Accident Prevention and Emergency Action Planning

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Accident Prevention and Emergency Action Planning

Adapted from Lesson 50 LPES Curriculum
Authored by Ron Sheffield North Carolina State U
niversity
Presented by Thomas Bass Macon, GA May 12,
2004
Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Georgia Pollution Prevention Assistance Divi
sion, GA-DNR
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Emergency Action Plans
Basic but thorough common-sense plan that will
help you make the right decision during an
emergency

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Why have an Emergency Action Plan?

• If it is written down, you will use it.
• Plan before potential emergencies.
• To protect you and others against environmental
  damage
  
• Murphys Law accidents happen
• It is a required part of your GA-NMP.

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Manure Spills

• 1 cause of agricultural fines throughout the
  U.S.
  
• Other emergencies should be considered but focus
  of this presentation on manure related issues.

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SafetyDangerous Gases and water quality

• Dangerous situations can be associated with gases
  that are produced in livestock and poultry
  buildings and manure storage structures.
  
• Manure can contain pathogens that could impact
  human health if consumed by accident or through
  contaminated drinking water.

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Safety Safety Precautions with Manure Storage

• Construct or utilize lids, railings or fences and
  signs to prevent intrusion or falls into storage
  areas and structures.
  
• Keep Out or Danger Manure Storage signs.
• Get help before attempting to rescue livestock
  that have fallen into a manure storage
  structure.
  
• Ventilate when agitating and avoid flames in
  confined manure storages.

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Prevention

• Self-inspection of lagoon and farm
• Required part of your GA NMP

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Prevention Lagoon Maintenance

• Proper lagoon liquid level management should be a
  year-round priority.
  
• Maximum storage capacity should be available for
  periods when the receiving crop is dormant or
  when there are extended rainy spells.
  
• Staff gage is essential for
• recording levels.

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Prevention Lagoon MaintenanceThe vegetative
cover on the dam should be well maintained.
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Prevention Lagoon Maintenance

• Weekly Inspection of Embankment
• Look for
• settlement, cracking, or holes on embankment and
  around pipes
  
• slumps or bulges on side slope
• wet areas on the back slope
• erosion due to wave action
• rodent damage
• tree damage

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Prevention Piping Inspections

• When inspecting waste inlet pipes, recycling
  pipes, and overflow pipes, look for
  
• separation of pipe joints
• cracks or breaks
• accumulation of minerals
• overall pipe condition

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PreventionExample remote liquid level monitor

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Prevention
Example irrigation low-pressure shut-off switche
s

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Imminent Pollution or Emergency

• Storage capacity about to be exceeded
• Potential runoff from application field
• Weather
• Hurricanes or tropical storms
• Seasonally heavy rainfall
• Flooding
• Catastrophic animal loss

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Pollution in Progress

• Leaking or broken pipe
• Cracked pit wall or storage tank
• Seepage from lagoon berm
• Overtopping lagoon
• Tank wagon leak or overturn
• Irrigation equipment failure

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Pollution DiscoveredAfter the Fact

• Could be the result of the previous situations.
• Enter EAP sequence at the appropriate step for
  the situation.

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Sequence or parts of an EAP

• Eliminate the source
• Contain the spill, if possible
• Assess the extent of the spill and note any
  obvious damages
  
• Contact the appropriate agencies
• Clean up the spill and make repairs
• Prepare and submit summary report

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Eliminate the Source

• Lagoon/basin overflowpossible solutions are
• Stop all additional flow to the lagoon
• Pump wastes to fields at an acceptable rate
• Make sure no surface water is entering lagoon
• Add soil to berm, increasing elevation of dam
• These activities should be started when your
  liquid level has exceeded the temporary storage
  level.

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Eliminate the Source

• Runoff from application fieldactions include
• Immediately stop manure application
• Create a temporary diversion or berm to contain
  the manure on the field
  
• Incorporate to reduce further runoff
• Evaluate and eliminate the reason(s) that caused
  the runoff (application rates, equipment failure,
  time of application)

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Eliminate the Source

• Leaks from the manure distribution system
• Pipes and sprinklersactions include
• Stop recycle (flushing system) pump
• Stop irrigation pump
• Close valves to eliminate further discharge
• Separate pipes to create an air gap and stop
  flow
  
• Repair all leaks before restarting pumps

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Contain the Spill

• Know your topography Where will a spill in a
  given location go?
  
• Where can it be contained?
• What do you need to contain it?
• Berms and diversions can be preventative tools.
  Can sediment basins or existing ponds serve as
  containment?

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Contain the Spill

• Leakage from base or sidewall of lagoon or
  earthen storage structure
  
• Dig a small well or ditch to catch all seepage,
  put in a submersible pump, and pump back into
  lagoon.
  
• If holes are caused by burrowing animals, trap or
  remove animals, fill holes, and compact with a
  clay-type soil.
  
• Seek engineering assistance

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Assess the Extent of Spill

• Did the manure reach any surface waters?
• Approximately how much was released and for what
  duration?
  
• Any damage noted, such as employee injury, fish
  kills, or property damage?
  
• Did the spill leave the property?
• Does the spill have the potential to reach
  surface waters?

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Contact Appropriate Agencies
If spill leaves property or enters surface
waters

• Call local EMS (or similar emergency response
  agency), instruct EMS to contact local Health
  Department.
  
• Contact CES, local SWCD office, and local NRCS
  office for advice/technical assistance.

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Contact Appropriate Agencies
If spill leaves property or enters surface waters

• If local health or environmental agencies are not
  available, call 911 or the Sheriffs Department
  and explain your problem to them. Ask them to
  contact the appropriate emergency response
  agencies.

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Contact Appropriate Agencies

• Your phone call should include

• Your name
• Facility name
• Telephone number
• Details of the incident

• Exact location of the facility
• Location or direction of spill movement
• What corrective measures have been undertaken

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Contact Appropriate Agencies

• Operator is required to make immediate oral
  notification within 24-hours to the local EPD
  District Office and notify the Division in
  writing within five (5) working days of the
  discharge from the facility.

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Contact Appropriate Agencies
The discharge notification shall include the
following information

• Description of the discharge type contents, and
  its cause, including a description of the flow
  path to the receiving water body and an estimate
  of the flow and volume discharged.
• Time of the discharge the period of
  non-compliance, including exact dates and times,
  the anticipated time it is expected to continue,
  and steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate
  and prevent recurrence of the discharge.

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Clean up Spill and Make Repairs

• Implement procedures recommended by technical
  assistance agencies and regulatory agencies
  
• Rectify the damage
• Repair the system
• Reassess the manure system operation and NMP to
  keep problems with manure release from happening
  again

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Prepare and Submit Summary Report

• Review of events leading up to spill or accident
• Summary of impact
• Description of action taken
• Check with EPD to verify required information.

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Community Response Plan

• Coordination of livestock producers and local
  agencies to better respond to farm accidents and
  spills
  
• Sharing of necessary equipment
• Manure Response Teams and Drills
• Local Emergency Assistance
• Livestock Producers

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EAP Special Considerations

• The emergency action plan should include
  provisions for emergency spreading or transfer of
  manure from all waste storage structures in the
  system.
• This may include emergency pumping or spreading
  during periods when the soil or crop conditions
  are not conducive to normal application.
  
• EPD and possibly GDA should be contacted for
  guidance in the land application of manure, as
  this emergency application is not normal under
  the accepted NMP.

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EAP Special Considerations

• The emergency action plan should be available to
  and understood by all employees at the facility.
  
• It is the responsibility of the owner or manager
  of the facility that all employees understand
  what circumstances constitute a danger to the
  environment or health and safety of workers and
  neighbors.

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EAP Special Considerations

• Insure that someone who speaks English is always
  present.
  
• Human health and well being takes precedence!
  NEVER PUT YOURSELF OR AN EMPLOYEE AT RISK TO
  PREVENT DAMAGE.

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The Emergency Action Plan -Quick Review

• How to develop the plan - Part I
• What types of emergencies are possible?
• Spills, Fires, Accidents, Hurricanes, etc.
• Consider drainage patterns from your farm.
• Manager on duty can often correct minor
  problems.
  
• For major emergency, know where you will get help.

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Quick Review

• How to develop the plan - Part II
• Consider the people who could offer assistance.
• What type of equipment will you need?
• Get access agreements to enter neighboring
  properties.
  
• Write the plan down and put it by the phone.
• Train all employees
• Example Plans available.

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Quick Review

• Main Steps of an Emergency Action Plan
• Eliminate the source
• Contain the spill, if possible
• Assess the extent of the spill and note any
  obvious damages
  
• Contact the appropriate agencies
• Clean up the spill and make repairs
• Prepare and submit summary report

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Case Studies

• Over-application of Manure
• Manure Transport
• Lack of Storage Capacity

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1 . . . Over-application of Manure

• Dairy in southern Ohio
• The gasoline-powered drive engine on a traveling
  gun irrigation system ran out of fuel while the
  irrigation pump was still running.
  
• Excessive amounts of liquid manure were applied
  to a level, untilled field.
  

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• Result
• Manure leached down to a tile system and drained
  into an open drainage ditch.
  
• The water quality was impaired by low dissolved
  oxygen levels downstream in the drainage ditch
  and adjoining stream.
  
• The farmer observed discolored water and foam
  discharging from the field tile into the open
  drain.
  
• Response
• State water quality officials responded to an
  anonymous call.
  
• Water samples were taken to identify the source
  of contamination.
  
• Discolored water and foam were found discharging
  from a field tile outlet into the drainage ditch.

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• How Could this Spill have been Avoided?
• Check engine fuel and oil levels before each
  pull on a travelling gun irrigation system.
  
• Delay manure application until field tiles stop
  flowing.
  
• Inspect irrigation systems during application
  events. Ensure that drive engines and turbines
  are operating.
  
• Check soils for their antecedent moisture
  condition before selecting application rates and
  pumping duration.
  

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2 . . . Transport Accident

• Poultry layer sludge, SE Virginia
• Tanker failed to check for oncoming train
• Slow-moving train severed tanker, releasing 8,500
  gal of sludge.
  
• Startled but unharmed driver immediately
  contacted supervisors and fire department

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• Result
• Lagoon sludge released from the tanker flowed
  directly into a nearby stream.
  
• Fish were killed downstream of the spill.
• Response
• Contractor contacted state water quality agents.
• Stream was dammed to contain the spilled sludge
  and contaminated water. Vacuum tanker, already
  on site, pumped and applied the material to the
  application field.
• Due to the company's quick response, which
  mitigated the spill, the contractor received only
  a warning.

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• How Could this Spill have been Avoided?
• Special care should be taken when transporting
  manure and sludge on public roads.
  
• Minimize transport of manure in areas of high
  traffic, high speeds, or railroad crossings.

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3 . . . Lack of Storage Capacity

• Dairy, southern Pennsylvania
• Farms manure storage basin was overflowing into
  a field
  
• An irrigation gun and tank wagon were used to
  apply manure on a bottomland field of wheat
  stubble.
  
• Nighttime application rates of 7,200 gal/acre
  were reported but were believed to be higher by
  investigators.

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• Result
• Manure from the overflowing basin entered a
  nearby field tile, which drained into a ditch,
  crossed the property line, and then into a
  neighbors stream.
• Liquid manure entered the ditch via a tile
  blowout and open catch basins, eventually
  contaminating two in-stream ponds on the
  neighbors property.
• Response
• The stream was temporarily dammed to prevent
  further movement of manure-laden water
  downstream.
  
• The producer pumped contaminated water from the
  stream and applied it to adjacent fields under
  the supervision of state investigators.
  
• Producer paid a fine with no contest.

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• How Could this Spill have been Avoided?
• Ensure adequate storage, allowing flexibility in
  application due to weather.
  
• Do not apply manure when soil is nearly saturated
  from snow or rain.
  
• Inspect fields regularly, especially before
  manure application, to ensure tile blowouts are
  repaired.
  
• Monitor tiles during and after manure
  application.
  
• If a problem occurs, notify your state water
  quality agency as soon as possible.
  

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Funding
This material is based upon work supported by the
Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the National Agriculture Assistance
Center and the University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln, under Cooperative Agreement
Number 97-EXCA-3-0642.
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The End

• Questions?