No matter how long you have been in the pesticide industry, you know that transporting a chemical of any kind comes with a slew of risks. From manufacturers to distributors to users to storage to job sites, an accident can happen at any time. Taking some simple steps to secure and maintain your equipment can lessen your chance and severity of a spill!
Transport Vehicle
All vehicles should obviously be in good working condition. Be sure to get regular oil changes and brake and tire checks before hitting the road. Regular rig maintenance is important as well. Closely inspect hoses for wear and cracks, as well as hose clamps for rust. It is smart to carry extra supplies and replacement parts with you incase a leak develops during a job.
NEVER carry a liquid pesticide in the cab with you. If spilled, the pesticide will not only be very difficult to remove, it could release harmful fumes for you to inhale. It is best to store pesticides in the bed of your truck in the original shipping box because they meet the needs of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) packaging standards and provide maximum protection to the contents. Be sure not to stack containers higher than the sides of the truck. Enclosed cargo boxes are a great addition for transporting chemicals because they provide neat packing and extra security.
The person driving the vehicle (and often the business owner as well), is held responsible for injuries to people and any pesticide contamination in the event of an accident. At the scene of an accident, the driver has the ability to contain any spills and prevent them from spreading. Be sure that you and your employees know what to do in an emergency spill situation.
Always keep product labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and spill kits on hand in case of a spill. The SDS is important because it contains important information for the driver as well as emergency personnel such as: personal protective equipment (PPE) to use during clean up, inhalation risk, explosion risk, decontamination procedures and emergency numbers. Before starting a day’s work, ensure that all pesticide containers have legible labels attached and lids are closed tightly.
The DOT requires diamond-shaped placards to be placed on vehicles that transport specific types and quantities of hazardous materials, such as: pesticides, fertilizers (anhydrous ammonia
or ammonium nitrate) and fuels (gasoline, diesel or propane). These placards are generally
given out by the distributor when a pesticide is purchased. Below are examples of placards that are to be placed on vehicles that transport certain types of hazardous materials.
Storing Pesticides
If possible, it is always best to store pesticides, fertilizers and other similar products in a separate storage facility. Doing so keeps equipment, employees, and important documents (including the label) away from pesticides and gives emergency response crews many more options in the event of fires or spills.
No matter if your pesticide storage is in a cabinet in your office or in a separate building, it is important to always keep it locked when not in use. Warning signs and placards should be placed on windows and doors to signify pesticides present. ONLY pesticide containers, pesticide equipment and a spill kit should be stored in your pesticide storage site.
Location of your pesticide storage is more important than you may think. You must consider soil and land surface characteristics to prevent contamination of groundwater as well as the likeliness of flood induced runoff. Further, there should not be any streams or bodies or water near the facility.
Pesticides should be stored in a temperature controlled, well-ventilated room (or building) with exhaust fans directing air outside to prevent toxic vapor buildup caused by solvents used in pesticide formulations. Ventilating your pesticide storage into another building or room does no good! Check the pesticide labels for the suggested storage temperature limits.
Adequate lighting in pesticide storage is important for a couple of reasons. First, it allows you to easily read product labels. Second, it allows you to easily identify any spills and leaks from pesticides.
When creating pesticide storage, use nonporous materials that are easy to clean and decontaminate in case of a spill. Cement floors that slope down to a low point are a great idea, as cement is easy to clean and the slope will help collect any spills. Plastic and metal are good choices for siding and shelving.
Make sure labels are legible on all pesticide containers. This insures that pesticide applicators are made aware of special statements and hazards, thus, choosing the correct pesticide for the job. If the label is damaged or destroyed, you can easily go online or contact the product manufacturer for a new label. It is always a good idea to get extra copies of the label to keep in your office and vehicles as well.
Never use any other container to store a pesticide other than the one that it came with. Doing so is not only illegal, but it could result in serious injury or accidental poisoning to children, pets or customers. Storing pesticides in different containers may also confuse the pesticide applicator, resulting in a bad treatment and damage to an application site or non-target organism.
When storing, keep pesticide lids securely closed when not in use. Dry pesticides, such as wettable and soluble powders, dry flowables, dusts and granules may clump together under high humidity. To prevent this, simply store partially used bags of dry pesticides in a plastic trash bag or tub with a cover to reduce clumping. Remember to include the original bag in the bag or tub, don’t just pour the remaining contents into a new container.
Stocking your pesticide storage area should allow users to access pesticides safely and easily. Store heavier pesticides on lower shelves and never allow container to extend past the shelf (they could tear open or be knocked off). Bulk and mini-bulk tanks should be placed on reinforced concrete pads. Diking around bulk tanks is a good idea because it keeps accidental leaks from pesticides inside a concrete area. Just make sure the area inside the dike is large enough to contain the volume of liquid in the tank, plus an additional 10%. Diked areas are a good place to store valves, pumps and transfer hoses when not in use.
It is important to keep an inventory of all pesticides in your storage facility. This helps you keep track of what you have, what you need to order and the date you ordered it. Remember, when re-purchasing a pesticide, even if you are familiar with it, always look over the label to ensure nothing has changed. It is not uncommon for labels to change directions and uses often. Everyone who enters the pesticide storage area should regularly inspect pesticide containers and labels in order to detect and address any problems.
Always have access to clean water when handling and storing pesticides. Water can be used as an emergency treatment for decontamination or eye washing after splashes/spills. Other items to have on hand include soap, paper towels, PPE, a fire extinguisher rated for chemical fires, first aid equipment and emergency numbers.
Buying pesticides based on the current season’s needs will end up saving you money. Fewer pesticides take up less space in a storage facility and are less likely to expire before used. If a product does expire before use, you may be required to pay to have it disposed through a special service.
Pesticide Security
When it comes to storing pesticides, minimizing risk to the public is most important. When thinking of the safety and security for your pesticide facility, it’s a good idea to practice Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Ineffective security procedures make businesses vulnerable to both internal and external threats that put your community at risk. Aside from the risk involved in pesticide theft, lawsuits, fines, insurance and damaged reputations may also become an issue.
When creating a security program that suits your property, first assess the risk. What are your businesses vulnerabilities? How much product are you storing at one time? Are there any known risks surrounding your business? Who is on your property daily (employees, customers, contractors, neighbors)? What information may be valuable to others (financial statements, confidential employee information)? Is your property secured when not in use (property can be pesticides, vehicles, equipment and office supplies)? These question are a good starting point when creating your security program.
Preventing security threats does not end with the business owner. Employees should be trained to stay aware of their surroundings in order to detect any threats. It is the employees responsibility to lock their vehicle when not in use and to make sure that no chemical is available to steal by locking down all equipment and containers.
If you believe you have been victim to any type of security breach, contact your local authorities immediately. Additionally, you should contact your local emergency planning commission, fire departments and other local emergency response agencies. The FBI states that any suspicious activity related to the use, training or acquisition of pesticides should be reported to management and local authorities.
Emergency Response
Even if you follow all of the protocols above, an accident still may occur. As a pesticide handler, knowing what to do in the event of an emergency is so important because you could be at the frontline of an emergency situation. Every company should have an emergency response plan built around their specific needs, insurance agencies, chemicals, vehicles and employees. The basic information should contain:
- A designated company wide contact person. This person must have authority to make important decisions during an emergency.
- A list of emergency response agencies you may need to contact. Not only local authorities, but chemical manufacturers, hazardous waste containment and cleanup contractors and an attorney.
- A detailed map of your facility. The map should show a layout of the chemical storage, access roads, electricity/water/gas shut offs and entrances.
- A detailed map of the area around your facility, including neighborhoods and water sources.
- A complete product inventory.
- Copies of pesticide labels and SDSs.
Having an emergency response plan is just the first step. Every employee should know exactly what to do if they are faced with any type of emergency, from spills to hurricanes. Walk through the steps that should be taken from start to finish for any emergency that may arise. This will help make an actual emergency a little calmer and more organized.
Two of the main emergencies that occur in the pesticide industry are fires and spills.
Fires
All pesticides are dangerous when involved in a fire. While not all pesticides are flammable, in a fire they could still create dangerous smoke and fog, and create dangerous residues and runoff after they are extinguished.
If a fire breaks out in your pesticide storage facility, call 911 and then:
- Make sure everyone has evacuated the premises
- Get your SDS sheets ready for firefighters and emergency responders
- Call your insurance agent
- Notify all other response agencies
Spills
When a pesticide spill occurs, always remember the three Cs: Control, Contain, Clean up.
Controlling a spill requires immediate action, however you should not be in such a hurry that you forget to put on the appropriate PPE – this step should always come first in an emergency. Do what you can to contain the spill and/or stop a current leak. Whatever you do, do not leave the site unattended.
Look around the spill for water sources. If there is one nearby try to stop the spill from reaching it by berming off an area with a shovel or blocking the area with a spill tube. If spilled pesticide does reach any kind of water source, it is crucial that you contact the regulatory agencies responsible for streams, fisheries and pesticides. Call 911 and have the SDS sheets ready for them when they arrive on scene.
Lastly, you will need to clean up the spill site. If the spill occurred on concrete or asphalt, consult the SDS on how to neutralize the surface. Absorbent materials and other contaminated items should be swept up and placed in drums. The protocol for a spill in soil ranges among states and regulatory agencies. They will tell you how to handle the soil. An example of soil clean up is having the top three inches of the soil excavated, removed and replaced.
Never take a spill lightly. Keep all records of conversations and reports with regulatory authorities, emergency responders and news media. Not only are they good learning material for the future, you may need them if a lawsuit comes from the spill.
Summary
- NEVER carry a liquid pesticide in the cab with you. If spilled, the pesticide will not only be very difficult to remove, it could release harmful fumes for you to inhale.
- It is best to store pesticides in the bed of your truck in the original shipping box because they meet the needs of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) packaging standards and provide maximum protection to the contents. Be sure not to stack containers higher than the sides of the truck.
- The SDS is important because it contains important information for the driver as well as emergency personnel such as: personal protective equipment (PPE) to use during clean up, inhalation risk, explosion risk, decontamination procedures and emergency numbers.
- The DOT requires diamond-shaped placards to be placed on vehicles that transport specific types and quantities of hazardous materials, such as: pesticides, fertilizers (anhydrous ammonia or ammonium nitrate) and fuels (gasoline, diesel or propane).
- If possible, it is always best to store pesticides, fertilizers and other similar products in a separate storage facility. Doing so keeps equipment, employees, and important documents (including the label) away from pesticides and give emergency response crews many more options in the event of fires or spills.
- Pesticide storage should be temperature controlled, well ventilated, have adequate lighting and be made of non-porous materials.
- Remember, when re-purchasing a pesticide, even if you are familiar with it, always look over the label to ensure nothing has changed. It is not uncommon for labels to change directions and uses often.
- If you believe you have been victim to any type of security breach, contact your local authorities immediately. Additionally, you should contact your local emergency planning commission, fire departments and other local emergency response agencies.
- When it comes to storing pesticides, minimizing risk to the public is most important. When thinking of the safety and security for your pesticide facility, it’s a good idea to practice Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.
- When a pesticide spill occurs, always remember the three Cs: Control, Contain, Clean up.
- Controlling a spill requires immediate action, however you should not be in such a hurry that you forget to put on the appropriate PPE – this step should always come first in an emergency.