20092010 Aboveground Storage Tank Hazards

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2009/2010 Aboveground Storage Tank Hazards

• 11th Annual CUPA Conference
• Garden Grove, CA

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Size Matters
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Chemical and Physical Hazards
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Di-electric Oil Insulating Tanks

• Watch for surrounding electrical hazards
• Requires escort by power utility in most cases
• Note no secondary containment
• Tank is separated into compartments

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Chemical Hazards Aromatic Hydrocarbons

• Watch for Benzene, Xylene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene
• Most carcinogenic hazard is benzene
• May incorporate biological indices for monitoring
  exposures Phenol in urine
• Benzene standard may not be fully protective
• Other Standards may include NESHAPS

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Whos Your Buddy Confined Spaces

• Typical confined spaces are in vaults, sewers,
  stormdrains
• Aboveground tanks can pose confined space hazards
  during cleaning or de-commissioning activities

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SCAQMD VOC Controls

• Confined space issues during inspections of
  floating roofs
• Difficult to access
• Costs are significant

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Fall Hazards Slippery Slopes

• This is a 10,000-gallon ConVault in an area just
  slightly larger than the tank. The ability to
  access the top of the tank is compromised by
  restricted area, and may require the use of
  ladders

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Spill Response

• Aboveground Tank installation for emergency
  generator below highrise.
• Piping broke, sending diesel fuel onto alley and
  potentially storm drain.

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Spills (Cont.)

• Diesel generator is located on the roof of an
  aerospace company, when jockey pump fails to
  stop, diesel fuel overfills diesel tank and
  diesel fills up on roof and drains down
  scupper/drainpipes

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Oops, its in the stormdrain!

• Stormdrain systems usually collect in a flood
  control basin in developed areas. Note the
  red-dye diesel has filled the main vault and is
  approximately 2-feet thick

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Cleanup Considerations

• Approximately 100,000-gallons of contaminated
  storm water was pumped from the basin, resulting
  in a cost of several thousand dollars.

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Hire HAZWOPER Certified Crews

• Large employers may not have a problem paying for
  legitimate cleanup companies, but watch out for
  small companies or trucking services that may not
  have the funding

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Decontamination
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General PPE Considerations
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Chemical Hazards
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Leaks and Spills
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Remediation/Demolition

• Identify the hazards of AST Removal
• Sampling protocol issues
• Personal monitoring

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Million-Gallon Tanks

• The size of these tanks makes it difficult see
  all potential hazards
• New Tank Technology allows for concave bottoms to
  see leaks.
• Personal monitoring devices can be used in survey
  mode as well.