Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 33 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Part V - Hazardous Wastes and Hazardous Materials
Subpart 1 - Department of Environmental Quality-Hazardous Waste
Chapter 15 - Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities
Section V-1513 - Contingency Plan and Emergency Procedures

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code V-1513

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Purpose and Implementation of Contingency Plan

1. Each owner or operator must have a contingency plan for his facility. The contingency plan must be designed to minimize hazards to human health or the environment from fires, explosions, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface water.

2. A contingency plan to be implemented in the event of an emergency shall be filed with the Office of Environmental Services and, after approval, with the local fire and police departments (if any operate in the area), hospitals and emergency response teams operating in the area that are subject to call by the operator or the department.

3. The provisions of the plan must be carried out immediately whenever there is a fire, explosion, or release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents which could threaten human health or the environment.

4. The plan shall be revised each time the facility operations are changed due to expansion, change in type or quantity of waste handled, or other changes which affect the degree or type of possible emergency situation.

B. Content of Contingency Plan

1. The contingency plan must describe the actions facility personnel must take to comply with Subsections A and F of this Section in response to fires, explosions, or any unplanned sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface water at the facility.

2. If the owner or operator has already prepared a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan in accordance with 40 CFR Part 112, or some other emergency or contingency plan, he need only amend that plan to incorporate hazardous waste management provisions that are sufficient to comply with these requirements. The owner or operator may develop one contingency plan that meets all regulatory requirements. EPA recommends that the plan be based on the National Response Team's Integrated Contingency Plan Guidance ("One Plan"). When modifications are made to non-RCRA provisions in an integrated contingency plan, the changes do not trigger the need for a RCRA permit modification.

3. The plan must describe arrangements agreed to by local police departments, fire departments, hospitals, contractors, and state and local emergency response teams to coordinate emergency services.

4. The plan must list names, addresses, and phone numbers (office and home) of all persons qualified to act as emergency coordinator, and this list must be kept up to date. When more than one person is listed, one must be named as primary emergency coordinator and others must be listed in the order in which they will assume responsibility as alternates. For new facilities, this information must be supplied to the administrative authority at the time of certification, rather than at the time of permit application.

5. The plan must include a list of all emergency equipment (where required) at the facility, such as fire extinguishing systems, spill control equipment, communications and alarm systems (internal and external), and decontamination equipment. This list must be kept up to date. In addition, the plan must include the location and a physical description of each item on the list and a brief outline of its capabilities.

6. The plan must include an evacuation plan for facility personnel where there is a possibility that evacuation could be necessary. The plan must describe signals to be used to begin evacuation, evacuation routes, and alternate evacuation routes.

C. Copies of Contingency Plan

1. The contingency plan must be submitted to the Office of Environmental Services with the permit application and, after modification or approval, will become a condition of any permit issued.

2. A copy of the contingency plan and all revisions to the plan must be maintained at the facility and additional copies must be submitted to all local police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and state and local emergency response teams that may be called upon to provide emergency services.

D. Amendment of Contingency Plan. The contingency plan must be reviewed, and immediately amended, if necessary, whenever:

1. the facility permit is revised;

2. the plan fails in an emergency;

3. applicable regulations are revised;

4. the facility changes its design, construction, operation, maintenance, or other circumstances in a way that materially increases the potential for fires, explosions, or releases of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents, or changes the response necessary in an emergency;

5. the list of emergency coordinators changes; or

6. the list of emergency equipment changes.

E. Emergency Coordinator. At all times, there must be at least one employee either on the facility premises or on call (i.e., available to respond to an emergency by reaching the facility within a short period of time) with the responsibility for coordinating all emergency response measures (see LAC 33:V.1513.F). This emergency coordinator must be thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the facility's contingency plan, all operations and activities at the facility, the location and characteristics of waste handled, the location of all records within the facility, and the facility layout. In addition, this person must have the authority to commit the resources needed to carry out the contingency plan.

F. Emergency Procedures

1. Whenever there is an imminent or actual emergency situation, the emergency coordinator (or his designee when the emergency coordinator is on call) must immediately:
a. activate internal facility alarms or communication systems, where applicable, to notify all facility personnel; and

b. notify appropriate state or local agencies with designated response roles if their help is needed.

2. Whenever there is a release, fire, or explosion, the emergency coordinator must immediately identify the character, exact source, amount, and areal extent of any released materials. He may do this by observation or review of facility records or manifest, and, if necessary, by chemical analysis.

3. Concurrently, the emergency coordinator must assess possible hazards to human health or the environment that may result from the release, fire or explosion. This assessment must consider both direct and indirect effects of the release, fire, or explosion (e.g., the effects of any toxic, irritating, or asphyxiating gases that are generated, or the effects of any hazardous surface water run-off from water or chemical agents used to control fire and heat-induced explosions).

4. If the emergency coordinator determines that the facility has had a release, fire, or explosion which could threaten human health or the environment outside the facility, he must report his findings as follows:
a. if his assessment indicates that evacuation of local areas may be advisable, he must immediately notify appropriate local authorities. He must be available to help appropriate officials decide whether local areas should be evacuated; and

b. conduct immediate emergency notifications as stated below.
i. Notification to the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety
(a). The emergency coordinator shall immediately, but in no case later than one hour, notify the 24-hour Louisiana Emergency Hazardous Materials Hotline by calling 1-877-922-6595 or 225-925-6595. This notification to the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety shall be in accordance with LAC 33:1.Chapter 39 and shall include the following information:
(i). the name and telephone number, and employer of the contact person;

(ii). the company or responsible party's name;

(iii). where the incident occurred (mailing address and physical location);

(iv). date and time the incident began and ended;

(v). the identity of the hazardous material released or involved (this would include proper chemical name if available, an indication of whether it is an extremely hazardous substance and whether it is a solid, liquid or gas);

(vi). the actual amount or an estimate of the amount released; or in the absence of quantity data for the hazardous materials released, one of the following incident classifications: unusual event; site emergency; or general emergency;

(vii). whether the material released, escaped, or could reasonably be expected to escape beyond the site of the facility;

(viii). if available, the substance's hazard class and any other identifier (e.g., U.N. number, CHRIS code, etc.);

(ix). medium into which the hazardous materials was released (e.g. air, water, land);

(x). whether the release resulted in a fire or explosion;

(xi). injury to personnel, or a fatality resulting from the release or incident;

(xii). details regarding wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and precipitation;

(xiii). any need or a recommendation for, an off-site protective action (road closure, shelter-in-place, evacuation, or none);

(xiv). details of the release or incident; and

(xv). whether other responsible state and local agencies such as the local emergency planning committee have been notified.

(b). Updates During the Incident. The hotline must be immediately notified of any adverse change in the nature or rate of the discharge. Additional notifications must be made for discharges of multiple constituents when they originate from different causes or sources or they are substantially different in nature from the discharges in the initial notification.

ii. Emergency Notifications to Other Regulatory Agencies. The owner or operator should be aware that other federal, state and local agencies may require immediate and/or follow-up notification of an emergency situation under other regulatory authorities, including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) the National Response Center by calling their 24-hour toll free number 1-800-424-8802, to the extent that immediate notification is required under 40 CFR 302.6 (exceedance of reportable quantities) or 40 CFR 110.6 (oil spills); and/or

(b). the appropriate local emergency planning committee having jurisdiction over the facility to the extent that immediate notification is required under 40 CFR part 355, subpart C or LAC 33:V.Subpart 2.Chapter 101. Contact information for each local emergency planning committee is available on the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety's website.

5. During an emergency, the emergency coordinator must take all reasonable measures necessary to ensure that fires, explosions, and releases do not occur, recur, or spread to other hazardous waste at the facility. These measures must include, where applicable, stopping processes and operations, collecting and containing released waste, and removing or isolating containers.

6. If the facility stops operation in response to a fire, explosion, or release, the emergency coordinator must monitor for leaks, pressure buildup, gas generation, or ruptures in valves, pipes, or other equipment, wherever this is appropriate.

7. Immediately after an emergency, the emergency coordinator must provide for treating, storing, or disposing of recovered waste, contaminated soil, or surface water, or any other material that results from a release, fire, or explosion at the facility. Unless the owner or operator can demonstrate that the recovered material is not a hazardous waste, the owner or operator becomes a generator of hazardous waste and must manage it in accordance with all applicable requirements.

8. The emergency coordinator must ensure that in the affected area(s) of the facility:
a. no waste that may be incompatible with the released material is treated, stored, or disposed of until cleanup procedures are completed; and

b. all emergency equipment listed in the contingency plan is cleaned and fit for its intended use before operations are resumed.

9. The owner or operator shall note in the operating record the time, date, and details of any incident that requires implementation of the contingency plan. Written follow-up reports for any unauthorized discharge that requires notification shall be submitted by the owner or operator to SPOC in accordance with LAC 33:1.3925 and the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safely in accordance with LAC 33:V.Subpart 2.10111.
a. name, address, and telephone number of the owner or operator;

b. name, address, and telephone number of the facility;

c. date, time, and type of incident (e.g., fire, explosion);

d. name and quantity of material(s) involved;

e. the extent of injuries, if any;

f. an assessment of actual or potential hazards to human health or the environment, where this is applicable; and

g. estimated quantity and disposition of recovered material that resulted from the incident.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:2180 et seq.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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