View the entire chapter in a PDF format. Please use the pdf for printing.
Publication: January 2007. For information about changes, please see the Revision History.

Chapter 16: Spills

Overview (1)

A spill is the release of any material that results in an increased risk or potential risk to human health, the environment, and/or property. This chapter presents the requirements for the prevention, response to, and reporting of spills at SLAC.

Spill prevention minimizes the risk of environmental and safety consequences from spills. This is a combination of reducing the probability of having a spill and mitigating the effects. Reducing the probability is accomplished through the use of various engineering and administrative controls such as minimizing chemical inventories and using less hazardous chemicals, where feasible. Mitigating the effects of spills is realized through primary and secondary containment, proper work practices and housekeeping, and effective spill response. Rapid, safe and effective emergency response minimizes adverse impacts to personnel, the environment, the general public, and SLAC operations. Reporting consists of notifying internal and external parties and the DOE as appropriate.

In the event of a spill, personnel will respond appropriately to mitigate the hazards and the spill will be evaluated and reported. (See Spills: Initial Spill Response Procedure [pdf] and Spills: Spill Response Flow Chart [pdf] for what to do if a spill occurs.)

Hazards/Impacts (1.1)

The most common kinds of spills and their associated hazards are

• Hazardous materials and wastes
• Workers may be exposed to hazards from unknown material such as corrosives, flammables, and toxics
• Workers may be exposed to slip hazards if the material spilled is an oil product
• The soil, waterways, and/or groundwater may be impacted by the release of material/waste

• Biohazards
• Workers may be exposed to biohazards such as sewage or biological materials
• Waterways and/or groundwater may be impacted by the release of sewage

• Hazardous atmospheres
• Workers may be exposed to hazards such as suffocation, chemical exposure, or explosion if the spill releases gases into the atmosphere
• The atmosphere may be impacted by a release of hazardous gas

• Non-hazardous material
• Animals living in San Francisquito Creek may be impacted by a release of domestic or low conductivity water to the storm drain system

• Radiation
• Workers may be exposed to radioactive water or material
• The soil, water, or air may be impacted by a release of radioactive material/waste

Scope (2)

The requirements of this chapter apply to all personnel, including SLAC employees, subcontractors, users, and visitors.

This chapter covers spills of all types including radioactive material and waste, hazardous material and waste, as well as spills potentially harmful to the environment, such as domestic water and sewage that enters the storm drain system.

• Detailed requirements concerning storage tanks, required under Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 112.2, "Oil Pollution Prevention" (40 CFR 112.2), are contained in the SLAC Spill Prevention, Controls, and Countermeasures Plan [pdf].
• For requirements concerning the storage and handling of hazardous materials, see Chapter 40, "Hazardous Materials", which includes a description of the Consolidated Chemical Contingency Plan [pdf] and secondary containment requirements.
• Storage and handling of hazardous waste and associated requirements are discussed in Chapter 17, "Hazardous Waste".
• Requirements for radioactive material and waste management are provided in Chapter 9, "Radiological Safety".
• Requirements for emergency preparedness and response are provided in Chapter 37, "Emergencies".

Implementation (8)

The requirements of this chapter will be implemented according to Spills: Implementation Plan [pdf].

continue to Standards (3)