What constitute Hazmat incidents??

[Yousef]

I have posted this subject I beleive in the Hazmat Section. Perhaps I get more informative answer to What constitute Hazmat Incidents?

I'm working in the Refinery and there has been sort of debate whether a crude oil spill would consider to be a hazmat incident. Will this type of spill trigger a mobilization of hazmat team OR it only need a specialize team that response to crude oil spills.

would gasoline be categrized as like in crude oil spill?? I don't think it should considering the flash point of the spilled material. Therefore, would the flash point or the physical or chemical properties dictate how it can be classified whether it is Hazmat incident or just oil spill.

I need your feedback on this

[gdsqdcr]

At my facility a hazmat is the following:

1. Any unidentified liquid/solid or gas in any amount. When it is found, our hazmat team is activated. We may only have 1 or 2 guys show up and if we need to, we can get more guys on site to handle the call.

2. Any chemical spill that is outside the comfort zone of the area owner to clean up. This comfort zone also takes into consideration the PPE that the area owner has. In some of our areas, we have limited the PPE that they can have, so that they do not try to clean up a spilll that they are not trained to.

Anthony

[stretch13]

I think it will depend on what your facility is qualified, and equipped to handle. Technically a "hazmat incident" is the the introduction of any substance into the environment that could cause harm to the environment. So a gallon of a product could be called a hazmat incident. What is your facility equipped to contain, and what type of incident can it mitigate? As for clean up and disposal, in the states, I think you have to have a license for that. I'm not sure about that.

[mjteague]

DOT and EPA both classify crude oil as a hazardous material.

29 CFR 1910.120 classifies hazmat spills into two types, incidental or emergency.
The difference is the amount. An incident spill is a small spill that is expected to occur during normal use of the chemical. Incidental spills may be contained and cleaned up by the person overseeing the process using readily available equipment.

Emergency are larger spills that require more resources including hazmat response teams. These teams may be internal as an industrial response team at a facility or an offsite team like a fire dept. Once something becomes an emergency, the requirements of paragraph (q) govern the response.

[firespec35]

We operate as anything that is bigger than a 2'x2' and is not pure water we clean up. Anything smaller they clean up

[BD6413]

Personnaly I think every refinery will have a diffrent take on this subject. - I would believe any material spilled or released would classify as a Haz-Mat incident considering what we manufacture. Plus there are other chemical processes involved in day to day refining.

Now how far one takes an incident. That's another story. Spills and leaks will occur on a refinery - especially where I'm at {100 yr. old plus facility of over 1000 acres} which has numerous refining and manufacturing units. We are also on a river that obviously will have pipeline crossings which contribute to oil sheens on the river. Most incidents we'll handle "in-house" with our Fire Department, Plant Protection Department, Emergency Response Team Groups, and Safety Department. Outside agencies become involved when a release is beyond our capabilities, or could have affects on the surrounding neighborhoods {Basically a 2nd. Alarm Incidnet for Us}

Each spill or release will be handled diffrently. The level to which each is handled is based on the particular incident and the needs to midigate it. But to answer the question....I'd say yes. Spills and Leaks at a refinery are generally classified as Haz-Mat Incidents.

[SWLAFireDawg]

Haz-Mat team will perform and/or direct clean up, with the Fire Brigade utilized as stand-by fire suppression and Haz-Mat operation support.

[williamsryan]

As was mentioned above, at my facility any unknown liquid, solid, or gas in any amount is treated as a Hazmat Response until proved otherwise. We have responded to soda, water, etc... but thats how we justify all our nice equipment.