Those who respond to incidental spills in their workplace, which
employees can clean up using PPE supplied and are properly trained to
handle safely through hazard communication training, need not be trained
as first responders under HAZWOPER except to the first responder level -
either awareness or operations.  What is an incidental spill is what
each workplace must determine.  If you respond to spills larger than
incidental ones, you would need the 24 hour training.

By calling in an outside response team for anything beyond what you
consider "incidental," you would be in compliance with federal OSHA
requirements.

Regards,

Raymond L. Cook, Jr, MSIH, CIH, CSP
Adv. Sr. HES Professional
Fire/Safety - Industrial Hygiene
(O) 713.296.3417
(C) 281.380.7727
Ray_Cook**At_Symbol_Here**members.asse.org

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
Patricia Peifer
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 2:00 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Lab Spill Team

I work in a small lab (about 65 people) with minimal potential for large
spills.  The largest spill we have had since I have been here is 4
liters
of methylene chloride.  We could have a bigger spill but it is extremely
unlikely.

We have a spill team composed of 5 lab employees (including myself) who
get
asked to deal with the bigger spills, such as the 4 L of methylene
chloride.  The spill team has respirators and gets fit tested every
year.
We also have a spill training session each year, about 1 hour long.   If
we
have a spill that we cannot handle, we have an ourside contractor we
plan
on calling.

I have been told I should be having the entire spill team take the 24
hour
HAZWOPER course with an annual refresher.   That will be a hard sell for
me
to management unless it is absolutely required.  I do feel that we
should
have more than the one hour we typically have, though.  If the 24-hour
HAZWOPER is not absolutely required, I would like to have someone come
in
and give us a half-day (at least) of spill training.

So, two questions:

Does anyone know if I have been told the correct information about the
need
for the 24 hour HAZWOPER?
Does anyone know of a good person to contact in Eastern Pennsylvania
about
spill training?

Thanks,
Pat

Pat Peifer
Project Manager, Safety & Training

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