Research into chemical spill response protocol at Hutchinson Technology Incorporated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Abstract

Hutchinson Technology, Inc. (HTI) is the worldwide leader in the manufacture of suspension assemblies for computer disk drives. In the manufacture of suspension assemblies, a variety of chemicals are either used or created. HTI’s facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, utilizes an Emergency Management System (EMS) team of employees to respond to a multitude of emergencies. One portion of that team is the Chemical Release Response Team (CRRT). CRRT members respond to chemical spills and releases that cannot be safely cleaned up by area personnel. The objectives of this study were to compare/contrast current training requirements with federal regulatory requirements, identify basic knowledge-related competencies of individuals who are members of the CRRT, and identify HTI specific information about the chemicals in use and their spill potential and severity. Regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that require emergency response plans were examined. The majority of the research focused on OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) standard. This standard outlines initial and refresher training requirements for workers depending upon what position they hold in the chemical spill clean-up operation. It also requires the use of an Incident Command System for organization of the emergency response. Current training requirements for members of the CRRT were compared to the regulatory requirements. There are ten chemicals that have the largest potential for response by the CRRT. These chemicals include chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, nitrogen trifluoride, hydrogen cyanide, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, cupric chloride, and ferric chloride. Each of these ten chemicals was discussed to identify the process they were used in and the hazards associated with their use. They then were analyzed to determine their greatest spill potential and the severity of that, or other, spill situations. Recommendations were made to HTI-Eau Claire on how they could improve upon their current chemical release protocol. These recommendations include items such as performing drills with and without EMS personnel, implementing short informational training sessions on a periodic basis, and developing short written procedures for chemical spill response.