Inspección Detallada

When a chemical spill occurs in Colorado, there are a number of reporting and notifi cation requirements that must be followed by the person(s) responsible for the spill. These requirements tend to be confusing, and regulations often overlap. The following briefl y explains the major requirements. For more detailed information, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Reporting Chemical Spills And Releases In Colorado website at http:// www.cdphe.state.co.us/emp/spillsandreleases.htm.

Releases to Water

A release of any quantity of any pesticide which may enter waters of the State of Colorado (which include surface water, groundwater and dry gullies or storm sewers leading to surface water) must be reported to CDPHE immediately using the toll-free 24-hour Environmental Emergency Spill Reporting Line at 1-877-518-5608 (25-8-601 CRS). Written notifi cation to CDPHE must follow within 5 days (5 CCR 1002- 61, Section 61.8(5)(d)). Any accidental discharge to the sanitary sewer system must be reported immediately to the local sewer authority and the affected wastewater treatment plant.

Transportation Accidents

Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately for transportation accidents that result in a pesticide spill. Notifi cation of the National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) and CDPHE may also be necessary. Refer to the CDPHE Reporting Chemical Spills And Releases In Colorado website at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/emp/ spillsandreleases.htm for more details.

Releases from Fixed Facilities and Storage Tanks

The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act ( SARA) Title III, a federal law with which facilities must comply in Colorado, requires reporting releases from fi xed facilities (including pesticide storage

areas). Fixed facilities must immediately report any release that exceeds the reportable quantity for that specifi c chemical to the agencies listed below. Refer to the SARA Title III List of Lists, available from EPA at http://www.epa.gov/ceppo/pubs/title3.pdf, for the reportable quantity. For more detailed information, refer to the CDPHE Reporting Chemical Spills And Releases In Colorado website at http://www.cdphe.state. co.us/emp/spillsandreleases.htm.

Fires

When pesticides are involved in fi res, they create special hazards. Anyone in the vicinity of the fi re can be exposed to toxic fumes,

poisonous runoff, and concentrated pesticides from leaking or exploding storage containers. Here are some general rules that apply to pesticide fi res.

Before a fi re occurs, the local fi re department should be informed of what is being stored and where it is being stored. Provide the fi re department with MSDS sheets for all pesticides held at the location. Foam or carbon dioxide, not water, should be used to fi ght

pesticide fi res (Class B fi re extinguisher). If water is all that is

available, it should be applied with a fogging nozzle, not in a straight stream. Straight streams may spread the fi re and scatter the

pesticide.

Evacuate and isolate downwind areas. Fires attract spectators; they should be kept away from areas where they might be exposed to smoke and fumes or to runoff from fi re fi ghting.

Personnel fi ghting the fi re should wear appropriate safety equipment to protect themselves against smoke, mist, spray, and runoff from the fi re.

Personnel fi ghting the fi re should minimize the risk of exposure by attacking the fi re from a safe distance on the upwind side. They should stay clear of drums, cans, or bottles that may explode during the fi re.

Contain the fi re. Both the fi re and the pesticide should be kept from spreading. Water should be used to cool nearby pesticide containers. Vehicles and other mobile equipment should be moved away from the fi re if it is safe to do so.

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Dikes should be constructed to prevent the excess water used in fi ghting the fi re from running off and contaminating the surrounding areas.

Call for help. If it is necessary to call for help to control the fi re, the persons or agency called should be told what pesticides are involved. When help arrives, they should be informed again of the nature of the fi re, provided with MSDS sheets, and told of any special information about the pesticide involved that will aid in fi ghting the fi re and protecting themselves.

Cleanup after the fi re is out should be carried out in the same manner as cleanup of spills previously outlined.

Accidents

If a vehicle carrying pesticides crashes, personnel should not panic. They will not be able to think clearly or help the driver unless they are calm. There are four steps to dealing with a crash:

If the driver is not seriously injured, he/she should be helped out of the wreckage and moved to a safe distance. If the driver is seriously injured or unconscious, he/she should not be moved but should be checked for strangling, choking, or bleeding. If there is severe bleeding, a pad of clean cloth should be held fi rmly over the cut with the part of the body that is cut raised, if possible. One person should watch the victim while another goes to the nearest telephone and calls for an ambulance and emergency assistance.

If the wreckage is on fi re, the fi re should be put out with a fi re extinguisher unless it is dangerous to do so.

The driver’s clothing should be checked to see if it has been splashed with pesticides. If it has, and if the victim is not seriously injured, clothing should be removed and the person should be helped to the nearest water and washed several times with soap. If the driver is not seriously injured, he/she should be taken to a doctor. The doctor will need to know that the victim has been exposed to pesticides and the name(s) of the pesticide(s) involved. If the driver is seriously injured, someone should be assigned to go with the ambulance to the hospital or doctor’s offi ce to make certain they know what pesticide(s) the victim has been exposed to. Take a copy of the label along, if possible.

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Additional Resources

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Phone: 1-888-426-4435. http://www.aspca.org. A resource for any animal poison-related

emergency. A $55.00 credit card fee may apply.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Emergency Management Program Environmental Spill Reporting, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, Colorado 80246-1530. 24 Hour Reporting Line: 1-877-518-5608. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ hm/spillsandreleases.htm. Colorado release and incident reporting

information.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH ), Technical Information and Assistance, 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356- 4674), http://www.cdc.gov/niosh. Information on respirator selection

and recommendations.

National Pesticide Information Center ( NPIC), Oregon State University, 333 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-6502. Phone: 1-800-858-7378. http://npic.orst.edu/index.html. Call and ask

questions about pesticides and pesticide related topics.

National Response Center, 1-800-424-8802. http://www.nrc.uscg. mil/. Federal chemical spill reporting information.

Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, 777 Bannock St., Mail Code 0180, Denver, CO 80204-4508. Phone: 1-800-222-1222. www. rmpdc.org. Provides emergency poison and drug information.

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