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UNBF EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN The purpose of this emergency response plan for release of hazardous materials is to:
A “release” in relation to hazardous materials is defined as a discharge, emission (including from ionizing radiation), explosion, out-gassing or other escape of a hazardous material, or any component or compound evolving from hazardous materials while in use, storage or during transport. The University of New Brunswick is committed to taking every reasonable precaution to protect the health and safety of its employees, students and the public, contain any emergency as rapidly as possible, minimize any hazard to the environment, specifically as it pertains to protection of potable water reserves, and restore services and facilities as quickly as possible. http://www.unb.ca/safety The UNB Fredericton campus is located central to the City of Fredericton in the Province of New Brunswick. The campus is located approximately 1 km from the Fredericton Fire Department, York St. Station, and 0.5 km from the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH) located on Priestman Street. The Fredericton campus is located within the municipality’s designated well-field zone. The Province of New Brunswick Well-field Protection Designation Order was enacted in 2005 and imposes restrictions on the storage of chemicals and petroleum products within the well-field zones for protection of municipal drinking water. Therefore, management of the use and storage of hazardous materials on the campus is important for avoiding releases to the environment and contamination of the well-field. STORAGE LOCATIONS & HAZARD CLASSIFICATION • Signage All entrances to storage facilities and major laboratories containing hazardous materials display the following information: • “Caution – Hazard Area” indicating nature of hazard; • TDG/NFPA placard indicating hazard class; • 24/7 contact names/telephone numbers of the person(s) responsible for the facility. • Site Plans Facilities Management maintains engineering plans of the campuses, including for site, building and buried infrastructure (water, sewer, service tunnels). • Storage Facilities The Safety Office maintains a list of storage facilities and major laboratories containing hazardous materials. LEGISLATION AND CODES OF PRACTICE UNB is required to comply with all federal and provincial statutes and regulations for the acquisition, identification, storage, use, transportation, containment and disposal of hazardous materials. These include, but are not limited to: Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA); Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Act; Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA); the National Fire Code of Canada (NFCC); NB Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) Procedures for Transportation Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods - Standard Operating Procedure 7 (SOP 7); NB Clean Environment Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Well-field Protected Area Designation Order; NB Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA); and the NB WHMIS Regulation. http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/ and http://www.gnb.ca/0062/acts/index-e.asp SOP 7 was developed by EMO in accordance with the Emergency Measures Act to define the relative responsibilities of agencies responding to transportation incidents involving “dangerous goods”. Dangerous goods are substances that are potentially hazardous to humans, animals and the environment when mishandled or accidentally spilled. The term “dangerous good” is normally used to describe a “hazardous material” during transport. For the purposes of this emergency plan, the two terms are synonymous. • External Agencies Effective site management is guided by a clear understanding for the operational responsibilities of the external responding agencies supported by a recognized line of authority and “level of response”. SOP 7 assigns responsibilities for emergency response to: - police, fire department and ambulance services – initial response to protect lives and property; - environment inspectors – advice and assistance, testing and arranging for disposal; - highway maintenance crews/ haz-mat contractor(s) – assistance with clean-up; - public health officials – advice and testing; - emergency measures officials – support to on-scene operations and evacuations. • Levels of Response Upon notification to Central Dispatch NB 9-1-1 the levels of response are: - initial response - police, fire department, and ambulance services; - second level response - environmental inspectors and highway maintenance crews; - third level response - specialist response teams trained and equipped to deal with specific hazards and may include haz-mat contractor(s), public health officials, and occupational health and safety inspectors; - NB Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) - lends support at all levels of response, as required. • UNB Personnel Senior administration and administrative heads of academic and support service departments have a general duty to ensure that best practices are followed to minimize the risks of personal injury or illness and any impact to the environment. Supervisors are responsible to take every reasonable precaution to ensure that employees, students and contractors comply with all environmental regulations and internal safety procedures; to provide access to engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) and to provide training. Department personnel, such as facility managers and store keepers, are designated responsible for managing of petroleum, chemical and laboratory facilities including initiating of the facility contingency plan should a release occur. Employees, students and contractors are responsible to adhere to all safety procedures, wear PPE, participate in training, report hazards to their supervisor and use equipment and hazardous materials in a manner that does not endanger another person or pose risk to the environment. Nonetheless, should a spill or leak from a hazardous material occur that cannot be neutralized or adequately contained by the user, the priority is to minimize risk to: personnel, facilities and the environment. The user of hazardous material is responsible to contact the Security Department and to initiate evacuation of the facility by activating the nearest fire alarm. • Emergency Response Contractor In the event a “major” release of a hazardous material, i.e., a release that cannot be managed with available personnel and resources, the Fredericton campus maintains an agreement with a certified emergency response contractor for provision of 24-hour service. Contractor services are initiated by the Director of Security, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Director of Physical Plant, and/or their designates, in consultation with responding agencies. Periodic internal and external audits are conducted to ensure identified risks are managed for: - fire; UNB has developed university-wide, campus, building and departmental emergency procedures for when consequences of identified hazards are outside of the scope of normal operations, some of which are described in the following sections of this document. For university policies developed for accidents, personal injury, fatality, etc., that may be initiated by the same incident, please see the information available at http://www.unb.ca/safety/handbook/safetyhdbk.html • Critical Incident Plan The “Critical Incident Plan” is the university-wide crisis management plan that was developed to address an interruption in use of, or major damage to, physical facilities from unforeseen circumstances. • Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) Transport Canada requires an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) for dangerous goods that could present wide-spread hazard if released during transport. Explosives, toxic gases, flammable gases, multiple hazards and poisons are examples. An ERAP ensures on-site assistance is available to responding agencies to contain the dangerous goods. For information on ERAP, link to http://www.tc.gc.ca/tdg/erap/application.htm • Facility Contingency Plans The Well-field Protected Designation Order requires facility managers to implement the facility contingency plan immediately upon detection of release of a hazardous material. A contingency plan for each facility is prepared in accordance with good engineering practice and must contain the following information:
• Authority to Activate Contractor Services The Directors of Safety, Security and Physical Plant and/or their designates are authorized to activate contractor services during the initial stages of the emergency response process. Responding to an emergency involves situational assessment, defining and prioritizing of issues for effective activation of resources by multiple internal personnel, contractors and external agencies. Site management must also be guided by a clear understanding for recognized lines of authority: • UNB Security UNB Security is responsible for security of the campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Security are also responsible to coordinate a response when emergencies occur, determine the nature of emergency, respond to the site to render initial assistance and maintain a secure perimeter until authorities and responding agencies arrive. The Security and Safety offices are jointly responsible for notification of authorities, accident investigation and record retention. Security may be further called upon to preserve evidence for police investigation to protect physical assets and facilitate restoring the campus to normal operations. If in the judgment of the Security Department an incident occurs at the university that cannot be dealt with using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), they contact the Critical Incident Co-team leader(s) for activation of the Critical Incident Plan. • Fire Department The Fire Department is authorized by SOP 7 to assume emergency site management including defining of perimeters, identification of hazardous materials, suppression or prevention of fire and the rescue of any victims. UNB Security assists the Fire Department by contacting UNB personnel who are responsible for storage facilities and laboratories and to activate the contingency plan. The Security call-out list normally consists of designated storekeepers, facility managers, building coordinators and technical support staff who are knowledgeable about hazardous materials, can provide access to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and initiate containment measures. The Fire Department notifies the Canadian Coast Guard Operations Centre, Department of Environment, and other agencies as warranted. • CANUTEC The Fire Department may arrange for technical assistance by using the emergency telephone number contained in the shipping document or by contacting CANUTEC, the “Canadian Transport Emergency Centre” operated by Transport Canada. CANUTEC provides 24-hour service staffed by professional chemists experienced and trained in interpreting technical information and providing response advice. • Medical Assistance If an injury has occurred in conjunction with the release of a hazardous material, the nearest available person should obtain medical assistance by contacting Ambulance Services through Central Dispatch 911. If time allows, UNB Security should also be contacted at 453-4830. UNB Security supervisors are trained in Emergency Responder First Aid/CPR and can transport to hospital if required. It is recommended that a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) accompany the victim to the hospital. Please also see http://www.unb.ca/safety/handbook/medical.html • EMO The Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) assists communities to prepare for and cope with emergency conditions. Central Dispatch is responsible to notify EMO who will obtain and coordinate federal and provincial government assistance as well as inform the municipality, if required. • Public Communications A three-person “Triage Communication Team” are jointly responsible for issues management and crisis communications. This team is responsible for evaluating the situation in light of communications strategy and, as appropriate, developing and executing all communications, including, as necessary, the designation of a campus spokesperson. INTERNAL PROCEDURES AND CONTROLS • Safety Handbook The UNB Safety Handbook is the university-wide policy and procedure manual on safety. It is located in all departmental offices, the UNB libraries and many laboratories. • Emergency Procedures Booklet The UNB Emergency Procedures Booklet is circulated to employees and students on campus for quick reference near telephones in offices, laboratories and residence rooms and on bulletin boards in hallways of campus buildings. Included in the booklet are contact numbers for obtaining emergency assistance and procedures for “major” and “minor” releases of hazardous materials. • Equipment Testing and Drills Preventative maintenance and scheduled inspection of building fire protection systems is the responsibility of the Physical Plant department. The facility managers/store keepers are responsible to ensure all safety equipment is serviceable and contingency plans are up-to-date. Periodic evacuation drills are coordinated by the Security department. • Training If a hazardous material is accidentally released or spilled, its identity and properties can be obtained from the WHMIS label, placards on the entrance and/or the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). MSDS provide supplier information on the type of hazard and treatment of any injury. Regular training is regularly scheduled for employees and students to enable them to respond in an emergency situation. Training is provided by the university departments and the Safety Office in First Aid/CPR, WHMIS, TDG, fire extinguisher use, radiation safety, emergency response, contingency planning, lab safety, chemical handling, etc. • Shipping Firm When a transportation accident results in a release or spill of a dangerous good, the vehicle operator or the company dispatcher is required by law to notify: local police and the Environment Inspector through the Canadian Coast Guard Operations Centre 24 hour number at 1-800-565-1633; and the shipping company to initiate its emergency response assistance plan (ERAP). If a major release occurs at a loading facility on the UNB campus, the facility manager/store keeper is responsible to activate the facility contingency plan, notify Security who contacts Central Dispatch NB 9-1-1 and activates the contractor emergency response service, if required. • CANUTEC During an emergency, responding agencies may contact CANUTEC collect at 613-996-666 (24 hours) or *666 cellular. In a non-emergency situation, any member of the public seeking technical information on a hazardous material may contact the CANUTEC information line at 613-992-4624. • Department of Environment Release of a “toxic” or “pollutant substance” to the environment (air, water, or soil) must be reported to local police/Fire Department at NB 9-1-1 and to the Department of Environment (DENV) at 444-5149 during office hours or to the Canada Coast Guard Operations Centre at 1-800-565-1633 after hours. DENV must also be notified whenever a waste product known or suspected of being hazardous is discovered in an unauthorized location. • Workplace Health and Safety Any accidental explosion or exposure to a biological, chemical or physical agent, whether or not an injury has been sustained, must be reported to Security immediately and to the Chief Compliance Officer, Worksafe NB within 24 hours of occurrence at 506-453-2467 (during office hours) or 1-800-442-9776 (after hours). • EMO EMO has a duty officer on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All accidents involving dangerous goods, where people have been adversely affected (fatality, multiple injuries, evacuation, etc.) or their safety is potentially threatened, should be reported immediately by the responding agency to EMO at 506-453-2133 or 1-800-442-9776. • Internal Accident Reporting All accidents resulting in personal injury or near injury, regardless of severity, must be reported by the supervisor by completion of the “UNB Employee and Student Accident Report Form” that is available by contacting the Safety Office at safety@unb.ca as well as is available in all departmental offices. The completed form must be circulated within 24 hours of occurrence to the Director of Security, Director of Risk Management, and the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for assessment and appropriate investigation. • Insurance UNB maintains liability insurance for sudden and accidental release of hazardous materials. The Director of Risk Management must be contacted at 458-7831 as early as possible in the emergency notification process to ensure that all insurance and/or liability issues are adequately addressed. Various stakeholders in the community enter into agreements with UNB in the form of “memorandums of understanding” (MOU) for provision of mutual aid during crisis. MOU enhance emergency response capabilities by making provisions in advance of an emergency for sharing of facilities, equipment and trained personnel. MOU are administered through the office of the Associate Vice-President (Campus Planning and Property Development). The Department of Physical Plant is responsible to provide an estimate for repair of damages and to manage restoration of facilities or remediation of property that is damaged as a result of a release of a hazardous material. Upon final resolution of the incident, a written post-appraisal is conducted of all emergency procedures utilized during the incident to assess the adequacy of the existing procedures and to ensure continued improvement based on the outcome of the incident. Minutes of all debriefings or meetings are maintained.
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