Everyday Hazmat User's Training Guide
Section III Hazardous Materials Management (continued)
Pesticides
- Definitions
- Facilities
- Inventory
- Signs
- Permits and Plans
- Transportation
- Examples of Pesticides Used in the USDA Forest Service
- Handy Tips
Pesticides are another group of hazardous materials that are commonly found at USDA Forest Service facilities. Pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, insect repellents, deer repellents, rodenticides, and fungicides. Federal regulations and USDA Forest Service requirements specify how these materials must be stored and managed. Check with your local fire marshal to see if your area has more restrictive requirements.
Definitions
Poisons—What Are They?
Poisonous materials are defined as highly toxic and toxic liquids and highly toxic and toxic solids that can be dangerous if ingested, inhaled, or allowed to contact your skin. Exposure dangers are often stated in terms of lethal dose concentrations. Most USDA Forest Service poisonsare insecticides and herbicides (both are commonly referred to as pesticides). Information on pesticides can be found at: /foresthealth/pesticide/
Storage Cabinets
Proper storage cabinets can protect workers and the environment and can allow you to store larger quantities of poisons safely.
- See Keeping Incompatible
Hazardous Materials Separated.
- See Hazardous Materials Storage Cabinets.
- See The Transition to Hazardous
Waste.
- See Hazardous Product Containers.
Facilities
The USDA Forest Service and environmental management agencies have established specific requirements for facilities and the location of facilities that store pesticides. This guideline contains many of these requirements. If you have specific questions about your situation, contact your regional pesticide coordinator or hazmat coordinator.
Storage Facilities
- Storage time in permanent facilities should be less than
1 year unless the planned application is delayed due to appeal or litigation.
Temporary storage may include: small quantities of pesticides (1 pound
of active ingredient or 1 gallon of formulated product), microbial pesticides
that have
low mammalian toxicity, and pesticides needed onsite for a project. Temporary
storage should not
exceed 60 days.
- Permanent facilities must be well illuminated for inspection
of labels and containers in storage.
- Permanent facilities must have flooring
that is continuous and that will not absorb pesticides.
- Permanent facilities
must have secondary containment for 110 percent of the largest container
in storage, or for the contents of a 55-gallon drum, whichever is larger.
- Temporary facilities
may include research labs, fenced compounds, trucks, boxcars, tankcars,
empty paint sheds, storerooms, and warehouses.
- Temporary facilities must have an
eyewash station.
- All facilities must protect products from sunlight, heat,
freezing temperatures, and humidity, and must provide the environment specified
by the manufacturer.
- All facilities must be locked when they are not in use
or have access restricted to authorized personnel.
- All facilities must have
one or more visible and readily accessible ABC-type fire extinguishers.
- All
facilities must have 10 gallons of clean water, soap, and towels for decontamination.
- All
facilities must have spill kits on hand for cleanup.
- All facilities must have
ventilation (natural or mechanical) to prevent the buildup of fumes.
- All containers
must be sound and tightly closed at all times; if you smell a product in
your cabinet or room, either a container is not securely closed or there
has been
a spill.
- Personal protective equipment (for example, respirators) must be readily accessible and protected from contamination when they are not being used.
Inventory
Managing pesticide inventories is as critical as providing the proper facilities where pesticides are stored. The USDA Forest Service imposes specific requirements on permanent storage and temporary storage. Pesticides cannot be in temporary storage longer than 60 days, or in permanent storage longer than 1 year. Do not stockpile pesticides.
Pesticide Inventory in Storage
- The storage area should be neat with all
original container labels visible; do not deface labels.
- Keep all containers
tightly closed. Add a separate label indicating whether the container is
full or
empty. Do not transfer pesticides into other storage containers.
- Store containers
off the ground and only on the first floor.
- Store pesticides with the same
active ingredients together and segregate them from other pesticides or
poisons by a 4-foot aisle; post signs identifying different pesticides.
- Inspect the
storage area regularly for leakers. Separate leakers from clean and undamaged
containers. Isolate containers that have been contaminated by leakers for
cleanup later. Clean the outside of leaking containers, collect residue,
and repackage
by overpacking or by putting the contents into a new, approved container.
Relabel and date the new container. Clean up the contaminated area after
repackaging.
- Notify the local fire department of the types and quantities of
pesticides in storage.
- Employees who have access to pesticide storage areas
should be trained in hazards and mitigation measures as stated on product
MSDSs; a trained emergency response coordinator must be available to act
as incident
commander.
- Do not allow eating, drinking, or smoking in or near pesticide storage
facilities.
- Separate pesticides from incompatible materials such as explosives,
flammables, compressed gases, corrosives, oxidizers, peroxides, combustible
materials, fertilizers, potable water, clothing, all food and animal feed,
personal items,
and furniture.
- Store pesticides 25 feet from incompatible materials or use
a 1-hour liquid-tight firewall.
- Label all pallets, tools, and applicators used
in pesticides operations as CONTAMINATED WITH
PESTICIDES.
- Keep all tools and applicators used with pesticides in the pesticide
storage area.
- Mark applicators that are used for pesticides and do not use
them for other purposes.
- Do not store pesticides in containers meant for food,
feed, or beverages.
- Treat empty containers as if they were full. Wear full personal protective equipment and triple rinse or pressure wash the containers for at least 30 seconds (or clean empty containers following the manufacturer’s recommendations). Store empty containers in a pesticide storage facility with empty containers segregated according to disposal method. Mark empty containers with FOR DISPOSAL ONLY. Recycle empty containers if possible. Destroy containers if they are to be sent to a landfill. Do not reuse empty containers or allow them to be reused.
Signs
Poisons, especially pesticides, are associated with increased health risks and risks to the environment. To control health risks, specific signs are required, inventories are needed, and MSDSs must be readily available. This guideline includes some of these important requirements.
Storage Facility Signs and Information
- Post identification signs warning
of the materials stored and of their hazards (for example, DANGER,
POISON, PESTICIDE STORAGE). A POISON sign must be posted if highly
toxic materials are stored. The MSDS will identify products as
toxic or highly toxic.
- Post hazard signs (flammability, health, reactivity)
depending on the specific poisons
or pesticides.
- Post a PESTICIDES sign in 2-inch letters on a white background.
- Post
NO SMOKING, EATING, OR DRINKING signs in storage areas.
- Each permanent storage
facility must post phone numbers for the local poison control center, fire
department, and the USDA Forest Service unit emergency coordinator. If the
unit subscribes
to CHEMTREC, the unit must post that number as well.
- Post the inventory of
stored pesticides on the inside and the outside of the facility.
- Maintain an
MSDS (see page 6) for each product at the storage facility and at the administrative
office.
- Post the 24-hour telephone number for the person or persons responsible for the storage facility.
Permits and Plans
Regulations restrict the amount of pesticides you can have in temporary storage on a USDA Forest Service unit. Larger quantities of pesticides may require a permit from your local fire marshal. Be sure to check the MSDS to determine if you have a highly toxic or a toxic product.
Permits From the Fire Marshal
- A permit may be required if you store any
amount of
highly toxic liquids or highly toxic solids.
- A permit may be required if you
store more than 10 gallons
of a toxic liquid.
- A permit may be required if you store more than 100 pounds
of toxic solids.
- A permit is required for any amount of a toxic gas or a highly toxic gas.
Transportation
Pesticides can be transported in USDA Forest Service vehicles. However, you will need to follow several precautions to minimize safety risks. These guidelines are not intended to cover all regulations. For more information, contact your regional pesticide coordinator.
USDA Forest Service-Operated Pickups and Trucks
- Do not transport open, damaged, or contaminated containers
of poisons or pesticides.
- Keep copies of the spill and accident plan in the
vehicle
regardless of the volume of pesticide being transported.
- Do not leave the vehicle
unattended unless the pesticides
are in a locked area.
- You may be able to transport up to 440 pounds of pesticides
without training, emergency response information, shipping papers, and
placarding. The maximum allowable package size may be from 1 to 66 pounds
(including container
weight) or a capacity of 1 pint to 8 gallons, depending on the pesticide.
Contact your
pesticide coordinator for the shipping requirements of
specific pesticides.
- The driver must be informed of the types of pesticides and their quantities.
Other Requirements
- Transport pesticides in their original containers.
- Do
not transport pesticides with food, animal
feed, clothing, or potable water.
- Do not transport poisons or pesticides in
the cab or passenger compartment of a
vehicle.
- Transport only the amount of pesticide
that is needed for the day’s operations.
- Keep all containers tightly closed.
- Check
containers for leakage during
transportation.
- Protect containers from direct sunlight.
- Prepare a manifest
for each item in your
cargo.
- Ship containers of liquids with a sign indicating
THIS END UP.
- Do not use a truck with a wooden bed to transport pesticides.
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Identification Number
(Be sure to select the
proper number based on
the specific product.)
If you have anything other than the products shown above, contact your hazmat coordinator for specific guidance—restrictions and dangers may be significantly greater than for the pesticides described here.
Handy Tips
- Buy and mix only the quantity you need for a specific application.
- Do not
dispose of excess pesticides on the ground or in water; do not bury empty
pesticide containers.
- Consider outsourcing all pesticide applications to avoid
the costly
and complex management of pesticides at USDA Forest Service facilities.
- Search for alternative,
nonchemical methods for pest control.
- Get the proper MSDS and make
sure you understand the health and safety issues of the product before
acquiring any
pesticide.
- Before disposing of an empty container, rinse it three times with
water that
will
become part of the application mixture and be used immediately.
- Look for green products at the USDA Forest Service green purchasing Web site: /eng/t-d.php?link=everyday_hazmat/green.htm
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