Company Name
Chemical Spill Prevention
&
Clean-up Procedures
Program
Last Revised On
00/00/0000
PURPOSE
The following program will discuss how prevent chemical spills from occurring and
setting forth procedures to follow in the event that a spill occurs.
SPILL PREVENTION
Company Name has developed procedures for proper transportation, storage and
handling of chemicals to reduce the chance of a chemical spill. These are in place to
prevent chemical spills from occurring and to be followed at all times. If a chemical spill
occurs, it may be very difficult and costly to contain and clean the spill. By following the
procedures outlined in this program we can prevent chemical spills from occurring. Only
authorized employees are allowed to enter the “Pesticide Storage Area” or handle
pesticides.
PREVENTING CHEMICAL SPILLS
The following section will discuss the steps that all Company Name employees are
expected to follow in order to prevent chemical spills from occurring and the procedures
to follow if a spill occurs.
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READ THE LABEL!!!!!
Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on all new chemicals that are
introduced into the workplace.
Employees are responsible for reviewing the MSDS for each chemical that you
work with before using it.
Maintain good housekeeping practices.
Ensure that all chemical containers are properly labeled, including secondary
containers in accordance with OSHA regulations.
Secondary containers must have at least the “Name of the Chemical”,
“Manufacturer” and appropriate “Hazard Warning” information.
Never use a container that could be mistaken for a food or beverage product as a
secondary container. A couple of examples would be a soda can/bottle or
milk/water jug.
Only mix chemicals in designated areas. The mixing area location(s) are:
o ____________________________
o ____________________________
o ____________________________
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A complete pesticide inventory list will be given to the local fire department
along with the location of all pesticide storage/accumulation areas. (Note: You
may also want to invite your local fire department to tour your facility before an
emergency occurs)
A chemical spill kit will be kept in all mixing areas, storage areas and vehicles
used to transport chemicals.
CHEMICAL TRANSPORTATION
Employees are responsible for transporting chemicals in a safe manner, so that they do
not damage the integrity of the chemical container. The following procedures are to be
followed when transporting chemicals:
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Never transport chemicals inside of the passenger cabin of a vehicle.
Never transport chemicals with food or clothing.
Always lock your vehicle when transporting chemicals if you have to leave it
unattended. Never leave your vehicle unattended if you have chemicals in the
bed of a truck.
Do not transport damaged or leaking containers.
If you have an emergency involving a spill, fire or exposure - call 911.
Secure containers to ensure that they do not move during transport.
All employees responsible for transporting chemicals will verify that the
chemical spill kit is present prior to using the vehicle.
CHEMICAL STORAGE AREA(S):
General
 Chemicals are to be stored in our designated storage areas.
 All storage areas are to be kept clean and orderly at all times.
 All storage areas will be well lit.
 All above ground fuel storage tanks/drums shall be double walled or located
within a dike containment unit.
Flammables
 All flammable chemicals will be stored in our flammable materials cabinets.
These areas will remain free of all sources of ignition. No smoking is to occur
within 50’ of all flammable material storage areas.
 All flammable fuel storage areas are required to have a fire extinguisher located
within 50’ of the storage area at all times.
 Extra Oxygen & Acetylene fuel cylinders that are not located in a fuel cart &
connected to a regulator shall be stored at least 18’ apart.
Pesticide Storage Areas
 All pesticides are to be stored in the “Pesticide Storage” cabinet/room.
 All pesticide storage areas will be labeled with the bilingual EPA Approved
Pesticide Storage sign.
 All pesticide storage areas are to be kept locked when they are not in use.
 The shelving units inside of the pesticide storage area shall be constructed of
metal, plastic or wood. If the shelves are made of wood then they are to be
covered with a sheet of heavy-duty plastic or epoxy paint. This is to prevent
wooden shelves from being contaminated if pesticides are spilled on them.
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Never store pesticides in direct sunlight.
Because some pesticides will break down or deteriorate in extreme temperatures
the storage area will be kept between 40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
CHEMICAL SPILL PROCEDURES
Remember that the first priority of all spills is to
Small Spills (Less than 1 gallon)
Untrained employees:
Properly attending to a chemical spill requires special knowledge and training. If you
have not been trained in “Spill Clean-up” you are not allowed to attempt to clean up the
spill. If you are the first to discover a chemical spill you are to:
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Access the spill (Try to determine the approximate container size and content of
the spill. Also, be able to give the location of the spill. This information is to
assist our clean-up personnel.)
Secure the spill area. You should not leave the area unattended unless you
believe that you are in immediate danger. Use caution tape to rope off the area to
make sure that employees and customers stay out of the area. If caution tape is
unavailable, then station employees at the entrance(s) of the area where the spill
has occurred, in order to inform people that they can not enter the area.
Contact the appropriate personnel
If the spill poses a threat to life evacuate the area.
Trained employees
A list of trained employees who are authorized to clean-up a chemical spill can be found
in Appendix A (located at the end of this program). Their name(s), title, department and
contact information is also listed. The following clean-up procedures are to be followed
by trained employees only:
1. Don’t Panic
2. Find the appropriate MSDS. If you are unsure of the spilled chemical wear the
maximum PPE required for our chemicals. This includes:
a. Tyvek suit
b. Heavy-duty chemical resistant gloves
c. Rubber boots
d. Chemical resistant goggles
e. Face-shield
f. Respirator
g. Other:__________________
3. If you know the contents of the spill, review the MSDS put on all required
Personal Protective Equipment.
4. Stop the source of the leak.
 If the container is small and tipped over upright the container.
 If the container is leaking then place it into a larger chemical-resistant
container. Use either a plastic drum or heavy-duty plastic trash bag.
 If the container is overflowing from a hose, stop the inflow and try to cap
the container.
 If the container is a spray tank or hopper that has ruptured or over-turned
you will not be able to stop the source. (This may require additional
outside assistance for clean-up)
5. Contain the Spill
 As soon as you have prevented any more material from leaking out from
the source of the spill, you need to begin to control the leak and keep it
from spreading. Take extra care to keep the spilled chemical from
entering any water source. This may include but is not limited to: storm
drains, wells, water systems, rivers/streams, etc.
 Use the absorbent socks or absorbent material located in the spill kit to
surround the spill to assist you with the containment of the spill. Refer to
the MSDS to be sure that you do not use a material that may increase the
hazard of the spill. (Some chemicals may react with some of the
absorbent materials)
 Liquids - Use the absorbent materials (Absorbent pads, kitty litter,
sawdust, clay, etc.) located in the spill kit to soak up liquids. Cover the
entire spill with the absorbent material.
 Solids – cover the spill with plastic and secure the edges to keep the
plastic from moving.
6. Spill Clean-up - Refer to the MSDS of the spilled chemical for specific clean-up
procedures.
General Procedures
 Solids – Begin by pulling slowly pulling up the edge of the plastic so that
the wind (if outside) is blowing against the edge. Then using the plastic
dust pan and broom/brush with plastic bristles located in the “Spill Kit”
begin to slowly sweep the material into the dust pan. Take extra care not
to all the material to become airborne. If the material has not been
contaminated by other substances during the spill it may be still be able to
be used. If the material has been contaminated then it must be disposed of
as hazardous waste.
 Liquids - Using the appropriate absorbent material soak as much of the
spill liquid up as possible. Refer to the MSDS to when trying to decide on
what type of absorbent to use. Place all materials in a leak proof
container.
Large Spills
The proper clean-up of a large spill may be too difficult for our employees to handle or
they may be unsure of what is necessary to do in order to properly clean up the spill. In
either instance, our procedures are to evacuate the area and keep people away from the
spill, make sure that anyone who contaminated receives first aid and try to confine the
spill as best as possible. Call the local emergency services; the phone number is 911 (if
there is a different emergency number in your area make sure to change the 911.),
CHEMTREC and/or your State pesticide agency for assistance. CHEMTREC is a public
service company that will provide you with immediate advice for those at the scene of an
emergency. CHEMTREC’s toll free telephone number is 1-800-424-9300. This phone
number is only to be used in the event of an emergency.