Section 296-843-18005. Handle drums and containers safely.

Preparation for moving drums and containers:

You must:

• Assess hazards to employees, such as radioactive waste, before handling drums and containers.

• Consider unlabeled drums and containers to contain hazardous substances and handle them accordingly, until the contents are positively identified, labeled, and assessed for hazards.

• Inspect and make sure drums and containers are sound before moving them.

– If it is not practical to inspect drums without moving them, move drums and containers to an accessible location and inspect prior to further handling.

• Remove soil or other materials covering drums or containers with caution to prevent rupture.

• Use ground-penetrating systems or other types of detection systems or devices to estimate the location and depth of buried drums or containers.

• Use the sampling plan and procedures included in the site-specific HASP to sample the contents of containers and drums.

Moving drums and containers:

You must:

• Warn all employees exposed to drum movement operations about the potential hazards associated with the contents of the drums or containers prior to moving them.

• Minimize movement of drums or containers.

• Select, position, and operate tools and material handling equipment to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors.

• Handle tanks and vaults containing hazardous substances with the same precautions as for drums and containers, taking into account the size of tank or vault.

Handling spills and leaks:

You must:

• Contain and isolate the entire volume of a hazardous substance in a drum or container when a spill occurs.

• Have available and use both of the following in areas where spills, leaks, or ruptures may occur:

– United States Department of Transportation (DOT) specified salvage drums or containers.

– Suitable quantities of proper absorbent materials.

• Empty drums and containers, that cannot be moved without rupturing, leaking, or spilling, into a sound container.

– Use a pump or other device classified for the material being transferred.

• Have fire-extinguishing equipment on-hand to control fires in their initial stage.

Reference:	For further information, see the safety and health core rules, WAC 296-800-300, Portable fire extinguishers.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 04-02-053, § 296-843-18005, filed 1/5/04, effective 5/1/04.]

RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 04-02-053, § 296-843-18005, filed 1/5/04, effective 5/1/04.

Rules

296-800-300,