U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060Hazardous waste management facilities are specially constructed to receive certain materials.Construction details include proper siting, soil conditions, means for control of leachate and continuousmonitoring of deposited material.7-8 PERSONNEL SAFETYOil is present in nearly every inhabited place on earth. Consequently, spills may occur in a varietyof environments requiring exposure of U.S. Navy personnel to a wide range of conditions, somequite severe. Personnel must have adequate protection and training to work safely in the spillenvironments.Beach cleanup exposes individuals to several hazards: the product being cleaned may be hazardous,footing is often slippery making injuries from falls likely and weather adds risk of hypothermia,dehydration or sunstroke. Working outdoors for extended periods can be physicallyexhausting, particularly for persons who are not well acclimated.7-8.1 Personnel Health and Safety Standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) has set worker protection standards and training requirements for persons in hazardouswaste operations and emergency response. OSHA standards for oil spill cleanup work aregiven in Appendix G. Because some oils meet criteria for hazardous materials, U.S. Navyresponse activities should meet these standards. Items addressed for each response activityinclude: identification of the oil being removed, personal protective clothing, personal care, taskhazards and response to emergencies. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are an excellentsource of information to identify the health and safety risks of handling known materials.7-8.1.1 Personnel Protective Clothing. Persons must be protected both from the environmentthey are working in and from the materials being handled. Personnel protective clothing includesboots, hats, gloves, coveralls, Tyvek suits and sometimes face shields and respiratory equipment.Cold weather work requires additional protective equipment—safety-toed rubber boots, insulatedcoveralls, and wool hats and gloves with waterproof covers under Tyvek coveralls.7-8.1.2 Personal Care. Workers must have food, water, berthing, sanitary and washing facilitiesand training in recognition and response to the medical problems of hazardous materials. Theymust deal with wind, rain and extreme temperatures. Small items—sunscreen, chapped lip balm,etc.,—become very important.7-8.1.3 Task Hazards. Spill response operations are dangerous. The work is intense; work daysare long—particularly at the beginning. Fatigue is always an issue. Rotating machinery, weighthandling equipment, slippery footing and heavy physical work are inherent hazards.7-8.1.4 Emergencies. Workers must know the chain of command and what to do when hazardousmaterials emergencies or medical emergencies occur. Summoning help often requires communicationsequipment.7-14