The use of a formal testing process and a disciplined approach to chemical incidents helps avert serious situations and avoids loss of time while waiting for samples to be tested before responding. It also factors in site conditions, weather and chemical packaging into response decisions because it reflects the immediate conditions at the site.
In addition to being placed on powder or dipped into liquids to determine chemical properties, test papers can also be used in swab tests. These can pick up trace amounts of contamination to help establish safe conditions to enter and leave a scene, or to determine the level of contamination or decontamination on clothing, equipment and vehicles.
The disciplined approach relies on hard science, or basic science with common terminology and knowledge, so that personnel, including both emergency services and non-technical staff, and the general public will understand the dangers and not rush into situations and become part of the problem, rather than the solution.
A disciplined approach for spill response is vital for personal safety, to determine response countermeasures and manage the event to bring it to a successful conclusion in a timely manner.
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Cliff Holland is the president of Spill Management Inc. This article appears in ES&E Magazine’s November/December 2015 issue.
(The author would like to acknowledge the effort of Charles Ross in preparing this article.)
