diversion, diking, booming, absorbing, fencing, and damming).
Both methods can be very effective at controlling a hazardous
release, if used appropriately. However, response personnel
should not utilize either method without appropriate protection
and regard for safety.
For small vehicular spills that occur along a roadway, one of
the easiest ways to control a spill is the use of granular
absorbents, oil absorbent pads, or universal absorbent pads for
non-petroleum products. These items are readily available and
very effective for remediation of small spills. However, response
personnel should understand the properties associated with
e
ach, standard operating procedures for utilizing them, and the
correct collection and storage methods for contaminated
absorbents.
Disposal Guidelines
O
nce hazardous materials are spilled, the material becomes
contaminated and should be either recycled or disposed of prop-
erly. Typically, first responders to a traffic incident do not pos-
s
ess the appropriate licenses to perform transportation and dis-
posal of hazardous waste. Professional licensed firms should be
contracted to perform this task following the regulations estab-
lished under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.16
First responders can improve the disposal process by mitigat-
ing the spill following a standard operating procedure (SOP).
The SOP should account for how to:
• Mitigate the spill,
• Package the waste for transport, and
• Secure the waste until a licensed transportation and
disposal company can pick up it up.
More importantly, the SOP should provide first responders
with guidance on how to minimize roadway congestion by con-
ducting hazard recognition to determine the hazards presented
to the general public.
There are two basic ways to control any type of spill: contain-
ment and confinement. Containment basically means restricting
the material to its original container while confinement refers to
limiting the physical size of the area of release. First responders
3 Tow Professional | Volume 4 • Issue 2 | www.towprofessional.com