,Occupational Safety and Health m m m m
Guidance Manual for Hazardous
m m m m
Waste Site Activities
m m
Preparedmby:
National mInstitutemformOccupational mSafetymandmHealth m(NIOSH)mOccupatio
nal mSafetymandmHealth mAdministration m(OSHA)
U.S.mCoastmGuardm(USCG)
U.S.mEnvironmental mProtection mAgencym(EPA)
U.S.mDepartmentmof mHealthmandmHumanmServicesmPub
licmHealth mService
CentersmformDiseasemControl
National mInstitutemformOccupationalmSafetymandmHealth
m Octoberm1985
, Acknowledgments
ThemOccupationalmSafety mandmHealthmGuidancemManualmformHazardous mWastemSitemActivities mis
mamresult mof mthemcollaborativemefforts mof mindividuals mrepresenting mthemNational mInstitutemformOccup
ationalmSaf ety mand mHealthm(NIOSH), mthemlead magency, mand mthemOccupationalmSaf ety mand mHealth
mAdministrationm(OSHA), mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard m(USCG), mand mthemU.S, mEnvironmental mProtectio
nmAgency m(EPA). m Agency mrepresentatives monmthemsteering mcommitteemf ormthis mproject mwere:
GailmKleinerm(OSHA)m Sheld
onmRabinovitzm(NIOSH)mDav
id mWeitzmanm(EPA)mGlennm
Wiltshirem(USCG)
JanmConnery mof mEasternmResearchmGroup, mArlington, mMassachusetts, medited mand mcoordinated m
productionmofmthemmanual. m Overm100mindividuals mand morganizations malso mcontributed msubstantia
lly mto mthemdevelopment mofmthis mmanualmby mproviding mtechnicalminformationmand mreview. m Althoug
hmthey maremtoo mnumerous mto mnamemindividually, mthemsteering mcommitteemgratef ully macknowledg
es mtheirmvaluablemcontributions.
Notice
No mwarranty, mguarantee, mormrepresentation, mexpressed mormimplied, mis mmademby mormonmbehalf mof mthe
U.S. mGovernment mas mto mthemabsolutemcorrectness mormsufficiency mof many mrepresentationmcontaine
d minmthis mdocument. m ThemU.S. mGovernment massumes mno mresponsibility minmconnectionmtherewith,
mnormcanmit mbemassumed mthat mallmacceptablemsafety mmeasures maremcontained minmthis mormassociate
d mdocuments, mormthat mothermormadditionalmmeasures mmay mnot mbemrequired mundermparticularmormex
ceptionalmconditions mormcircumstances.
Themmentionmof mambrand mnamemproduct mormcompany mdoes mnot mconstitutemendorsement mby mthemN
ationalmInstitutemf ormOccupationalmSaf etymand mHealth, mthemOccupationalmSafety mand mHealthmAdmi
nistration, mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard, mormthemU.S. mEnvironmentalmProtectionmAgency.
ii
, 1. Introduction
m
Inmthempast mdecade, mindustry, mgovernment, mand mthemgeneralmpublic mhavembecomemincreasingly ma
waremof mthemneed mto mrespondmto mthemhazardous mwastemproblem, mwhichmhas mgrownmsteadily mover
mthempast m40myears. m Inm1980, mCongress mpassed mthemComprehensivemEnvironmental mResponse,
mCompensation, mand mLiability mAct m(CERCLA)m--mthemSuperf und mlaw-
to mprovidemform"liability, mcompensation, mcleanup, mand memergency mresponsemformhazardous msubst
ances mreleased minto mthemenvironment mand mthemcleanup mof minactivemwastemdisposalmsites."
This mmanualmis mamguidancemdocument mf ormmanagers mresponsiblemformoccupationalmsafety mand mhe
althmprograms matminactivemhazardous mwastemsites. m Itmassumes mambasic mknowledgemof msciencema
nd mexperienceminmoccupationalmsaf ety mand mhealth. m Itmis mthemproduct mof mamf our-
agency mcommitteem(themNationalmInstitutemf ormOccupationalmSaf ety mand mHealthm[NIOSH], mthemOc
cupationalmSaf ety mand mHealthmAdministrationm[OSHA], mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard m[USCG], mand mthem
U.S. mEnvironmentalmProtectionmAgency m[EPA])mmandated mbymCERCLA msectionm301(f )mtomstudy mt
hemproblemmof mprotecting mthemsaf ety mand mhealthmof mworkers matmhazardous mwastemsites, mand mby m
CERCLA msectionm111(c)(6)mto mdevelop mamprogrammto mprotect mthemhealthmand msaf ety mof memploye
es minvolved minmresponsemto mhazardous msubstancemreleases, mremovals, mormremedialmactions.
This mmanualmis mintended mf ormf ederal, mstate, mand mlocalmofficials mand mtheirmcontractors. m Itmmay mbe
mused:
• As mamplanning mtoolmby mgovernment mormprivatemindividuals.
• As mammanagement mtoolmby muppermlevelmormf ield mmanagers.
• As manmeducationalmtoolmto mprovidemamcomprehensivemoverviewmofmallmaspects mof msaf ety
mand mhealthmprotectionmat mhazardous mwastemsites.
• As mamref erencemdocument mf ormsitempersonnelmwho mneed mtomreviewmimportant maspect
s mof mhealthmand msaf ety.
This mdocument mis mnotmamdetailed mindustrialmhygienemtextbook mormamcomprehensivemsourcembookm
onmoccupationalmsaf etymand mhealth. m It mprovides mgeneralmguidancemand mshould mbemused mas mam pr
eliminary mbasis mf ormdeveloping mamspecificmhealthmand msafety mprogram. m Themappropriateness mofmt
heminf ormationmpresented mshould malways mbemevaluated minmlight mof msite-
specif ic mconditions. m Othermsources mand mexperienced mindividuals mshouldmbemconsulted mas mneces
sary mf ormthemdetailmneeded mto mdesignmand mimplement moccupationalmsafety mand mhealthmprogramsm
at mspecif ic mhazardous mwastem sites.
Althoughmthis mmanualmcites mf ederalmregulations, mitmis mnot mamdefinitivemlegalmdocument mand mshould
mnot mbemtakenmas msuch. m Whilemit mrepresents mamcooperativemef fort mof mthemf ourmagencies mto mdevel
op mamdocument mthat mblends mtheirmwidely mdiffering mmandates, mpolicies,mand mprocedures minmspecifi
c mareas, mthemmanualmmay mnot mincludemelements mof meachmagency's mpolicies mthat mshould mbemconsi
dered mwhenmdeveloping moccupationalmsafety mand mhealthmprograms mformhazardous mwastemsites. m I
ndividuals mwho maremresponsiblemf ormthemhealthmand msaf ety mof mworkers matmhazardous mwastemsites
mshould mobtainmand mcomplymwithmthemmostmrecent mfederal, mstate, mand mlocalmregulations mrelevant m
to mthesemsites, mand maremurged mto mconsult mwithmOSHA, mEPA, mand mothermappropriatemf ederal, mstat
e, mand mlocalmagencies.
This mmanualmwillmbemupdated mregularly. m Pleasemsend mcomments mand msuggested mrevisions mtomany mof
mthesemf ourmorganizations:
NIOSH OSHA
Hazardous mWastemProgramm(C- Directoratemof mTechnicalmSupport m2
17)m4676mColumbiamParkway 00mConstitutionmAvenue, mNWmWas
Cincinnati, mOHm45226 hington, mDCm20210
1-1
Guidance Manual for Hazardous
m m m m
Waste Site Activities
m m
Preparedmby:
National mInstitutemformOccupational mSafetymandmHealth m(NIOSH)mOccupatio
nal mSafetymandmHealth mAdministration m(OSHA)
U.S.mCoastmGuardm(USCG)
U.S.mEnvironmental mProtection mAgencym(EPA)
U.S.mDepartmentmof mHealthmandmHumanmServicesmPub
licmHealth mService
CentersmformDiseasemControl
National mInstitutemformOccupationalmSafetymandmHealth
m Octoberm1985
, Acknowledgments
ThemOccupationalmSafety mandmHealthmGuidancemManualmformHazardous mWastemSitemActivities mis
mamresult mof mthemcollaborativemefforts mof mindividuals mrepresenting mthemNational mInstitutemformOccup
ationalmSaf ety mand mHealthm(NIOSH), mthemlead magency, mand mthemOccupationalmSaf ety mand mHealth
mAdministrationm(OSHA), mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard m(USCG), mand mthemU.S, mEnvironmental mProtectio
nmAgency m(EPA). m Agency mrepresentatives monmthemsteering mcommitteemf ormthis mproject mwere:
GailmKleinerm(OSHA)m Sheld
onmRabinovitzm(NIOSH)mDav
id mWeitzmanm(EPA)mGlennm
Wiltshirem(USCG)
JanmConnery mof mEasternmResearchmGroup, mArlington, mMassachusetts, medited mand mcoordinated m
productionmofmthemmanual. m Overm100mindividuals mand morganizations malso mcontributed msubstantia
lly mto mthemdevelopment mofmthis mmanualmby mproviding mtechnicalminformationmand mreview. m Althoug
hmthey maremtoo mnumerous mto mnamemindividually, mthemsteering mcommitteemgratef ully macknowledg
es mtheirmvaluablemcontributions.
Notice
No mwarranty, mguarantee, mormrepresentation, mexpressed mormimplied, mis mmademby mormonmbehalf mof mthe
U.S. mGovernment mas mto mthemabsolutemcorrectness mormsufficiency mof many mrepresentationmcontaine
d minmthis mdocument. m ThemU.S. mGovernment massumes mno mresponsibility minmconnectionmtherewith,
mnormcanmit mbemassumed mthat mallmacceptablemsafety mmeasures maremcontained minmthis mormassociate
d mdocuments, mormthat mothermormadditionalmmeasures mmay mnot mbemrequired mundermparticularmormex
ceptionalmconditions mormcircumstances.
Themmentionmof mambrand mnamemproduct mormcompany mdoes mnot mconstitutemendorsement mby mthemN
ationalmInstitutemf ormOccupationalmSaf etymand mHealth, mthemOccupationalmSafety mand mHealthmAdmi
nistration, mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard, mormthemU.S. mEnvironmentalmProtectionmAgency.
ii
, 1. Introduction
m
Inmthempast mdecade, mindustry, mgovernment, mand mthemgeneralmpublic mhavembecomemincreasingly ma
waremof mthemneed mto mrespondmto mthemhazardous mwastemproblem, mwhichmhas mgrownmsteadily mover
mthempast m40myears. m Inm1980, mCongress mpassed mthemComprehensivemEnvironmental mResponse,
mCompensation, mand mLiability mAct m(CERCLA)m--mthemSuperf und mlaw-
to mprovidemform"liability, mcompensation, mcleanup, mand memergency mresponsemformhazardous msubst
ances mreleased minto mthemenvironment mand mthemcleanup mof minactivemwastemdisposalmsites."
This mmanualmis mamguidancemdocument mf ormmanagers mresponsiblemformoccupationalmsafety mand mhe
althmprograms matminactivemhazardous mwastemsites. m Itmassumes mambasic mknowledgemof msciencema
nd mexperienceminmoccupationalmsaf ety mand mhealth. m Itmis mthemproduct mof mamf our-
agency mcommitteem(themNationalmInstitutemf ormOccupationalmSaf ety mand mHealthm[NIOSH], mthemOc
cupationalmSaf ety mand mHealthmAdministrationm[OSHA], mthemU.S. mCoast mGuard m[USCG], mand mthem
U.S. mEnvironmentalmProtectionmAgency m[EPA])mmandated mbymCERCLA msectionm301(f )mtomstudy mt
hemproblemmof mprotecting mthemsaf ety mand mhealthmof mworkers matmhazardous mwastemsites, mand mby m
CERCLA msectionm111(c)(6)mto mdevelop mamprogrammto mprotect mthemhealthmand msaf ety mof memploye
es minvolved minmresponsemto mhazardous msubstancemreleases, mremovals, mormremedialmactions.
This mmanualmis mintended mf ormf ederal, mstate, mand mlocalmofficials mand mtheirmcontractors. m Itmmay mbe
mused:
• As mamplanning mtoolmby mgovernment mormprivatemindividuals.
• As mammanagement mtoolmby muppermlevelmormf ield mmanagers.
• As manmeducationalmtoolmto mprovidemamcomprehensivemoverviewmofmallmaspects mof msaf ety
mand mhealthmprotectionmat mhazardous mwastemsites.
• As mamref erencemdocument mf ormsitempersonnelmwho mneed mtomreviewmimportant maspect
s mof mhealthmand msaf ety.
This mdocument mis mnotmamdetailed mindustrialmhygienemtextbook mormamcomprehensivemsourcembookm
onmoccupationalmsaf etymand mhealth. m It mprovides mgeneralmguidancemand mshould mbemused mas mam pr
eliminary mbasis mf ormdeveloping mamspecificmhealthmand msafety mprogram. m Themappropriateness mofmt
heminf ormationmpresented mshould malways mbemevaluated minmlight mof msite-
specif ic mconditions. m Othermsources mand mexperienced mindividuals mshouldmbemconsulted mas mneces
sary mf ormthemdetailmneeded mto mdesignmand mimplement moccupationalmsafety mand mhealthmprogramsm
at mspecif ic mhazardous mwastem sites.
Althoughmthis mmanualmcites mf ederalmregulations, mitmis mnot mamdefinitivemlegalmdocument mand mshould
mnot mbemtakenmas msuch. m Whilemit mrepresents mamcooperativemef fort mof mthemf ourmagencies mto mdevel
op mamdocument mthat mblends mtheirmwidely mdiffering mmandates, mpolicies,mand mprocedures minmspecifi
c mareas, mthemmanualmmay mnot mincludemelements mof meachmagency's mpolicies mthat mshould mbemconsi
dered mwhenmdeveloping moccupationalmsafety mand mhealthmprograms mformhazardous mwastemsites. m I
ndividuals mwho maremresponsiblemf ormthemhealthmand msaf ety mof mworkers matmhazardous mwastemsites
mshould mobtainmand mcomplymwithmthemmostmrecent mfederal, mstate, mand mlocalmregulations mrelevant m
to mthesemsites, mand maremurged mto mconsult mwithmOSHA, mEPA, mand mothermappropriatemf ederal, mstat
e, mand mlocalmagencies.
This mmanualmwillmbemupdated mregularly. m Pleasemsend mcomments mand msuggested mrevisions mtomany mof
mthesemf ourmorganizations:
NIOSH OSHA
Hazardous mWastemProgramm(C- Directoratemof mTechnicalmSupport m2
17)m4676mColumbiamParkway 00mConstitutionmAvenue, mNWmWas
Cincinnati, mOHm45226 hington, mDCm20210
1-1
