CORE Ch9 Study Guide: Emergency or Incident Response

Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

Discuss how spills and fires endanger humans and the environment.
Explain how to execute an emergency response plan.
State how to dispose of contaminated materials from spill cleanup.
Describe cleanup procedures that lessen environmental impact.
List emergency response equipment (spill kit, first aid, PPE).

Emergency Response Planning

A pre-written contingency plan protects employees and the community, minimizes environmental damage, and reduces liability. Emergencies take many forms: tornadoes, floods, fires, highway accidents.

Plan Essentials

Designate an emergency coordinator with authority to make decisions and notify authorities.
Post response agency phone numbers in the office, shop, and truck.
Prepare a fill-in form with critical info for responders.
Include a facility map (buildings, bulk tanks, shutoffs for electricity/water/gas, fencing, fire equipment, drainage) and an area map.
Keep a current product inventory reflecting peak seasonal storage.
Store copies of labels and SDSs away from the storage area.
Maintain emergency equipment in working order.
Train all employees every year.

The backbone of any emergency response plan is a description of the sequence of actions to take in a crisis. Prepare step-by-step procedures for fires, spills, ammonia leaks, tornadoes, and transportation accidents.

Critical Info to Convey to Emergency Personnel

Name of person reporting.
Precise location of the incident.
General description of what happened.
Exact name, quantity, and classification of pesticides involved.
Extent of injuries.
Whether pesticides have entered surface water.

⚠️ Exam Tip: After you draft internal procedures, share the plan with local response agencies (fire, police, emergency planning committee) and offer them a copy for their files.

Emergency Response Contacts

Persons/agencies required by local, state, and federal rules.
Local emergency planning committees.
Police and fire units.
Paramedics and area hospitals.
Pesticide manufacturers and dealers.
Containment and hazardous waste cleanup contractors.
Your attorney — to protect your rights and others'.

🎯 Trick Spot: The primary purpose of an emergency response plan is NOT to reduce economic losses — it's to protect people and the environment. The attorney is one of many contacts, not the first one called.

Pesticide Fires

Any pesticide in a fire is dangerous due to smoke and fumes. Even after extinguishing, residue in debris, soil, and runoff remains hazardous.

Fire Prevention & Preparation

Store combustible pesticides away from heating sources.
Install a fire-detection system.
Train employees to use a fire extinguisher.

Actions When a Pesticide Fire Occurs

Evacuate to a designated rendezvous point. Account for everyone.
Notify the fire department.
Provide responders with SDSs, labels, emergency plan, and site map.
Follow instructions from the onsite incident commander.
Establish a security perimeter.
Build berms to contain contaminated runoff water and leaking pesticide onsite.
Consult with responders on whether to let the fire burn out.
Call your insurance agent.
Make all required state and federal regulatory calls.

🎯 Trick Spot: Do NOT enter the storage facility to remove pesticide during a fire. Do NOT try to extinguish a large fire yourself before calling 911. These are wrong-answer traps — containing runoff with berms is the correct applicator action.

The Three C's of Spill Response

CONTROL

Stop the source.

CONTAIN

Keep it from spreading.

CLEAN

Clean up the spilled product.

Step 1: CONTROL

Always put on PPE before responding. Then:

Place small leaking containers into larger ones.
For larger containers (like drums), plug the leak and transfer contents.
For pressurized systems (sprayers), turn off the pump.
Never leave the site unattended.

Step 2: CONTAIN

Prevent pesticide from entering surface water.
Use a shovel to berm off an area — keep spill out of drains and waterways.
A surface spill is FAR easier to clean than one in water.
If water is contaminated, immediately contact state pesticide and streams/fisheries agencies. They alert downstream users, livestock owners, and recreational users.
Call 911; have the label and SDS ready for responders.

Step 3: CLEAN UP

Sweep up absorbents and contaminated items into a drum.
Spills on concrete/asphalt may require neutralization — follow SDS or contact manufacturer.
Spills on soil: state may require excavation of the top 2–3 inches and replacement with clean soil.
Keep records of all activities and conversations with regulators, media, and the public.
Photographs help document damage and response.

⚠️ Exam Tip: PPE → Control → Contain → Clean up. Skipping PPE is never correct, even for a small spill. No "time out" to read the plan either — you already know it because you were trained.

Spill Prevention & Spill Kit

Preventing Spills

Maintain application equipment and transport vehicles.
Leaks and drips from cracked hoses or loose clamps signal problems.
Drive defensively; no cellphone use while driving.

Spill Kit Contents

Keep a kit in each transport vehicle and at each mix/load/storage site. Store items in a plastic container; keep clean and in working order.

Spill Response Kit:

Emergency assistance phone numbers
PPE designed for pesticide use
Absorbent materials (spill pillows, absorbent clay, cat litter)
Shovel, broom, and dustpan
Heavy-duty detergent

NFPA Hazard Identification System

The National Fire Protection Association uses a diamond-shaped warning symbol to help emergency responders quickly assess chemical hazards.

Diamond Section

Rating / Meaning

Blue (left) — Health

0 (minimal) to 4 (severe hazard)

Red (top) — Flammability

0 (won't burn) to 4 (flammable gases / pyrophoric)

Yellow (right) — Instability

0 (normally stable) to 4 (explosive decomposition)

White (bottom) — Special

OX = Oxidizer, W (crossed) = Avoid use of water

⚠️ Exam Tip: NFPA ratings go 0 to 4 (five levels). Zero = minimal / won't burn / normally stable. Four = severe / flammable gases / explosive decomposition.

Key Terms Cheat Sheet

Emergency Response Plan (Contingency Plan): Pre-written step-by-step procedures for spills, fires, accidents, and disasters.

Emergency Coordinator: Designated "go-to" person with authority to make decisions and coordinate with first responders.

Facility Map: Layout of buildings, tanks, shutoffs, gates, fire equipment, drainage. Provide to emergency responders.

Area Map: Your facility in relation to surrounding properties.

The Three C''s: Control, Contain, Clean up.

Spill: Any accidental release — large or small.

Spill Kit Contents: Phone numbers, PPE, absorbents (spill pillows, clay, cat litter), shovel/broom/dustpan, heavy-duty detergent.

Berm: Small dirt ridge used to contain spilled pesticide and keep it out of drains and waterways.

Soil Excavation Depth: Typically 2–3 inches of contaminated soil removed and replaced after a spill.

Backbone of the plan: The sequence of actions to take in a crisis.

NFPA Diamond: Blue=Health, Red=Flammability, Yellow=Instability, White=Special. Ratings 0 (minimal) to 4 (severe).

Fire rule: Build berms to contain runoff — don't enter the facility or try to fight a large fire yourself.

Chapter 9 — Emergency or Incident Response