Domain: Waste Management & Environmental Services
Question:
It's Tuesday afternoon on Day 3 of camp build-out. The motor pool goes live at 0600 tomorrow, and logistics is insisting you have a functioning HAZMAT/HW setup tonight so maintenance can start on time. They want to put it 70-90 feet behind the DFAC because the pad is already gravel, it is easy for forklifts, and it is "good enough for one night." The only other spot you can access quickly is near the motor pool, but it sits downhill toward a drainage ditch and gets a lot of gate traffic. The weather is not cooperating. Winds are picking up now, and the forecast calls for rain overnight. On top of that, multiple deliveries are scheduled in the same zone tomorrow morning, so whatever you set up tonight is going to be in the middle of vehicle movement. At 1600 the gate calls you with a resupply truck dropped off 2 x 55-gallon drums and 6 x 5-gallon containers. The labels are faded and there is no paperwork. The shop NCOIC is pushing you to "just store it somewhere" so his team can keep moving and sort it out later. You are the person who has to make the call.

What do you do in the next 2 hours to stand up a compliant HAZMAT/HW area and keep the mission moving without creating avoidable exposure risk or an environmental release pathway? In your answer, please address:

1) Where you would site the HAZMAT/HW area tonight and why, given the DFAC proximity, drainage risk, topography, and traffic patterns

2) What you do with the unidentified containers right now? (including how you isolate them, who you notify, and what you document)

3) The minimum controls you require before anything is considered "stood up" (access control, weather protection, signage, and anything else you think is non-negotiable)

Expected points in a correct answer:
States that the downhill location creates a release pathway risk due to proximity to drainage.
States that faded-label drums and containers must not be brought into the HAZMAT/HW facility.
States that the HAZMAT/HW area must be separated from drainage pathways.
States that siting the HAZMAT/HW area behind the DFAC is not acceptable due to proximity to food service.
States that unidentified containers must be isolated in a separate controlled holding area.
States that the HAZMAT/HW area must be separated from congregation areas.
States that the HAZMAT/HW area must include protection from wind and precipitation.
States that the HAZMAT/HW area must have access controls in place.
States the general principle that unidentified/uncharacterized waste must not be accepted into the HAZMAT/HW facility
States that documentation of unidentified containers must include delivery details.
States that unidentified containers must be reported through the chain of command for identification and characterization.
States that temporary holding areas must be on level and stable ground.
States that required warning signage must be posted, including 'No Smoking' and 'Authorized Personnel Only' signs
States that documentation of unidentified containers must include photographs of labels and container condition.
States that schedule urgency and convenience do not justify unsafe siting decisions or relaxing required safety controls
States that the site must allow forklift access without being in a congested delivery zone.
Identifies vehicle traffic and handling interaction risk must be considered in siting.
States that the site may need to be re-sited or layout modified.
States that the separate holding area for unidentified containers must have restricted access to prevent tampering.
States that the downhill motor pool location also introduces increased risk due to gate traffic and vehicle interaction.
States that forecasted wind and precipitation increase the risks at the downhill/drainage site.
States that the DFAC site creates perception risk in addition to exposure risk.
States that speed/compliance can be achieved simultaneously by isolating unknowns and selecting a proper site.