated Waste Removal Contractor organised through FM Campus Services.

2. Incident Documentation.

The individual(s) involved in the spill.

Assist Work Area Supervisor in completing Safety Problem Investigation Report Form (SPRI).

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager Complete the (SPRI).

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Key Tasks Who Action

http://www.hrd.qut.edu.au/hrinfo/hrforms/docs/SPRI.doc

4. Incident Investigation and Improvement Plan.

Work Area Supervisor/ Manager with support as required, from QUT Sustainability Coordinator and/or FM STO Health and Safety.

Investigate the cause of the spill.

Identify all causal factors and areas for improvement.

Recommend preventative /improvement measures, and report on the effectiveness of the new measures.

5. Debriefing and Close Out

Relevant Supervisor/ Manager with support from QUT Sustainability Coordinator and/or Health and Safety.

Debrief of all personnel involved in the cleanup after the spill has been resolved.

Identify issues and lessons learned.

Review relevant procedures or work systems as required.

Relevant Supervisor/ Manager Ensure all spill control supplies

are restocked and all damaged or used equipment should be repaired or refilled.

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6.0 General Clean-Up & Remediation Methods

There should always be at least two people present when cleaning up a spill. This is to ensure that each person remains safe and is not affected by potential spill material chemical effects.

1. Neutralise acids / alkalis substances (if required) or use alternate Unisorb™ material to absorb strong acids or alkali substances.

2. Distribute loose spill control materials over the entire spill area, working from the outside, circling to the inside. This reduces the chance of splash or further spread of the spilled hazardous chemical. Use absorbent material as indicated in the MSDS or as recommended above in this spill plan.

3. When spilled materials have been fully absorbed, use brush and scoop to place materials in an appropriate container (as described in MSDS).

4. Labelled Polyethylene bags may be used for limited volumes. See specific kit bins

5. Mop or clean the affected surface with water.

6. Collect solid residues, place into an appropriate sealed and labelled container for disposal as indicated in the MSDS or QUT Chemical Disposal Scheme.

7. The method of disposing this waste will depend on the amount and the type of hazardous material that was spilt.

8. If the spill does enter open ground, storm water drains, or waterways, immediately inform your supervisor who will arrange for further remediation or recovery as needed or pollution assessment.

See Appendix A – Pollution Assessment GuideRefer also to the FM procedure – Sewage Overflow Emergency (SOP805_027)

7.0 Contaminated Spill Material Disposal: Disposal of contaminated chemical waste material shall be done in accordance with the QUT Chemical

Waste Disposal Policy in section H / 6.3.2 of the MOPP, as well as in accordance with AS/NZS 2243.2 Section 2.5.8 (Laboratory Chemical Waste).

QUT chemical waste is co-ordinated through the Science and Engineering Faculty (SEF) Central Store ( Logistics & Assets Team) . Contact SEF Faculty store personnel at GP for additional drums (steel or plastic) , lids etc on ext 82818.

The costs of disposal and materials (i.e.: drums, buckets , labels etc) will be charged back to non SEF areas. For further information , contact the SEF Logistics Co-ordinator on Ext 31382818.

Where absorbent or containment material is of non leaching type, and contaminants are not expected to leach out, these materials may be able to be disposed of in normal waste systems.

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Please check with FM Cleaning and Grounds Manager ( 88603) or QUT Sustainability Officer (83196).

FM Campus Services may be able to assist in arranging for disposal of larger amounts of spill contaminant waste through a Regulated Waste Removal Contractors.

8.0 Related documents or references

QUT

FM PM800 Procedure– SOP805_032 – Minor Spill Response

FM PM800 Procedure - SOP805_033 - Major Spill Response

QUT, Facilities Management Business Continuity Plan (BCP

MOPPs Policy - A/9.8 Chemical management policy

MOPPs Policy G/5.3 Purchasing

MOPPs Policy H/6.3 Waste management

HR HSAS website - Chemical Safety

QLD Legislation

Qld WH & S Act 2011

QLD WH & S Regulations 2011

Qld Environmental Protection Act 1994

Qld Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

Qld Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000 –

Qld Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation 2000 -

Qld Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 (Qld) ;

Standards

AS 1337:1992 Eye Protectors for Industrial Applications.

AS/NZS 1715:1994 Selection, use, maintenance of respiratory protective devices

AS/NZS 1716:1994 Respiratory protective devices.

AS 4482.1—2005, Guide to the investigation and sampling of sites with potentially contaminated soil Part 1: Non-volatile and semi-volatile compounds.

9.0 Modification history

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Current revision date New -First issue

Previous version date Not applicable

QUT Environment and Sustainability

Appendix A

Pollution Assessment Guide

If the spill does enter open ground, the immediate soil area and/or groundwater may become

contaminated.

Soil and/or groundwater samples should be collected and analysed to determine the presence of Possible

Contaminants of Concern (PCOC).

A qualified environmental scientist should be engaged to collect samples for laboratory analysis.

If there are no appropriately trained QUT personnel, a qualified external consultant /contractor should be

engaged to perform the sampling function.

Samples should be collected as per Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedure as described in

Australian Standard, AS 4482.1—2005, Guide to the investigation and sampling of sites with potentially

contaminated soil Part 1: Non-volatile and semi-volatile compounds.

Analysis should only be commissioned to a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited

laboratory.

Laboratory results should be assessed against the Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and

Marine Waters, National Water Quality Management Strategy, Australian and New Zealand Environment

and Conservation Council ANZECC; and Draft guidelines for the assessment and management of

contaminated land in Queensland, May 1998

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Appendix 2

FM SPILL KIT LOCATIONS MAP – KG

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Appendix 2

FM SPILL KIT LOCATIONS MAP – GP

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