ASTM F1127-88(1996)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: F 1127 – 88 (Reapproved 1996)
Standard Guide for
Containment by Emergency Response Personnel of
Hazardous Material Spills
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1127; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 5. Containment Methodology
1.1 This guide describes methods to contain the spread of 5.1 Containment equipment, procedures, and techniques can
hazardous materials that have been discharged into the envi- be categorized into three general functional classes: (a) patch/
ronment. It is directed toward those emergency response plug, (b) enclosure, and (c) immobilization. The important
personnel who have had adequate hazardous material response advantage of containment is that it restricts the spreading of a
training. spill and makes cleanup easier. Careful selection of techniques
and materials is required. Errors in judgment can lead to
2. Referenced Documents
worsening of the situation, deflagration or detonation, and
2.1 ASTM Standards:
increased hazard to personnel involved in the cleanup.
F 716 Methods of Testing Sorbent Performance of Absor-
2 6. Patches and Plugs (General)
bents
F 726 Method of Testing Sorbent Performance of Adsor- 6.1 Diminishing or stopping the flow of a leaking hazardous
bents material is desirable in order to limit the size of the spill. The
following techniques may be helpful in controlling leaks,
3. Terminology
provided response personnel can use them safely under exist-
3.1 Definitions:
ing conditions. Whichever method is used, it should be noted
3.1.1 absorption—a process where the material taken up is that the higher the pressure inside the container, the more
distributed throughout the body of the absorbing material. (The
difficult it is to plug the leak.
body of the absorbing material must swell.) 6.1.1 Wood Plug—Wooden cones and wedges may be
3.1.2 adsorption—a process where the material taken up is
hammered into leaking containers (drums, tanks, pipes, etc.).
distributed over the surface of the adsorbing material. Softwoods in particular are easily sawed or lathe-turned and
3.1.3 gellant—material that exists for both aqueous and
conform well to irregular shapes. Additionally, softwood may
organic materials. absorb liquid and swell, enhancing its capacity to seal a leak.
3.1.4 sorbent—a material used to recover liquids (or fluids)
Wedges or cedar shingles are especially applicable to splits,
through the mechanism of absorption or adsorption or both. gouges, rips, and tears. Rigid plywood sheets can be fastened
over a damaged area with “T’’ bolts, toggle/molly/butterfly
4. Significance and Use
bolts, straps, or by mechanical bracing and wedging. To
4.1 This guide contains information regarding the contain-
minimize leakage between the plywood and the container, a
ment of a hazardous material that has escaped from its
gasket of rubber or plastic sheeting, putty, butyl rubber caulk,
container. If a material can be contained, the impact on the
lead wool, or oakum may be used.
environment and the threat it poses to responders and the
6.1.2 Metal Sheet—Various sizes of steel or aluminum
general public is usually reduced. The techniques described in
sheets can be fastened over damaged areas by mechanical
this guide are among those that may be used by emergency
methods (“T’’ bolts, toggle bolts, bracing, strapping, etc.).
responders to lessen the impact of a discharge.
Gasketing material between the metal and the container gen-
4.2 Emergency responders might include police, fire service
erally provides more positive sealing.
personnel, government spill response personnel, industrial
6.1.3 Inflatable Plugs and Bags—Reinforced rubber and
response personnel, or spill response contractors. In order to
coated-fabric plugs can be inserted into an opening and inflated
apply any of the techniques described in this guide, appropriate
with gas (air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide) or water to form a seal.
training is recommended.
Lead-sealing bags can be secured with straps, chains, cables,
fire hoses, or bands to seal a leaking container.
6.1.4 Fabric Patch—Fabrics such as neoprene-coated nylon
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F-20 on Hazardous
Substances and Oil Spill Response and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee can be positioned over leaks and held in place by bands, chains,
F20.22on Mitigation Actions.
straps, etc. Wood, plastic, or metal reinforcements may be
Current edition approved Jan. 29, 1988. Published May 1988.
required.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.04.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F 1127
6.1.5 Formed Plug—Polymeric foam (for example, poly- aims to contain the material and localize it in a concentrated
urethane or polyethylene), epoxy putty, or quick-setting hy- form. Typical procedures that can be used to affect the
draulic cement may be injected into a rigid concave form spreading of a spilled liquid are as follows:
through a tubular handle or it may be troweled onto the form 8.2.2 Change the physical properties of the liquid by modi-
and placed against the damaged area. Once the patching
fying the viscosity or vapor pressure by temperature change
material hardens, the support form may be removed. (usually cooling).
6.1.6 Caulking Patch—Epoxy, plastic steel/aluminum, lead
8.2.3 Immobilize the liquid by use of an adsorbent, absor-
wool, clay-polymer mixtures, and oakum can be spread,
bent, or a gelling agent (see 8.3.1.2).
troweled, or peened into cracks and small holes. Rapid-curing
8.2.4 Pump to a suitable container or lined pit.
materials are available.
8.2.5 Erect physical barriers.
6.1.7 Foam Plug (Self-Expanding)—A package of polyeth-
8.2.6 Form dikes from earth sandbags, water inflatable bags,
ylene, polyurethane, or low-density neoprene rubber foam (all
weighted adsorbent foamed plastic, or absorbent sand mixture.
closed-cell) formed into a compact shape by compression and
8.2.7 Assemble collapsible containers (for example, plastic
vacuum packing may be opened allowing the foam to expand
swimming pools if compatible) or use a plastic film-lined
and fill the leak area. These plugs may not be readily available.
ground depression or pit for containment.
6.1.8 Magnetic Patch—Magnetic sheets (rubber-bonded
8.2.8 Deploy collection or containment devices such as
barium ferrite composite, with or without adhesive) backed by
boom curtains and portable dams. Suitable floating absorbents
a thin (0.0025 in.) sheet of steel foil may be strapped over the
can help in preventing these booms from being made ineffec-
damaged area.
tive by stream current physically stripping liquid underneath.
6.1.9 Mechanical Patch—Neoprene stoppers, rubber balls,
8.2.9 A porous or wire mesh boom can be efficiently used
and plywood or spring steel sheets with neoprene gaskets can
with the proper floating absorbent material. A board boom is
be mechanically held in or on the damaged area. Toggle and
also effective in a ditch.
“T’’ bolts, washers, and wing nuts are useful attachments.
8.2.10 A reverse flow weir can be used to concentrate
6.1.10 Adhesive Patch—Adhesive patches sometimes work
floating fluids.
but usually require tedious surface preparation. Tape (duct,
8.2.11 Sewers or other types of drainage in the path of a
lead, aluminum, or stainless steel) is useful when applied over
spreading spill should be blocked. An absorbent/sand mixture
a wooden or rubber plug before application of epoxy to create
can be used as a sealing dike or a soft closed-cell plastic foam
a relatively permanent repair.
can be used to cover the opening. Many impermeable systems
6.1.11 Bladder Wrap—Coated fabric or reinforced rubber
can be used to seal the openings.
pipe patches (similar to a clamp) with integral inflation bladder
8.2.12 When a spilled material has a density greater than
can be secured around a pipe or small round container with
water, a weighted sorbent can be placed at the bottom of a
nylon self-adhesive fabric, Velcro, fire hoses, or banding/
watercourse or sewer to pick up and immobilize a spill.
strapping material.
8.3 Land Spills:
6.1.12 Split Clamp Pipe Patch—A split, sleeve-type cou-
8.3.1 Typical methods for handling spills on land are listed,
pling with a bolted flange assembly can be used to cover a
including pumping, sorbents (adsorbents and absorbents), gel-
rusted or damaged pipe section.
lants, dikes, dams, trenches, soil and dike sealants and physical
6.1.13 Pipe Pinch—A “C’’-shaped clamp device with hy-
state modifications.
draulically or explosively operated ram can flatten a section of
8.3.1.1 Pumping—If a pool of spilled liquid can be con-
pipe to pinch off the fluid flow.
tained on land, the most direct mitigation is to pump it into a
7. Enclosure
suitable container (or to use a vacuum truck). Compatibility of
all equipment with the material being handled is necessary.
7.1 Approved salvage drums (overpacks, recovery drums,
Many of the typical materials widely used for oil containment
waste drums, “open-head’’ drums) may be used to encapsulate
and cleanup are not suitable for many hazardous materials.
leaking drums or other small containers. Contaminated mate-
Gaskets and sealants for pumping units may be oil resistant but
rials (tools, clothing, soil) and plastic bags holding used
fail quickly with a hazardous material. For low-boiling-point
sorbents or contaminated items also may be enclosed in
liquids the pump inlet will have to be below the level of the
salvage drums. Approved enclosure containers may be used for
liquid. Otherwise, pump suction will cause the liquid to boil
transport, storage, and disposal of many hazardous materials.
and the pump to cavitate. When pumping materials whose
8. Immobilization
vapor is flammable, use nonsparking equipment. Employ a
grounded system so that static electric buildup cannot occur at
8.1 Once a hazardous material has escaped from its con-
discharge ports or nozzles.
tainer, it may be possible to immobilize the material to prevent
it from spreading. There are a number of methods that may be 8.3.1.2 Sorbents—Sorbent is a general term applied to both
used to accomplish this task; these methods vary depending on adsorbents and absorbents. The source of these products can be
whether the material is a liquid, a solid, or is volatile and natural or synthetic. They can be organic, inorganic, or mixed
escapes as a gas. in composition. Proper use of these materials depends on the
8.2 Liquids: type of spill, location, and type of sorbent to be used. The
8.2.1 Spills of hazardous liquids (including slurries) are the Federal Schedule 2008.1-1.1 and 2001.3 recommends the use
most difficult of spill problems. Good management practice of inert materials (that is, sorbents without reference to the size
F 1127
of a spill). It also gives the On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) the mers and cross-linked starches.
directive to use that material or method best suited to mitigate
8.3.1.5 Gellants—Gellants are usually colloidal materials
the spill. A separate part of this regulation (2001.4) prohibits
that upon addition to a liquid with intimate mixing, form very
adding any harmful substance in any quantity to water. For
high viscosity materials. Since these materials are not true
“hazardous materials’’ this prohibits the wringing out of
absorbents the network the fluid is held in can be broken by
sorbents (absorbents) for reuse. So-called “universal or broad
heat or other forces. The intimate mixing required is often
range’’ sorbents are covered in 8.3.1.6, since they are often
difficult on a land spill. Gels usually have a delay time when
mixtures of the singly defined types. It is also true that the
congealing, therefore they may not be suitable for running
broad range of materials considered hazardous makes a truly
spills.
universal material unlikely. Since these materials are totally
8.3.1.6 Miscellaneous—This category includes the “univer-
different, the definitions developed in Methods F 716 and
sal sorbents’’ that are usually mixtures of other materials listed
F 726 are included in Section 3 of this guide.
previously. These materials should be qualified for what type of
8.3.1.3 Adsorbents—Adsorbent materials are those that are
spill they can be used on and their relative pick up of water and
inert to the spilled material and usually have a large surface
spill mixtures. This type of material can be especially valuable
area. Since adsorption is by definition only a surface coating
for small spills and quick on-site response. They are less
process, high surface area is advantageous if the fluid has
important on larger spills where water sensitivity or the lack of
sufficiently low viscosity to cover it. An incomplete list of
water sensitivity is important.
adsorbent materials includes plastic foams, plastic fibers, straw,
8.3.1.7 Dikes, Dams, and Trenches—Artificial containment
peat, sand, porous clay, feathers, foamed glass and silicates,
barriers can be created to confine liquid spills by forming a
activated alumina, and soil. The surface can be external as in a
wall of sandbags, water-inflated bags, or earth (by shovelling
fiber, or internal as inside a granule of activated carbon. The
or using mechanized earth-moving equipment). The use of an
criteria is that if the fiber does not swell greater than 10 % or
absorbent/sand mixture offers the advantage of a sealing and
the carbon granule does not change size, then the sorption
diking material. Sometimes the spill can be confined on a
phenomenon is called adsorption and the material for the liquid
prepared surface, such as concrete or blacktop, but the more
intended is an adsorbent. Since the spilled fluid is available on
typical situation involves earthen surfaces and dikes, which are
the surface of an adsorbent, it may be removable. This can be
prone to pass spilled liquids unless coated with a soil sealant to
an advantage if separation following recovery is important. It is
prevent percolation into the earth. Inorganic foams, such as
detrimental to the extent that:
foamed concrete, foamed gypsum, and sodium silicate foam,
(1) The liquid can usually be removed by leaching (even by
have been used to produce dikes and barriers. The basic
water used in clean up), rain, etc.,
problem in adapting these materials to a particular application
(2) Vaporization loss is often increased by increasing ex-
is the difficulty in building these materials up without some
posed surface area,
form of const
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