University of Vermont
Contingency Plan for Incidents
Involving Hazardous Materials and Waste

In order to reduce hazards to employees and property in the event there is an incident involving hazardous waste materials on campus, the University of Vermont has developed the following contingency plan.

Scope of the Plan

Emergency Response Actions Facility Personnel Will Take

Spill Procedures

1. If possible, shut off any sources of ignition and/or the source of the spill without endangering yourself.

2. Evacuate the immediate area, closing the doors behind you.

3. If building evacuation is necessary, pull the fire alarm.

4. Call the UVM Emergency Phone Number, 911.

Be prepared to provide the following information:

Your name,
the specific location of the spill,
the name of the substance spilled,
and the quantity spilled.

5. Wait outdoors for Police Services and/or the UVM Risk Management Department or Radiation Safety Office representative to arrive, and identify yourself to them.

Fire/Explosion Procedures

1. Pull fire alarm.

2. Call UVM Police Services at 911.

3. Proceed to the nearest available exit by following exit signs.

4. Close doors (unless there is a natural gas leak) as you leave.

5. Do not smoke or use elevators while exiting.

6. Do not return for any reason once you are clear of the building.

7. Assemble with other building occupants at the designated area.

8. Once the building or area is considered safe the UVM Police Officer in charge will announce re-entry is permitted.

Emergency Coordinator Responsibilities

Hazardous materials emergency coordinators are members of the Risk Management Department with 40 hours HAZWOPER training for managing response to chemical emergencies. When an emergency has been identified as involving hazardous materials, they should be contacted immediately for evaluation of the situation.

Emergency Coordinator Duties

The following is a listing of the emergency coordinator's duties during a fire, explosion, or chemical spill involving hazardous waste:

1. Available 24 hours a day to respond to an emergency within a short period of time.

2. Responsible for coordinating all emergency response measures.

3. Familiar with:
- all aspects of the facility's contingency plan.
- all facility operations and activities.
- locations and characteristics of wastes handled.
- location of all hazardous waste records within the facility.
- facility layout.

4. Authority to commit the resources needed to carry out the contingency plan.

Emergency Coordinator Procedure

The emergency procedures which the emergency coordinator will follow in the case of a fire, explosion, or chemical spill:

1. Activate internal facility alarms and communications systems.

2. If needed, notify Burlington Fire Department, UVM Rescue, and UVM Police Services through the UVM Police Services Dispatcher at 911, UVM Physical Plant 6-2560. Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation 241-3888 (8:00am- 5:00pm, M-F) or 800-641-5005 (all other times); Environmental Products and Services, Inc at 862-1212 or another qualified contractor.

3. If a release has occurred, identify the source, character, amount and extent of any released materials by record review or chemical analysis.

4. Assess the hazards to human health and the environment, considering all direct and indirect effects.

5. If it is determined that the facility has had a fire, explosion or release which could threaten human health or the environment outside the facility:

a) determine if local evacuation may be necessary, and if so, notify the appropriate local authorities and be available to assist local authorities with evacuation measures;

b) notify the National Response Center (800-424-8802) with following information:
- Emergency Coordinator's name and telephone number;
- Facility name and address;
- Time and type of incident;
- Quantity of material(s) involved to the extent known;
- Extent of any injuries;
- Possible hazards to human health and the environment outside the facility;

6. Take all reasonable measures necessary to ensure that fires, explosions, and releases do not occur, recur, or spread to other hazardous waste at the facility. These measures will include, where applicable, stopping processes and operations, collecting and containing released waste, and removing or isolating containers;

7. If the facility stops operations in response to a fire, explosion, or chemical release, the emergency coordinator will monitor for leaks, pressure buildup, gas generation or ruptures in valves, pipes or other equipment, wherever this is appropriate;

8. Immediately after the emergency, the emergency coordinator will provide for treating, storing, or disposing of recovered waste, contaminated soils, or surface water, or any other material that results from a release, fire, or explosion at the facility; and

9. Ensure that in the affected areas of the facility, no waste that may be incompatible with the released material is stored until the cleanup procedures are completed and all emergency equipment is cleaned and restored to a usable condition.

Local Arrangements

If the release of hazardous waste can not be contained by facility personnel, notify Environmental Products and Services, Inc. at 862-1212 or another qualified contractor. In the event of a hazardous material spill or fire, the hazardous material spill contractor, the Burlington Fire Department, and the Fletcher Allen Health Care will respond and assist when notified.

Post Emergency Procedures

1. Notify the Secretary of Natural Resources that the facility is in compliance with Section 7-309 (3)(e)(ix) of the Vermont Hazardous Waste Regulations before operations are resumed in the affected areas of the facility;

2. Maintain on file with the contingency plan the time, date, and details of any incident that requires implementing the contingency plan; and

3. Within 15 days after the incident, submit a written report on the incident to the Secretary of Natural Resources. The report must include:
- Name, address, and telephone number of the owner;
- Name address and telephone number of the facility;
- Date, time, and type of incident;
- Name and quantity of material(s) involved;
- Extent of injuries, if any;
- Assessment of actual or potential hazards to human health or the environment, where this is applicable; and
- Estimated quantity and disposition of the recovered material that resulted from the incident.

Recordkeeping

The contingency plan will be reviewed and if necessary amended whenever:

1. Applicable regulations are revised;
2. The plan fails in an emergency;
3. The facility changes in a way that materially increases the potential for fires, explosions, or releases of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents, or changes the response necessary in an emergency; or
4. The list of emergency coordinators or equipment changes. Contingency Plan Revisions

Amendment of the Contingency Plan

Appendix I
Emergency Coordinators

Appendix II
List of Emergency Equipment

1. Environmental Safety Facility, 655D Spear Street:

a) As identified in Environmental Safety Facility permit and contingency plan;

2. Given Bunker

a) CO2 fire extinguisher - west side next to the door;
b) absorbent material;
c) 5-gallon pail of NaHCO3;

	From the UVM Environmental Safety Facility web site: http://esf.uvm.edu	Version 2.1 Last updated:	managed by Ralph Stuart rstuart@esf.uvm.edu