OSHA Spill Containment Requirements

OSHA mandates that a spill containment program be put into effect in each hazardous waste facility or at each site. This program is a part of the written Safety and Health Program. In order to prevent, contain, and clean up post-spill, OSHA requires measures to be taken in the handling and storage of drums; these measures will be discussed in Unit 7.

Many elements of a spill prevention and control plan are overseen by both the EPA and OSHA. The EPA refers to a spill prevention, control, and countermeasure plan as an SPCC. This regulation is outlined in 40 CFR §112, and applies to any location that stores, refines, uses, or consumes oil and is not transportation-related. Many hazardous waste facilities also fall under this category. Some of the topics that must be covered under this SPCC include the following:

• Potential spill volume and the rate of flow
• Loading and unloading details
• Preventative measures for potential discharge
• Disposal methods
• Secondary containment plans
• Discharge procedures

An OSHA spill containment program has several elements, such as the following:

• How to handle a spill using spill kits
• Secondary containment systems
• Implementing new technologies

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