HAZWOPER Emergency Response Checklist
Initial notification
___Clear arrival report specifying chemical (with correct spelling), chemical actions, volume, location, injuries and potential harm (property damage, critical systems, environmental), person reporting
___Leak continuous?
___Administrators/supervisors advised
___Report of release recorded
___Release constitute RQ?
___Report release to appropriate federal, state and local authorities within specified timeframe
___Call 911 if release is reportable or it poses or could pose a threat to the public
Initial scene management
___Area of hazard identified or estimated (guidance)
- immediate spill area
- areas of visible product, contamination, gases or vapors
- areas where odors are detectable
- areas where sounds such as hissing, reactions or other related sounds can be detected
- factor in volume released or potentially released and severity of hazards
- preliminary guidance from current edition of Emergency Response Guidebook, risk management plans, process safety analyses or other emergency planning documents
___Hazardous area adequately identified by banner tape or other means
___Entry into hazard area restricted
___Checks made to determine if there have been any injuries or exposures and to ensure appropriate care
___Determine sufficiency of available resources and request additional resources as needed. Allow for travel time to your site
___Hazardous area communicated to affected individuals nearby
___Steps taken to remove all individuals from hazardous or potentially hazardous areas
___Emergency responders informed of hazardous area location and safest route of access (upwind/uphill from release, a safe distance and avoiding areas where released materials my have been tracked or wind currents have eddied airborne releases)
___Location of hazardous area communicated to administrators and/or supervisors
___Communication of threat relayed to the public in a timely manner
___Public communications adequate, clear and regular
___Public communications taken over by PIO
Establish incident command on the incident scene
___Report by designated communication medium status of emergency to other emergency response or emergency management personnel (name and volume of chemical; actions of chemical; deaths or injuries; path of release travel and threat to people, facilities or the environment)
___Recommend initial mitigation actions
___Recommend safe access routes for responders
___Announce command
“This is ______. We have (communicate emergency specifics). I am assuming command and locating the command post at ______. All responding personnel should report to______for further instructions”
___Clearly mark command post and locate it in a safe location (upwind, uphill and at a safe distance)
___Determine which ICS staff positions (safety officer, public information officer and liaison) should be operational
___Determine which sections (operations, planning, logistics and finance) should be made operational, appoint section leaders and provide tasking
___Establish a personnel accountability system to track personnel
___Evaluate adequacy of the initial isolation and adjust as needed
___Determine and delineate warm and cold zones
___Integrate both public and private resources into an effective command structure. Individuals from the private sector can be most effectively integrated into a command structure headed by a public official as a part of or solely responsible for the following functions:
- share command in a unified command structure
- augment the knowledge of the Public Information Officer
- function as a resource to the Safety Officer and speak for the private facility, organization business
- function in the Finance Section as the responsible party
- coordinate emergency actions and logistics on the site with the Logistics Section leader
- participate in the Hazard Sector of the Operations Section to augment public personnel resources and function as a representative of the facility or transporter relative to chemical hazards, containment systems, processes and facilities
Conduct hazard and risk assessment
___Obtain all available information regarding the identity of the hazardous substance involved
- names and other identifiers
- label, MSDS, placard information
___Determine material hazards using multiple references or a combination of references, databases and technical advisors
___Determine the severity of chemical hazards
___Determine volume released or that could potentially be released
___Evaluate the containment system, its features and its condition. Work with industry resources as needed to obtain information and guidance
___Determine stressors impacting containment system that may cause it to fail or open and release materials
___Determine how containment system has failed or may fail
___Once released, estimate how released materials may travel and determine exposures potentially impacted (i.e. people, property, the environment or critical systems)
___Determine if response personnel can safely approach the emergency scene (potential for explosions, violent container rupture, radiation, violent chemical reactions or temperature extremes)
___If safe to approach, which exposure routes must be protected by chemical protective clothing (i.e. inhalation, absorption and ingestion)
Preparation for entry into contaminated or potentially contaminated areas
___Site specific safety plan complete
___Sufficient personnel to work on buddy system with a minimum of two entering and two providing backup
___All protective clothing inspected and found to be in good working order
___SCBA checked out
___Required PPE worn in hot zone
___All communication systems in place and checked for proper operations. Communication system checked for feedback when working in close proximity
___Hard hat, hearing and other protection worn as indicated
___Backup communication established in case of primary system failure
___Pre-entry hydration for personnel in warm to hot environments
___Pre-entry medical monitoring for entry personnel
___Pre-entry briefing of all personnel
- emergency signal
- second path of egress from hot zone
- site safety plan in place
- objectives for entry
- decon location and steps
- emergency decon
- chemical exposure and heat/cold stress symptoms
- allowable work time
- hot zone re-entry policy
- tools/equipment need for entry
___Decontamination line operational and staffed
___Unfamiliar operations rehearsed and briefed
___Time on air noted and tracked
___Medical monitoring onsite
___SCBA facepiece inner and outer surface and suit facepiece inner surface treated with anti-fog as indicated
___Airspace, highway, railroad and other traffic managed for scene safety
___Entry team provided transportation when traveling long distances
___Monitoring equipment calibrated or taken through fresh air startup. Bagged to prevent contamination, and entrants have clear idea of what and where to monitor.
___Necessary shutdown briefed
___Lockout/tagout briefed
___Establish policy regarding PPE reuse, air tank change and reentry
___All PPE required is worn and all fasteners functional and secured
Hot zone entry
___Entrants working on the buddy system with appropriate backup
___Required PPE worn
___Entrants check each other’s status
___Continuous monitoring for flammable atmospheres if indicated
___Avoid chemical contact
___Lockout/tagout as indicated
___Work from upwind/uphill direction when possible
___Obtain information to confirm identity as soon as possible if indicated
___Hot zone/warm zone communications checked and continue periodically
___Entrants given fifteen and five minute warning
___Mitigation techniques utilized that minimize chemical contact and physical strain
___Status/progress communicated along with estimated time of conclusion
Post entry
___Management of decon wastes in accordance with applicable laws
___Debrief entrants
___Inform workers, supervisors, administrators and the public of incident conclusion as appropriate or as indicated in emergency plans
___Confirm safe atmospheres following mitigation
___Service or decon of monitoring equipment
___PPE deconned to render harmless or isolated, contained and handled as hazardous
___Hazardous wastes contained or isolated, clearly indicated and secured
___Hazardous wastes stored in compatible containers and in a manner appropriate for the hazard class and physical state
___Emergency response agencies and others notified of hazardous waste location
___Responsible party in contact with and coordinating with environmental authorities
___Incident command structure downsized as possible
___Entry, decon, medical monitoring and other critical information documented
___All documentation complete, collected and archived
___Entrants and decon workers checked for exposure symptoms
___Post entry medical surveillance
___All on-scene personnel briefed regarding exposure symptoms and steps to take if experienced
___Evaluate effectiveness of emergency plans, procedures
___Check for contamination and recalibrate air monitoring instruments
___Determine status of PPE: decon, test and reuse or retire
___Check supplies of consumables
___Identify equipment in need of repair and ensure it to be contamination free
___Checkout and return SCBA and other respiratory protection to service
___Examine all equipment for indications of contamination
Notes and comments: