WAC 173-303-340   Preparedness and prevention.  Facilities must be designed, constructed, maintained and operated to minimize the possibility of fire, explosion, or any unplanned sudden or nonsudden release of dangerous waste or dangerous waste constituents to air, soil, or surface or groundwater which could threaten the public health or the environment. This section describes preparations and preventive measures which help avoid or mitigate such situations.

     (1) Required equipment. All facilities must be equipped with the following, unless it can be demonstrated to the department that none of the hazards posed by waste handled at the facility could require a particular kind of equipment specified below:

     (a) An internal communications or alarm system capable of providing immediate emergency instruction to facility personnel;

     (b) A device, such as a telephone 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;

     (c) 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

     (d) Water at adequate volume and pressure to supply water hose streams, foam producing equipment, automatic sprinklers, or water spray systems.

     All facility communications or alarm systems, fire protection equipment, spill control equipment, and decontamination equipment, where required, must be tested and maintained as necessary to assure its proper operation in time of emergency.

     (2) Access to communications or alarms. Personnel must have immediate access to the signalling devices described in the situations below:

     (a) Whenever dangerous waste is being poured, mixed, spread, or otherwise handled, all personnel involved must have immediate access to an internal alarm or emergency communication device, either directly or through visual or voice contact with another employee, unless such a device is not required in subsection (1) of this section;

     (b) If there is ever just one employee on the premises while the facility is operating, he must have immediate access to a device, such as a telephone or a hand-held, two-way radio, capable of summoning external emergency assistance, unless such a device is not required in subsection (1) of this section.

     (3) Aisle space. The owner or operator must 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 department that aisle space is not needed for any of these purposes.

     (4) Arrangements with local authorities. The owner or operator must 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, unless the hazards posed by wastes handled at the facility would not require these arrangements:

     (a) Arrangements to familiarize police, fire departments, and emergency response teams with the layout of the facility, properties of dangerous 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) Arrangements to familiarize local hospitals with the properties of dangerous waste handled at the facility and the types of injuries or illnesses which could result from fires, explosions, or releases at the facility;

     (c) Agreements with state emergency response teams, emergency response contractors, and equipment suppliers; and

     (d) Where more than one party might respond to an emergency, agreements designating primary emergency authority and agreements with any others to provide support to the primary emergency authority.

     (5) Where state or local authorities decline to enter into such arrangements, the owner or operator must document the refusal in the operating record.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 70.105 and 70.105D RCW. 95-22-008 (Order 94-30), § 173-303-340, filed 10/19/95, effective 11/19/95. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105 RCW. 84-09-088 (Order DE 83-36), § 173-303-340, filed 4/18/84. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105 RCW and RCW 70.95.260. 82-05-023 (Order DE 81-33), § 173-303-340, filed 2/10/82.]