NCD980602163_19840210_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Guilelines for PCB Spills-OCR

..
GUIDELINES FOR PCB SPILLS
Introduction
Priority shall be given to clean-up of any PCB spill. Response must be
prompt especially if weather conditions are likely to cause the spill to
be dispersed. If a small spill such as liquid from a single capacitor is
discovered at night, to avoid disturbing the neighborhood and to reduce
the hazards of vehicles parked on the streets, the clean-up may be delayed
until daylight hours. Quick response to a spill minimizes the impact of
the spill on the environment.
The guidelines are to be followed for spills involving any dielectric liquid
with a PCB content equal to or greater than 50 ppm.
Spills -General
Spills from Capacitors
Spillage of dielectric liquid from capacitor units shall be assumed
to be a spillage of PCB material unless the liquid can positively be
identified by a manufacturer's label or another label as non-PCB.
The tanks of all failed capacitor units should be carefully inspected
for leaks. Failed capacitors often have bulged tanks but do not
always leak. Leaking units shall be immediately removed for disposal
and the leaks contained. A 11 leak 11 means any instance in which a PCB
capacitor has PCB substance on any portion of its externa·1 surface.
Spills from Other Electric Equipment
Spillage of dielectric liquid from PCB electrical equipment shall be
treated as a spillage of PCB material. Spillage of dielectric liquid
from mineral oil filled transformers, regulators and switches will be
treated as a mineral oil spill. An oil sample will be taken for each
mineral oil spill to confirm the non-PCB nature of the oil. Any
analysis that shows a PCB content equal to or greater than 50 ppm will
require clean-up as though the liquid was a PCB material.
Spill reporting, clean-up, storage and disposal of non-PC8 insulating
and lubricating oils are regulated by various federal and state programs.
Regulations may require special handling of non-PCB oil spills in some
instances.
Administration
The facility administrator or his designee will have direct responsibility
for the clean-up operation.
Reporting
Spills from PCB equipment or mineral oil spills that reach a waterway shall
be reported immediately by the administrator to the following:
1) EPA Region IV
Atlanta, Georgia
24 hour Emergency Response Number -[phone]
2) N.C. Highway Patrol Communications Center
Raleigh, North Carolina
N.C. Warning Point Numbers -[phone]
-[phone] (Raleigh Area) 3) 'STJf--n._ CL>~ "i '4£ ti-t.oc-.. --Pl L~ t.
Information provided when reporting spills shall include the following:
• Time/date of discharge
t Name, address and phone number of person responsible for clean-up.
• List of names, addresses and phone numbers of persons, employees
and others having knowledge of the facts surrounding the spill.
t Material discharged: Trade and chemical names.
• Quantity discharged: gallons, pounds, etc.
• Description of vessel or facility from which discharge occurred
(ie. tank, capacitor, transformer).
• Exact location of the discharge including building name/number,
road name/number, city.
• Steps taken since discharge to minimize env1ronmental damage.
• Did discharge reach water way? If so the amount to do so.
By reporting this
b"415eral and state
u, 11 ~ notified.
procedures should
information to the two (2) numbers given, all appropriate /
agencies charged with responding to a PCB spill s-heu ld i-fl · wit"-Li~V~
Further instructions concerning sampling and clean-up
follow through these appropriate federal and state agencies.
Clean-up -General
Actual clean up of spilled PCB and contaminated materials may be contracted sr0
out to a private firm experienced to clean up, handle and transport PCB materials. Z,
A list of firms with these capabilities can be secured from the Solid and ,,_1.
Hazardous Waste Branch, Division of Health Services, (919)-733-2178. 7t-
Protection from weather--
PCB Contaminated Items
Any vehicle, capacitor, bank rack, transformer, pole or other equipment
should be identified and isolated or tagged for clean-up.
p~~~
PCB Contaminated Metal or Pavement
Protection from The area should be roped off and as needed dikes built to prevent fur-
weather--ther contamination. Sufficent Oil Ori to absorb all liquid shall be
applied as soon as possible to the area where dielectric liquid is
spilled. 7 ,tw,"'--~~
PCB Contaminated Gravel, Soil, Etc.
Protection from The area should be roped off and as necessary dikes built to prevent
weather--further contamination. As soon as possible after a spill, Oil Ori
should be applied in sufficient quantity to absorb all liquid that can
be leached out of the gravel or soil. ♦
PCB Spillage into Water
Immediate reporting is essential particularly if spilled PCB enters
a waterway.
If PCB liquid is spilled into a small stream, the stream should be
dammed up with an earthen dike downstream from any visible sheen.
A submerged outlet (pipe of sufficient size to handle stream flow)
should be installed in the dam to make a water pool if possible, so
that the floating portion of the PCB liquid will surface, making
recovery easier.
Personnel Protection Precautions
In some cases it may be necessary that facility engineering/maintenance
staff must enter an area contaminated by a PCB spill. If so precautions
as fol lows:
If contact with PCBs is unavoidable, PCB-resistant gloves, boots,
and other protective clothing shall be used. Porous gloves and
other material which might absorb and retain PCBs shall not be
used in direct contact with the skin. PCB PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
SHOULD NOT BE WORN OVER NORMAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS
RUBBER GLOVES AND SLEEVES.
If contact with PCBs is unavoidable, chemical-type eye protection
shall be worn. If eyes come into contact with PCBs, they shall be
irrigated immediately with large quantities of water for 15 minutes.
They shall then be examined by a physician.
Whenever possible, skin which has come into contact with PCBs should
first be washed with waterless soap and wiped with disposable towels.
Cleaning materials shall be properly disposed of with other con-
taminated wastes. This should be followed by washing with warm water
and soap, especially before eating, drinking, smoking or using toilet
facilities.
In case of spillage on clothing, the clothing should
be removed as soon as practical, the skin washed and
properly disposed of in properly marked sealed drums.
should immediately washed as outlined above.
the clothing
Employee
..
In no instance should facility personnel enter an unventilated
underground vault or othei unventilated area. Entry into there
areas can be extremely hazardous to life and should be done fol-
lowing strict precautions. Emergency response agencies (ie. fire/
rescue department with ventilation equipment and emergency breathing
equipment (self-contained breathing apparatus) should be called
for assistance.