Service Delivery 4

Environmental Considerations

Aim

To make students aware of the appropriate actions to take in order to minimise damage to the environment

Learning Outcomes

• State the statutory duties the Fire Service has regarding the environment

• List the various measures which can be used to control pollution.

At the end of the session students will be able to:

The legal position

• Water Resources Act 1991, Section 85

• Makes it an offence to cause or knowingly permit any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to enter any controlled waters.

The legal position

• Removes the offence under section 85

• Where the entry or discharge is made in an emergency in order to avoid danger to life or health

• All reasonable steps must be taken to minimise the extent and effect.

Section 89(1) Water Resources Act 1991;

Environment Agency

• Responsible for the protection of “controlled waters” from pollution

• Also responsible for the prevention of pollution of the environment and harm to human health by waste management activities.

Spillages.

Spillages

• Drums

• Bulk containers

• Tankers.

Vary from small fuel spillages following an RTA to major incidents involving the loss of potentially polluting materials from;

Effects

• Closure of river intakes

• Damage to fisheries

• Damage to river ecosystems

• Disruption of recreational and other river uses

• Cost of cleaning up

• Long term effects.

Contain or dilute

• Environment Agency would prefer all spillages to be contained

• Actions to preserve life and health must take precedence and containment may not be possible in these circumstances

• Low hazard products such as milk, beer, detergents, paint, etc. should also be contained.

Contain or dilute

• It is important that the Environment Agency is notified ASAP of any spillage in order to provide advice and take action

• If dilution is required or pollution is unavoidable there may still be actions that can be taken downstream to mitigate the effects.

Containment methods

• Prompt action can prevent or reduce the effects of a spillage

• Inappropriate action may cause or worsen the effects.

Containment methods

• At the scene

• Within the drainage system

• In the watercourse.

Containment may be;

Pollution control devices

• Oil separators

• Penstocks

• Catchpits

• Lagoons.

May be installed as part of the highway drainage system and at industrial premises;

Pollution control devices

• Pollution chambers are located at the side of several major roads throughout the Brigade area

• Essential that any hazardous materials entering these chambers are quickly removed to prevent contamination of drinking water sources.

Pollution control devices

• When shut off valves, penstocks or other means are used to isolate the system the drainage system upstream must have the capacity to contain any spillage

• Whenever a system is shut down care must be taken during periods of rain to avoid flooding.

Pollution control devices

• Whenever hazardous materials enter these devices an urgent message should be sent to Brigade Control to obtain the services of Liquid Waste Disposal.

Equipment and materials

There are many types of portable equipment and materials for removing and containing pollution;

• Sand and sand bags

May be used to soak up spillages or channel substances to a collection point.

Equipment and materials

• Booms

Designed for use on watercourses, may be used to divert flows and isolate drains.

• Proprietary absorbents Used on hydrocarbon spills, take the

form of granules, sheets, pillows or loose powders

Equipment and materials

• Surface drain seals Seals drain by covering the surface of

the drainage gully, may be improvised by using a car footwell mat.

Equipment and materials

• Below ground drain seals

The Vetter equipment can be used to seal a pipe or gully, any contaminants can then be pumped out using the drain as a sump.

Equipment and materials

• Designed for use when a tank, storage drum or valve is punctured or damaged

• Takes the form of a pad and clamp

• Applied over the damaged area and inflated.

Vetter leak sealing devices;

Equipment and materials

• Many substances can be safely neutralised once contained, for example Soda Ash may be used on acid spillages

• This will require specialist advice to determine the amount required.

Neutralising agents

Improvised equipment

• Salvage sheets and wooden planks to produce a temporary boom in a river or stream

• Fire hoses to form a boom on the highway.

It may be possible to improvise pollution control equipment, some examples include;

Improvised equipment

• Use of shovels to spread earth on small spillages or construct a dam.

• Straw bales to form a boom and absorbent

Highway plans

• Vital that the watercourse or soakaway that affected highways drain to can be quickly identified

• Plans should identify catchment areas and recommended methods of control

• Highway maintenance organisations able to supply plans quickly and provide advice.

Fires

• Products of combustion

• Materials being transported or stored

• Firefighting foam (if used).

The run-off from fires can be highly polluting and will contain;

Fires

• The Environment Agency may seek containment of the run-off from smaller fires, such as vehicles

• In some cases it may be considered less harmful to allow a controlled burn than the effects of the contaminated run-off.

Fires

• The options of containment or a controlled burn may not be viable at a building fire

• Although the Environment Agency may recommend a controlled burn the final decision and responsibility will rest with the Fire Service.

Fires

• Airborne contaminants and smoke may also be a factor, this will require plume prediction and possible evacuation downwind

• Plume prediction will be carried out by the chemical officer in Brigade Control using all the available information (weather, wind speed, etc)

• Any evacuation will be the responsibility of the Police.

Waste disposal

• Normally the Environment Agency will expect the polluter, highway maintenance or owner to carry out the clean up using licensed contractors

• Under no circumstances should hazardous materials be removed from the site by Fire Service personnel.

Highway cleaning

• There may be a need to remove hazardous materials from the road surface to make it safe for other users

• Pollution may occur if detergents are used and the emulsified liquid is allowed to enter the drainage system.

Highway cleaning

• Soak up all the liquid using absorbents not forgetting to seal drains and gullies to prevent liquid or absorbents entering the drains

• Any valves or penstocks should be closed and pollution chambers pumped out afterwards.

If this method is used then either;

Vehicle recovery

• Fire Service crews may be called on to assist or standby during recovery operations

• Care must be taken to ensure no further spillage or rupture of tanks takes place

• A hazard evaluation and risk assessment must be carried out to ensure a safe system of work.

Decontamination

• Ideally all contamination or decontamination run-off should be contained

• Not always be practical and life saving measures must take precedence

• However, all reasonably practical steps must be taken to contain contaminants.

Decontamination

• Current practice of 2000:1 dilution factor will be acceptable in most cases

• Some chemicals which can still cause problems even at this dilution

• Environment Agency should be notified as soon possible whenever decontamination takes place.

Confirmation

Learning Outcomes

• State the statutory duties the Fire Service has regarding the environment

• List the various measures which can be used to control pollution.

Assessments will be based on this lesson and the corresponding study note

THE END