TSDAnd Intro to Hazardous Waste

1976• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA) was passed to regulate the creation, transport, and disposal of hazardous material.

Love Canal - 1978

• 20,000 tons of 240 different chemicals stored at the dump in NY

• Birth defects, miscarriages, and cancer were reported

• 900 families relocated

1990 • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) consulted with the • Coast Guard, the • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the • National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH)• to create the HAZWOPER guidelines as a way to

standardize the requirements for dealing with hazardous waste cleanup or emergency situations.

2015

• $215,000 Fine for Serious Safety and Health Violations• The Seattle employer has been

cited for multiple serious workplace health violations after a worker became entangled in a rotating shaft while working inside a confined space.• Drum Shot Blasting

Programs

Drum Handling Procedures

VPP Site - Ohio• Job Hazard Analysis is performed on all job functions.

• Safety and Health inspections are performed monthly by the site General Manager and Health and Safety Manager.

• Industrial hygiene (IH) samplings are performed for dust, organics, and noise. • The STOP Card Program requires

observations of employees’ actions and duties. • STOP Observation cards are than tracked by

the safety department to spot trends in safety performance. • Each Operations Manager is required to

complete a minimum of one observation per month.

• Toolbox meetings are performed each week per department

VPP Site - Ohio• Nitrogen purging and inerting of

organic processing to prevent fire or explosion, • Guards over moving parts, and • Automatic fire suppression and

alarm systems. • Buddy system while any work is

being done, and • Prohibiting eating, smoking, or

drinking in processing areas.

VPP Site - Ohio• The site Facility Work Stoppage Guideline gives

authority to all personnel to stop work in the event of an unsafe condition; this is in addition to the standard management authority for stoppage. Some examples are:• Leaking container (s), tank (s), pump (s), and/or

vehicles;• Unsuitable structural integrity of container (e.g.,

pin holes, weeping drums, severe denting and/or corrosion);

• Incompatible waste or materials (e.g., acid / cyanides, acid / base, etc.) stored with the same secondary containment unit;

• Inadequate and/or obstructed aisle space between containers (minimum of two feet); and

• Any health and safety incident or injury.