La. Admin. Code tit. 33 § V-1061

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024

Section V-1061 - Emergency Procedures

A. Whenever there is an imminent or actual emergency situation, the emergency coordinator or his designee shall immediately:

1. activate internal facility alarm or communication systems, where applicable, to notify all facility personnel; and

2. 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 shall immediately identify the character, exact source, amount, and areal extent of any released materials. The emergency coordinator may do this by observation or review of the facility records or manifests and, if necessary, by chemical analysis.

C. Concurrently, the emergency coordinator shall assess possible hazards to human health or the environment that may result from the release, fire, or explosion. This assessment shall 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-offs from water or chemical agents used to control fire and heat-induced explosions).

D. 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, the emergency coordinator shall report the findings as follows.

1. If the assessment indicates that evacuation of local areas may be advisable, the emergency coordinator shall immediately notify appropriate local authorities. The emergency coordinator shall be available to help appropriate officials decide whether local areas should be evacuated.

2. Immediate Emergency Notifications

a. Notification to the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety.

i. 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:

(a). the name and telephone number, and employer of the contact person;

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

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

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

(e). 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);

(f). 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ii. 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.

b. Emergency Notifications to Other Regulatory Agencies. The large quantity generator 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:

i. 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

ii. 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.

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

F. If the generator stops operations in response to a fire, explosion or release, the emergency coordinator shall monitor for leaks, pressure buildup, gas generation, or ruptures in valves, pipes, or other equipment, wherever this is appropriate.

G. Immediately after an emergency, the emergency coordinator shall 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 generator can demonstrate, in accordance with LAC 33:V.109.Hazardous Waste.4 or 5, that the recovered material is not a hazardous waste, then it is a newly generated hazardous waste that shall be managed in accordance with all applicable requirements and conditions for exemption in LAC 33:V.Chapters 10, 11, 13, and 43.

H. The emergency coordinator shall ensure the following in the affected area(s) of the facility.

1. No hazardous waste that may be incompatible with the released material is treated, stored, or disposed of until cleanup procedures are completed.

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

I. The generator shall note in the operating record the time, date, and details of any incident that requires implementing the contingency plan. Written follow-up reports for any unauthorized discharge that requires notification shall be submitted by the large quantity generator to SPOC within seven calendar days of the initial notification in accordance with LAC 33:1.3925 and the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety within five business days of the incident in accordance with LAC 33.V.Subpart 2.10111.

La. Admin. Code tit. 33, § V-1061

Promulgated by the Office of the Secretary, Legal Affairs and Criminal Investigations Division, LR 46926 (7/1/2020).

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