• 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.