FEDERAL AGENCIES AND REGULATIONS OSHA has several standards that affect emergency response. They cover
the general response to structural fires and the personal protective equipment emergency responders wear. There is also a standard covering response to hazardous materials like natural gas.
Structural Fire Brigades— 29 CFR 1910.156 Respiratory Protection —29 CFR 1910.134 Protective Clothing— 29 CFR 1910.132 Emergency Action Plans— 29 CFR 1910.138 Hazwoper— 29 CFR 1910.120
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 — Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER)
Since natural gas is a hazardous material this standard directly impacts emergency response to utility emergencies. There are several distinct areas of responsibility that a responder must address, such as Incident Command and stated procedures the Incident Command must implement, levels of response, training and trainers.
In 1987, because of several legislation issues brought on by the disaster in
Bhopal, India, the United States emergency response community was man- dated to comply with a federal regulation, 29 CFR 1910.120 created by OSHA. To deal effectively with hazardous materials including natural gas, respon- ders must adhere to OSHA 1910.120 Section (q) “Emergency Response”. There are several sections in Section (q) which fall into three categories:
• Planning — Sections (1), (2) • Procedures — Section (3) • Performance (Training) — Section (6)
Sections (4) and (5) speak to exemptions to the standard, and Sections (7)
and (8) are more details on training issues. When all these components are incorporated into a working system, the
Incident Commander has an effective tool to successfully manage any haz- ardous materials incident including natural gas.
Planning—Sections (q) (1) & (2)
OSHA states in HAZWOPER that there must be an emergency plan in place within the organization response community and the private organizations to ensure appropriate operations. This plan must be able to handle anticipated emergencies, including natural gas releases, and it shall be in writing and available for inspection.
The emergency response plan for emergencies shall address, as a mini- mum, the following items:
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