Md. Code Regs. 26.13.05.03 - Preparedness and Prevention
A.
Applicability. This regulation applies to owners and operators of all hazardous
waste facilities, except as Regulation .01A, of this chapter, otherwise
provides.
B. Design and Operation
of Facility. Facilities shall be designed, constructed, maintained, and
operated to minimize the possibility of a fire, explosion, or any unplanned
sudden or non-sudden release of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents
to air, soil, or surface water which could threaten human health or the
environment.
C. Required Equipment.
All facilities shall be equipped with the following, unless it can be
demonstrated to the Secretary that none of the hazards posed by waste handled
at the facility could require a particular kind of equipment specified below:
(1) An internal communications or alarm
system capable of providing immediate emergency instruction (voice or signal)
to facility personnel;
(2) A
device, such as a telephone (immediately available at the scene of operations)
or a hand-held two-way radio, capable of summoning emergency assistance from
local police departments, fire departments, or State or local emergency
response teams;
(3) Portable fire
extinguishers, fire control equipment (including special extinguishing
equipment, such as that using foam, inert gas, or dry chemicals), spill control
equipment, and decontamination equipment; and
(4) Water at adequate volume and pressure to
supply water hose streams, or foam producing equipment, or automatic
sprinklers, or water spray systems.
D. Testing and Maintenance of Equipment. All
facility communications or alarm systems, fire protection equipment, spill
control equipment, and decontamination equipment, where required, shall be
tested and maintained as necessary to assure its proper operation in time of
emergency.
E. Access to
Communications or Alarm System.
(1) Whenever
hazardous waste is being poured, mixed, spread, or otherwise handled, all
personnel involved in the operation shall have immediate access to an internal
alarm or emergency communications device, either directly or through visual or
voice contact with another employee, unless the Secretary has ruled that such a
device is not required under §C of this regulation.
(2) If there is ever just one employee on the
premises while the facility is operating, the employee shall have immediate
access to a device, such as a telephone immediately available at the scene of
operation or a hand-held two-way radio, capable of summoning external emergency
assistance, unless the Secretary has ruled that such a device is not required
under §C of this regulation.
F. Required Aisle Space. The owner or
operator shall maintain aisle space to allow the unobstructed movement of
personnel, fire protection equipment, spill control equipment, and
decontamination equipment to any area of facility operation in an emergency,
unless it can be demonstrated to the Secretary that aisle space is not needed
for any of these purposes.
G.
Special Handling for Ignitable or Reactive Waste. The owner or operator shall
take precautions to prevent accidental ignition or reaction of ignitable or
reactive waste by:
(1) Separating and
protecting the waste from sources of ignition or reaction including but not
limited to:
(a) Open flames;
(b) Smoking;
(c) Cutting and welding;
(d) Hot surfaces;
(e) Frictional heat;
(f) Sparks, including electrical sparks,
sparks caused by static electricity, and mechanically-caused sparks;
(g) Spontaneous ignition, such as ignition
caused by heat-producing chemical reactions; and
(h) Radiant heat;
(2) Confining smoking and open flame, while
ignitable or reactive waste is being handled, to specially designated locations
where smoking or open flame will not create a risk of causing the waste to
ignite or react; and
(3)
Conspicuously placing "No Smoking" signs wherever there is a hazard from
ignitable or reactive waste.
H. Arrangements With Local Authorities.
(1) The owner or operator shall attempt to
make the following arrangements, as appropriate for the type of waste handled
at his facility and the potential need for the services of these organizations:
(a) Arrangements to familiarize police, fire
departments, and emergency response teams with the layout of the facility,
properties of hazardous waste handled at the facility and associated hazards,
places where facility personnel would normally be working, entrances to and
roads inside the facility and possible evacuation routes;
(b) When more than one police and fire
department might respond to an emergency, agreements designating primary
emergency authority to a specific police and a specific fire department, and
agreements with any others to provide support to the primary emergency
authority. Agreements with State emergency response teams, emergency response
contractors, and equipment suppliers; and
(c) Arrangements to familiarize local
hospitals with the properties of hazardous waste handled at the facility and
the types of injuries or illnesses which could result from fires, explosions,
or releases at the facility.
(2) When State or local authorities decline
to enter into these arrangements, the owner or operator shall document the
refusal in the operating record.
Notes
Regulations .03 amended effective January 31, 1983 (10:2 Md. R. 110); amended effective 48:9 Md. R. 359, eff.
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No prior version found.