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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
OGDEN, UTAH
TITLE 6700 - SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM
R-4 Supplement No. 6700-96-2
Effective March 11, 1996
POSTING NOTICE. Supplements are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year. Post
by document name. Remove entire document and replace with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page of this document. The last supplement to this Title was Supplement
6700-96-1 to FSM 6730.
Document Name
6740
Superseded New
(Number of Pages)
4
Digest:
6742 - Makes minor coding and editorial changes to agree with parent text.
DALE N. BOSWORTH
Regional Forester
4
R4 SUPPLEMENT 6700-96-2
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FSM 6700 - SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM
R4 SUPPLEMENT 6700-96-2
EFFECTIVE 3/11/96
CHAPTER 6740 - HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
6742 - HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. The term "Hazardous Materials" is defined by each state
differently but generally contains words similar to this Idaho definition: "Any element,
compound, or substance that may present a substantial threat to people, wildlife or the
environment if released. Hazardous materials include products or wastes and may be further
classified as chemical, biological, radiological or explosive substances including petroleum
products and hazardous wastes." See 40 CFR 302 for a listing of hazardous substances.
1. The Forest Service is not the responsible agency to respond to Hazardous Materials
(HAZMAT) release/spills on National Forest Land unless it is our materials that are released or
we have assumed responsibility as part of a State Contingency/Response Agreement.
However, Forest Service employees may be the first on the scene of a HAZMAT spill/release on
National Forest lands. In these cases, early action could be the difference between a minor
incident and environmental disaster. The following precautions must be taken:
a. Assess situations that could be a HAZMAT spill/release prior to entering the area.
Remain upwind, uphill and/or upstream and observe the situation and try to
determine if toxic materials are involved.
b. Never enter the area, even to rescue a victim, unless sure there is no further risk.
Dial 911 or use your Forest Service radio to summon help for injured parties.
c. Determine as much as possible from a safe distance what HAZMAT may have
been spilled/released by observing containers, placards, labels, and so forth, then
notify the local authorities. Notify the agencies below when petroleum products or
other HAZMAT is spilled/released in their state or when waters contaminated by
spills will flow into their state:
California. Office of Emergency Service (800) 852-7550 (in California only) 24
hour emergency or (916) 262-1621 (8 to 5 weekdays) non-emergency.
Colorado. Department of Health, Waste Management Division (303) 692-3300,
emergency.
Idaho. Emergency Medical Services dispatcher (800) 632-8000 emergency 24 hour
(in Idaho only), or (208) 327-7422 non-emergency.
Nevada. Department of Emergency Management (702) 687-5300 (Highway Patrol
24 hour emergency), or (702) 687-4240 (8 to 5 weekdays) non-emergency.
Utah. Division of Environmental Response and Remediation, (801) 536-4100 (8 to
5 weekdays), (801) 536-4123 Emergency and after hours answering service.
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Wyoming. Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division (307)
777-7781 (8 to 5 weekdays), (307) 632-6491 (after hours answering service).
In the event of a major spill, the Forest Service is required to contact the USDA - Regional
Response Team.
These contacts are:
Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, (303) 296-2723 (8 to 5 weekdays), (303) 296-2788, after
hours.
Nevada, California, (415) 744-2291 (8 to 5 weekdays), (415) 774-2000, after hours.
Idaho, (208) 553-1200
d. Until help arrives:
(1) Cordon off the area and establish a safe zone. Stay upwind from chemical
vapors and evacuate all persons from the immediate area.
(2) Render first aid to victims - if you can reach them without endangering your own
safety.
(3) Serve as an on-scene communications point.
(4) Where possible without becoming contaminated, take measures to contain the
substance to the smallest possible area not allowing it to get into water.
e. Brief the State appointed Incident Commander or Response Official of the
situation on their arrival and assist them as needed.
2. Each state assigns different responsibilities to Federal agencies. For this reason, each
Forest Supervisor should have a copy of their state(s) Emergency Response, Contingency or
similar plan to determine what FS responsibilities are. In most instances, Forests, and even some
Ranger Districts, should have hazardous materials contingency/response plans of their own.
The Forest Service may be asked by the state to make specialists available for HAZMAT
incidents to give advice in their area of technical expertise. This is especially advisable when a
release/spill occurs on National Forest Lands. As an example, the Idaho Plan says the Forest
Service shall:
a. Coordinate activities and take part in Unified Incident Command for incidents
involving local, state, and Federal roads and rights-of-way, National Forest System
roads and lands.
b. Provide natural resource expertise regarding fish, wildlife, endangered and
threatened species habitats, soils, minerals, geology, and surface and ground water
hydrology.
c. Provide technical expertise regarding land reclamation and effects on habitat of
hazardous substances.
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d. Develop a Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan for National Forest
System lands to coordinate with State Plan.
Forests must cooperate and coordinate with those Federal and State officials who have
responsibilities for releases/spills on the National Forests.