PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING LEAKS AND SPILLS OF PERROLEM PRODUCTS SUCH AS GASOLINE, DIESEL FUEL, FUEL OIL, AND MOTOR OIL.
Spill and leaks of petroleum products can cause some obvious and some not so obvious problems. Obviously, the fuel can damage pavement, cause health problems, fires of even explosions.
The not so obvious problems are environmental damage and the danger of the vapors entering buildings through the sever systems and possibly causing a fire of explosion if an ignition source is found.
With the above in mind, petroleum products, SHALL NOT BE "WASHED DOWN." All personnel must make every effort to avoid the flushing or drainage of any petroleum product, or any other hazardous chemical, into the sewer system, storm drains, brooks, rivers, or any other body of water.
Our priorities still remain the same. Life and property are always first. If there is no life hazard of property in imminent danger, then water is not be used on petroleum fires.
Some exceptions to this rule would be in instances where a flammable liquid fire is directly exposing a building exposing a building of other valuable property of lives of citizens in imminent danger and foam is not is not available. Even than officers and firefighters must consider that the water will probably transport the fire down the road, highway, sewer, and maybe even other buildings.
The following are procedures for handling small spills and leaks of petroleum products. We do not intend to cover the handling of large scaled incidents here, just the every day fuel leak that is less than 30 gallons in size and some general guidelines for larger spills.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT:
- Absorbent Material such as Speedy-Dry, sand, or absorbent materials specifically designed for this such as absorbent pillows and booms.
- Non sparking shovels and brooms to distribute and recover the absorbent materials.
- Plastic trash bags.
- Full protective equipment and SCBA. Some smaller spills will require only turnout gear, boots, and gloves while others such as spills indoors of larger spills will require the use of SCBA.
RECEIVING THE CALL:
Person receiving the call should attempt to obtain any and all information from the person reporting the spill of leak. The information should, if possible, include the person reporting the type of material, amount and size of containers, problem (leak, spill, fire, etc.)
SMALL SPILLS, OUTSIDE:
- Spot apparatus a safe distance away from spill.
- Attempt to determine the type and amount of liquid spilled.
- If a petroleum product has spilled, life of property is not endangered and the amount is less than 25 to 30 gallons then spread Speedy-Dry of sand over the entire spill. Allow a few minutes for the liquid to be absorbed. If the spill is small enough, absorbent pads may be used to absorb the liquid.
- With shovels and doubled heavy-duty trash bags, pick up all absorbent material and seal by twist-ties on the bags.
- If all liquid has not been absorbed use additional Speedy-Dry.
- Obtain name, address, registration number, driver’s name, company name, telephone number, and any other information about the party responsible for the spill.
- Very small amounts of gasoline, fuel oil, motor oil, hydraulic and transmission fluid can be covered with absorbent material and left behind to evaporate.
- The sealed bags of absorbed materials are to be returned to the Fire Station and each bag tagged as to what the material absorbed is, (ei: gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.) and placed into the storage drum at the station. At a given time the gasoline bags will be brought to the Sanitary Landfill, opened, and the material spread out for evaporation. Bags with motor oils, diesel fuel, hydraulic or transmission fluid will be brought to PWD Garage and stored until proper disposal; as these materials DO NOT EVAPORATE.
- Some safety considerations and other factors to consider even if a spill is small:
- Does traffic need to be re-routed?
- Is police needed for traffic control.
- Keep citizens away from the immediate area.
- Avoid stepping into the liquid unless absolutely necessary.
- Keep ignition sources away. This includes fire apparatus, other vehicles, smokers, flares and any other ignition sources.
- Monitor area with Gas-Tech.
LARGER SPILLS OUTDOORS:
Although this is not a comprehensive guide to handling large spills of petroleum products, the following are general guidelines:
- Spot apparatus up wind, up hill and as far as possible from any large spill of leak until you are sure as to what it is.
- Block traffic in all directions, call for police assistance but make sure that they do not drive in the danger area. Tell them what streets and where you want them blocked.
- Consult the DOT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL GUIDE BOOK for information on the product of to attempt to determine what the product is. If outside assistance is necessary use the STATE HAZ-MAT EMERGENCY NUMBER to alert proper state agencies. Also notify Health Officer.
- Use guidelines in the DOT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL GUIDE BOOK for evacuation, firefighting, and minimizing the hazard.
- Evacuate all buildings and areas in the danger zone if there is a flammability of health hazard.
- Wear full protective clothing, SCBA is absolutely necessary if the product is flammable of toxic.
- Shut power to buildings in close proximity to the spill if flammable vapors may reach the buildings.
- Dike the spill if it is going into sewer, storm drains, rivers, ponds, lakes, brooks. Call for additional absorbent material, sand trucks from town or state, and heavy equipment such as loaders if needed. Do everything reasonable and prudent to keep the material from entering the areas mentioned. If the spill has already entered the sewer, dike it, and flush the sewer thoroughly.
- Call for additional personnel if necessary.
- Call for foam if the spill is flammable and danger of ignition.
- Do not attempt to rescue any citizens by walking through spilled flammable liquids. A foam blanket must first be laid down.
- Water will only cause the fuel to move to another location.
- Establish a "Hot Zone." Then limit the number of personnel who need to be in the zone.
- A command post must be established outside the "Hot Zone." Where all personnel and outside agencies can get instructions.
- If apparatus must be used, i.e. if foam must be laid down, attempt to keep apparatus as far away from the "Hot Zone" as possible.
SPILLS OR LEAKS INDOORS:
Any spill or leak inside a building creates additional problems:
- If a flammable liquid has leaked, multiple ignition sources are available to start a fire of explosion.
- Occupants may be in danger from fire of hazards of the liquid.
- Difficulty of removing flammable of hazardous vapors due to confinement within the building.
- Increased danger to the fire personnel that must work within the building.
The primary responsibility, again, is safety to the occupants and conservation of property. If it is not possible to determine the type of liquid spilled of spilled liquid is flammable or toxic then:
- Evacuate the building, wing, or section.
- Shut power to limit ignition sources, shut other ignition sources such as gas pilots.
- Ventilate, open windows, doors and use only explosion proof fans (make the final connection away from flammable vapors.)
- Check with maintenance, tenants, owners, to try to identify the material and shut down any valves of pumps contributing to the problem. At times crimping piping can also stop leaks if the broken pipe is malleable. Plugging leaks is also possible using wedges, epoxy (Plug & Dike) and kits made for this purpose.
- Use the DOT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL GUIDE BOOK to help in determining the product.
- Some materials require SPECIAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. IF NOT AVAILABLE, DO NOT ENTER AREA.
Attempting to stop leaks, recovering material or even being in the vapor area may cause serious injury or death. IT IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH BEFORE YOU STEP INTO THE HAZARD AREA AND THEN PERFORM ONLY THOSE FUNCTIONS THAT YOU CAN SAFELY ACCOMPLISH.
IN FIRE FIGHTING WE ARE TAUGHT TO RUSH INTO THE BUILDING. THIS AGGRESSIVE ATTACK IS COMMON NATURE TO THE FIREFIGHTER. UNFORTUNATELY, WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THIS IS EXACLY WHAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO. YOU MUST STOP AT A SAFE DISTANCE, EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND THEN ACT ON FACTS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PROBLEM.