Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-303 - Dangerous waste regulations
Section 173-303-340 - Preparedness and prevention
Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
Facilities must be designed, constructed, maintained and operated to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any unplanned sudden or nonsudden release of dangerous waste or dangerous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface or groundwater which could threaten the public health or the environment. This section describes preparations and preventive measures which help avoid or mitigate such situations.
(1) Required equipment. All facilities must be equipped with the following, unless it can be demonstrated to the department that none of the hazards posed by waste handled at the facility could require a particular kind of equipment specified below:
All facility communications or alarm systems, fire protection equipment, spill control equipment, and decontamination equipment, where required, must be tested and maintained as necessary to assure its proper operation in time of emergency.
(2) Access to communications or alarms. Personnel must have immediate access to the signalling devices described in the situations below:
(3) Aisle space. The owner or operator must maintain aisle space to allow the unobstructed movement of personnel, fire protection equipment, spill control equipment, and decontamination equipment to any area of facility operation in an emergency, unless it can be demonstrated to the department that aisle space is not needed for any of these purposes.
(4) Arrangements with local authorities. The owner or operator must attempt to make the following arrangements, as appropriate for the type of waste handled at his facility and the potential need for the services of these organizations, unless the hazards posed by wastes handled at the facility would not require these arrangements:
(5) Where state or local authorities decline to enter into such arrangements, the owner or operator must document the refusal in the operating record.
Statutory Authority: Chapters 70.105 and 70.105D RCW. 95-22-008 (Order 94-30), § 173-303-340, filed 10/19/95, effective 11/19/95. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105 RCW. 84-09-088 (Order DE 83-36), § 173-303-340, filed 4/18/84. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105 RCW and RCW 70.95.260. 82-05-023 (Order DE 81-33), § 173-303-340, filed 2/10/82.