Drum Popping Techniques

[Aerial 131]

How is everyone going at the process of drum popping to relieve pressures of drum? example punching, drilling, lifting lid??

What equipment are you using to do?

What are the SOPs/SOGs?

I am trying to imporve what we all ready are doing, thought some of you might have new ideas and thoughts.

Zimm

[firehat87]

I am not on a HazMat team, so I do not have that much experience, but I am a technician in a fire department with operations capabilities. I have never heard of drum popping, and I am unaware of the purpose. I have been told to move endangered drums, and I do not think it is a good idea to open a container in a dangerous situation. You run the risk of introducing a new chemical into the incident. I would recommend not popping drums, but moving them only.

[Aerial 131]

We have been relieving pressure (better terminology) of drums for several years here. The machine we use is an air driven SCBA bottle and special regulator low speed (10-50 revolutions per minute). It has worked very well.

Many of the drums we have had need to do this with were contained in a green house (plastic bag 5-10 mills thick) with a HEPA filter attached to the bag to allow pressure to lower and allow capture of any materials which might be contimanated to stay within the bag.

We tend to isolate the incident drums(s) and do them one at a time. Never a hurry up job.

Several of them have contained mixed organic and non-organic materials which needed to be sorted and repackaged to other containers.

I was trying to find out if we could better our process and get better at it. Also, what or types of systems are being used. Maybe someone has an industrial area that does this and they can help?

Thanks for your information.

Zimm

[SMFDHM4]

Hi; concerning the "puncturing" of bulging drums, Santa Fe Springs Fire Dept. Haz Mat has a remote, air actuated device they place on the drum and it punches a hole in it. We also thought about shooting the drum with a 22 long rifle (would like to, but probably never happen). We use the thermal imager to check the the liquid level of the drum (liquid absorbs heat) prior to making an entry, saves lots of time. Good luck!

[Aerial 131]

SMFDHM4, what type of drum popper are you using, we are using a custom made type that was built by an outfit in the Seattle area.

To my knowledge they no longer make them because the guy that did retired. I have called to get a list of who they sold to maybe by the other ones if not in use. Would be good to have an extra one, the one we have might get contaminated. Hope not!

It is air driven from SCBA bottle and a regulator. We have used it a couple of hundred times.

What SOGs are being used when it is doing the job, distance from drum, location remote application, etc.

Any problems with the application/useage. We have lost a drill bit or two and lost an air hose but that is aboutit. the guy that built them built them to last.

Zimm