Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Emergency
coordinator. At all times, there must be at least one employee either on the
facility premises or on call (that is, 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. This emergency coordinator
must be thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the facility's contingency
plan, required by WAC
173-303-350(2),
all operations and activities at the facility, the location and properties of
all wastes 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.
(2) Emergency procedures. The following
procedures must be implemented in any emergency event identified in WAC
173-303-350.
(a) Whenever there is an imminent or actual
emergency situation, the emergency coordinator (or their designee when the
emergency coordinator is on call) must immediately:
(i) Activate internal facility alarms or
communication systems, where applicable, to notify all facility personnel;
and
(ii) Notify appropriate state
or local agencies with designated response roles if their help is
needed.
(b) 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.
(c)
Concurrently, the emergency coordinator must assess possible hazards to human
health and the environment (considering direct, indirect, immediate, and
long-term effects) that may result from the release, fire, or
explosion.
(d) If the emergency
coordinator determines that the facility has had a release, fire, or explosion
which could threaten human health or the environment, they must report their
findings as follows:
(i) If their assessment
indicates that evacuation of local areas may be advisable, they must
immediately notify appropriate local authorities. They must be available to
help appropriate officials decide whether local areas should be evacuated;
and
(ii) They must immediately
notify the department and either the government official designated as the
on-scene coordinator, or the National Response Center (using their 24hour toll
free number (800) 424-8802).
(e) Their assessment report must include:
(i) Name and telephone number of
reporter;
(ii) Name and address of
facility;
(iii) Time and type of
incident (e.g., release, fire);
(iv) Name and quantity of material(s)
involved, to the extent known;
(v)
The extent of injuries, if any; and
(vi) The possible hazards to human health or
the environment outside the facility.
(f) 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 dangerous
waste at the facility. These measures must include, where applicable, stopping
processes and operations, collecting and containing released waste, and
removing or isolating containers.
(g) If the facility stops operations 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.
(h) 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.
(i) The emergency coordinator must ensure
that, in the affected area(s) of the facility:
(i) No waste that may be incompatible with
the released material is treated, stored, or disposed of until cleanup
procedures are completed; and
(ii)
All emergency equipment listed in the contingency plan is cleaned and fit for
its intended use before operations are resumed.
(j) The owner or operator must notify the
department, and appropriate local authorities, that the facility is in
compliance with (i) of this subsection before operations are resumed in the
affected area(s) of the facility.
(k) The owner or operator must note in the
operating record the time, date, and details of any incident that requires
implementing the contingency plan. Within fifteen days after the incident, they
must submit a written report on the incident to the department. The report must
include:
(i) Name, address, and telephone
number of the owner or operator;
(ii) Name, address, and telephone number of
the facility;
(iii) Date, time, and
type of incident (e.g., fire, explosion);
(iv) Name and quantity of material(s)
involved;
(v) The extent of
injuries, if any;
(vi) An
assessment of actual or potential hazards to human health or the environment,
where this is applicable;
(vii)
Estimated quantity and disposition of recovered material that resulted from the
incident;
(viii) Cause of incident;
and
(ix) Description of corrective
action taken to prevent reoccurrence of the incident.
Statutory Authority:
Chapters
70.105,
70.105D,
15.54 RCW and
RCW
70.105.007. 00-11-040 (Order 99-01), §
173-303-360, filed 5/10/00, effective 6/10/00. Statutory Authority:
Chapters
70.105 and
70.105D RCW. 95-22-008 (Order
94-30), § 173-303-360, filed 10/19/95, effective 11/19/95. Statutory
Authority:
Chapters
70.105 and
70.105D RCW, 40 C.F.R. Part 271.3
and RCRA § 3006 ( 42 U.S.C. 3251 ). 91-07-005 (Order 90-42), §
173-303-360, filed 3/7/91, effective 4/7/91. Statutory Authority:
Chapter
70.105 RCW. 87-14-029
(Order DE-87-4), § 173-303-360, filed 6/26/87; 86-12-057 (Order DE-85-10),
§ 173-303-360, filed 6/3/86; 84-09-088 (Order DE 83-36), §
173-303-360, filed 4/18/84. Statutory Authority:
RCW
70.95.260 and
chapter
70.105 RCW. 82-05-023
(Order DE 81-33), § 173-303-360, filed 2/10/82. Formerly chapter 173-302
WAC.