Safety Measures for Drums

When dealing with drums and containers, employees face many dangers. Some of the numerous and possible accidents include the following:

• Detonations
• Fires
• Explosions
• Vapor generation
• Physical injury (from either moving heavy containers by hand or from working near stacked drums, heavy equipment, or deteriorated drums)

These dangers will always be present, but practices aimed at proper handling and use of equipment - and implementation of procedures that will protect workers - can aid in minimizing the damage from drums and other storage containers.

29 CFR 1910.120(j)(5) requires that before handling drums or containers with shock-sensitive waste (or suspected to contain shock-sensitive waste), employers must at minimum do the following:

• Evacuate all "non-essential" employees from the area where handling is to occur.
• Provide protection from exploding containers with "explosive containment devices or protective shields"

29 CFR 1910.120(j)(3), titled "Material Handling Equipment," states that all material handling equipment for drum and container transfer must be "selected, positioned and operated" in a way that minimizes "sources of ignition related to the equipment" from coming into contact with "igniting vapors released from ruptured drums or containers."

To learn more about HAZWOPER visit our HAZWOPER 40 Hour Online Training web page.