Chemical Engineering August 2021 - 46

safely outside of potential
flooding areas. Identify what
hazardous wastes could be
generated as a result of loss of
containment or loss of power.
Also consider what type of reporting
will need to be completed
after the incident.
Finally, once a plan is in
engineers
place,
FIGURE 3. A chemical plant's disaster preparedness plan
should ensure that the plant has an ample stock of necessary
PPE for workers, as well as other essential items
assess a facility's risk for incidents
related to natural disasters. For example,
a business on the Pacific
coast has the greatest risk of being
impacted by earthquakes, wildfires
and mudslides, while a facility on the
Atlantic coast may be more likely to
encounter hurricanes and flooding.
A plan should be put in place
before it is ever needed. That plan
should consider several factors -
first, engineers and plant executives
should work together to determine
emergency response roles. Decide
who will make crucial decisions in
the event of a storm and who will be
involved in hazardous waste management
and removal.
An ideal emergency response plan
should include a proper, strategic
communication protocol and chain
of command. One of the biggest
mistakes companies make when
preparing for a natural disaster is a
lack of communication. Communication
that is not handled properly
creates additional obstacles for organizations
to overcome during and
after the disaster.
Especially
in
the
aftermath
COVID-19 and the lessons learned
around the world, companies should
revisit the concept of stockpiling supplies.
It is important to have a certain
amount of reserved supplies to manage
operations through a power outage
or other conditions to make sure
employees can protect themselves.
What can be identified now that was
needed before the pandemic or the
last natural disaster? This can include
personal protective equipment
(PPE), such as masks or gloves,
sanitizing wipes, bleach, toilet paper,
power generators, water reserves
and more (Figure 3).
Teams should also determine how
to secure all hazardous chemicals
44
and
their
teams should go through exercises
to work the muscles
of the program. With the frequency
and severity of these
events increasing, it is not
good enough to have a plan sitting
on a shelf - teams need to
go through real-life drills to understand
the impact of communication
and operation breakdowns. What
will be done if there is not access
to the items that were counted on?
What if someone in the communication
chain is not present during the
event? What tasks are missing support
that someone needs to be assigned
to manage? Address these
potential scenarios in the plan.
Choosing a partner
To remain compliant in the industry's
ever-changing
regulatory
environof
ment,
it is highly recommended to
work with a third-party partner that
is knowledgeable in waste management.
Working closely with a dedicated
and experienced partner for
both emergencies and day-to-day
operation ensures continuity and
consistent communication.
In many cases, the correct response
to a disaster might not be obvious
to the untrained eye because,
after a disaster, hazardous wastes
may look the same as non-hazardous
wastes. However, hazardous
wastes cannot simply be put in a
trash can and taken away. Hazardous
wastes need to be identified, segregated
and properly disposed of to
ensure compliance.
Experienced waste management
experts that specialize in emergency
response and planning can partner
with a plant's leadership team to
provide critical advisory services to
help minimize risk. From the initial
response to cleanup and ultimate
closeout of all regulatory paperwork
and reporting, this third-party partner
can help to manage risk throughout
the entire lifecycle.
When facing a large-scale event,
emergency response organizations
can assemble a nationwide network
of experts, facilities, equipment and
subcontractors. Managing
hazardous
wastes through an emergencyresponse
specialist helps CPI plants
to find proper disposal outlets and
enlist expert help with onsite segregation,
and also offer emergency services
such as the following:
* Spill containment
* Unknown substance handling
* Cleanup services for container
leaks, fuel spills and chemical spills
* Roadside cleanup of vehicle leaks
* Handling of mercury and other
materials
* All-hours emergency call-center
services
Emergency response providers
should guarantee that their
personnel have the proper safety
and health certifications and experience
conducting regular audits
and evaluations.
Because many roads and access
points may be blocked during and
after a disaster, an emergency response
partner should be in contact
with local law enforcement organizations
and emergency response teams
to find out when it is safe to travel to
the affected facility and begin the hazardous
waste cleanup process.
Unexpected
downtime
following
an emergency can cost the facility
several hundred thousand dollars per
day. The facility's goal is to reopen
the impacted location as quickly and
safely as possible to minimize the
business interruption and get employees
back to work. Without a preexisting
agreement in place, it may
take longer for a third-party cleanup
team to access and service a location
after a hurricane or natural disaster,
as their priority will be to service
previously contracted customers first.
With that in mind, leadership teams at
chemical facilities should be proactive
in selecting an emergency response
partner, rather than waiting until the
damage has been done and a potential
crisis is underway.
When it comes to managing
waste streams in anticipation of a
potential
environmental emergency,
a small amount of planning goes a
long way - and so does having an
understanding of the regulatory environment
and how to navigate it.
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