Managing spills
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The document outlines guidelines for managing herbicide spills using the "Three C's Concept" of control, contain, and clean up. It describes how to control a spill by stopping its spread, contain it to prevent further dispersion, and clean up the spilled material and any contaminated areas. Personal protective equipment is necessary when dealing with spills to prevent exposure to toxic chemicals. Having an emergency spill kit containing protective gear, absorbents, labels, and disposal bags allows for quick response. Product labels should always be consulted for chemical-specific safety procedures.
Managing spills
- 2. Three common ways herbicide spills occur: During storage or transportation When mixing the spray solution During application.
- 3. The Three C’s Concept The Three C’s — Control, Contain, and Clean Up — provide guidelines for managing a pesticide or herbicide spill. The Three C’s provide a way to quickly organize after a herbicide spill, whether it occurred during transport, storage, mixing and loading, or application. Managing a herbicide spill on soil may be different than a spill that occurs on a concrete loading pad.
- 4. The Three C’s Concept-contd. Control: Control is the first step of the Three C’s because the goal is to stop the release of the herbicide: if a small container leaks a liquid herbicide from a crack in the bottom, place the small container inside a larger container If it is a larger container, stop the leak by plugging it If a hose or spray tip on application equipment is leaking, relieve the pressure and use a
- 5. The Three C’s Concept-contd. Contain: When controlling the spill, it is also equally important to contain it to keep the herbicide or pesticide from spreading. When a spill occurs in the field prevent spreading by creating a dam using soil and a shovel. When the spill is on a hard surface, use an absorbent material to contain the spill. If the spill occurs with a dry herbicide formulation, prevent spreading by lightly misting with water (do not over-apply water or runoff may occur), or covering the spill with a plastic tarp. The important thing is not to let the spilled material get into any body of water.
- 6. The Three C’s Concept-contd. Clean Up: After the spill has been contained, the absorbent material and herbicide need to be properly disposed, and the area cleaned. For spills on concrete or similar materials, the absorbent material should be swept up and placed in a fibre or steel drum lined with a heavy-duty plastic bag. When cleaning up pesticide spills, it is advisable NOT TO WORK ALONE and to make sure the area is properly ventilated and that appropriate protective equipment is used by all personnel.
- 7. The Three C’s Concept-contd. Dry spills (dusts, wettable powders, granular formulations) should be picked up in the following manner: – Immediately cover powders, dusts, or granular materials to prevent them from becoming airborne. – Collect the herbicide and place in plastic or metal containers and dispose appropriately. Liquid spills should be cleaned up by placing an appropriate absorbent material (floor- sweeping compound, sawdust, sand, etc.) over the spilled herbicide. Work the absorbent into the spill using a broom or other tool to force the absorbent into close contact with the spilled herbicide. Collect all spent absorbent material and place into a properly labelled leak-proof container. Depending upon the spilled substance, contaminated soil may have to be removed to depths where no detectable amounts of the substance are evident. Residues may need to be placed in properly labelled leak-proof containers. For this determination, contact the base/installation environmental engineer/coordinator.
- 8. The Three C’s Concept-contd. Dry spills (dusts, wettable powders, granular formulations) should be picked up in the following manner: – Immediately cover powders, dusts, or granular materials to prevent them from becoming airborne. – Collect the herbicide and place in plastic or metal containers and dispose appropriately. Liquid spills should be cleaned up by placing an appropriate absorbent material (floor- sweeping compound, sawdust, sand, etc.) over the spilled herbicide. Work the absorbent into the spill using a broom or other tool to force the absorbent into close contact with the spilled herbicide. Collect all spent absorbent material and place into a properly labelled leak-proof container. Depending upon the spilled substance, contaminated soil may have to be removed to depths where no detectable amounts of the substance are evident. Residues may need to be placed in properly labelled leak-proof containers. For this determination, contact the base/installation environmental engineer/coordinator.
- 9. Remember the PPE . In the chaos of an emergency, it can be easy to forget personal safety. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary when dealing with a herbicide spill. Wearing chemical-resistant gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes plus socks, and a chemical-resistant apron or coveralls is a must. Even if there is an injury, PPE should be put on before attending to the victim to prevent exposure to toxic chemicals.
- 10. Remember the PPE . In the chaos of an emergency, it can be easy to forget personal safety. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary when dealing with a herbicide spill. Wearing chemical-resistant gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes plus socks, and a chemical-resistant apron or coveralls is a must. Even if there is an injury, PPE should be put on before attending to the victim to prevent exposure to toxic chemicals.
- 11. Spill Kit .A spill kit is essential when working with herbicide because it contains all the items needed when a spill occurs. With all the items in one place, response to a pesticide spill can occur quickly. The following items should be included in a plastic container labelled “Spill Kit”: Copies of all labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for herbicides in storage, under transport, or being applied Chemical-resistant gloves, footwear, apron/coveralls Long-sleeved shirt Protective eyewear Respirator (if working in a confined space or required by the product label) Absorbent material (e.g., cat litter, sawdust, spill pillow, sand) Shovel, broom, dustpan Heavy-duty detergent for cleaning (e.g., commercial cleaner, ammonia, detergent as recommended by pesticide product manufacturer) Decontamination kit (used to clean hard surfaces; can include sponges, paper towels, scrub brush, and cleaning solution appropriate for the chemicals being used) Fire extinguisher rated for chemical fires Other items specified on labels of the products in use Heavy-duty plastic bags for disposing of hazardous waste
- 12. Read the Label . Product labels and MSDS contain emergency information and procedures that may be specific to each product. Read labels carefully and make sure they are easily accessible for quick reference in an emergency.