To aid competent water quality managers in the case of emergency a data bank is a vauable tool. This data bank would permit the water quality manager to carefully evaluate the material relative to its environmental exposure. It is the purpose here to describe the Oil and Hazardous Materials Technical Assistance Data System and its applications to emergency situations where an On-Scene Coordinator would need fast, accurate data on the degree of hazard involved, the countermeasures to be utilized and the personal safety precautions to be taken. Data files were constructed in such a manner that a systematic query program could prove of great value, both for on-line response to spill incidents, and for summary evaluation relating to enforcement and research activities. The prime function of the files is to provide immediate feedback of information on hazardous substances to spill response team personnel.
Individual segments contain both numerical data and interpretive comments.
These can serve as background for decision making and guidelines to initiate corrective action. The completed files can also be used as a source of diverse information on hazardous substances as a whole, allowing research and enforcement authorities to assess areas where more work or stricter regulations are needed. Although the files are meant to be a complete and accurate summary of all pertinent information concerning oil and hazardous substances, it must be realized that they immediately become incomplete as the the result of an almost continuous outpouring of new data from a multitude of sources. It is evident that constant updating of the files is necessary. As such, it includes a wide variety of physical, chemical, biological, toxicological, and comemercial data.