Hazmat Nation, recently reminded us that The Chlorine Institute established one of its flagship programs in 1972 – CHLOREP – to prepare and educate industry and first responders to ensure effective emergency response preparedness, prevention, and mitigation of chlorine incidents.
- This includes ensuring timely and professional responses by industry CHLOREP Teams in transportation and smaller end-user facilities.
In addition to conducting free training for first responders (in cooperation with other TRANSCAER sponsors), CI has developed publications and focused guidance to enhance chlorine emergency response efforts. This month, CI published a new resource for first responders on safely handling “orphaned” chlorine containers. CI defines an “orphaned” chlorine container as a chlorine cylinder or ton container that has been abandoned and is effectively without an owner. Examples of where orphaned chlorine containers can be discovered include:
- Old warehouses or storage rooms that are being cleaned out.
- Industrial facilities/buildings that are being decommissioned.
- On the side of a roadway after falling off a truck.
- Dropped off at a scrap/salvage yard.
- Industrial or processing facilities that used chlorine at one time for disinfection.
- Residential neighborhoods or other random locations after a natural disaster (due to floating away during a flood or hurricane).
First responders are typically the first called to the scene to determine how to handle the chlorine container. A single incident could involve multiple containers. The containers may or may not be actively leaking, but regardless should be handled as an emergency.
- CI developed this new orphaned chlorine container guidance to aid first responders in making these initial decisions and taking action.
- The guidance is a very visual, two-page document that can easily be printed and saved in a responder’s report book that is carried in their vehicle.
- It covers four basic steps for first responders to consider.
CI’s new guidance for first responders can be downloaded from CI’s website.
Go Deeper: Additional resources can be found on The Chlorine Institute website.