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(continued)
Qualified person: A person with specific training, knowledge and experience in the area for which the person has the responsibility and the authority to control.
Site safety and health supervisor (or official): The individual located on a hazardous waste site who is responsible to the employer and has the authority and knowledge necessary to implement the site safety and health plan and verify compliance with applicable safety and health requirements.
Small quantity generator: A generator of hazardous wastes who in any calendar month generates no more than 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds) of hazardous waste in that month.
Uncontrolled hazardous waste site: An area where an accumulation of hazardous waste creates a threat to the health and safety of individuals or the environment or both. Some sites are found on public lands, such as those created by former municipal, county, or state landfills where illegal or poorly managed waste disposal has taken place. Other sites are found on private property, often belonging to generators or former generators of hazardous waste. Examples of such sites include, but are not limited to, surface impoundments, landfills, dumps, and tank or drum farms.
Normal operations at TSD sites are not covered by this definition.
Uncontrolled release: An uncontrolled release is the accidental release of a hazardous substance from its container. If not contained, stopped, and removed, the release would pose a hazard to the employees in the immediate area or in areas in the path of the release, or from its byproducts or its effects (such as toxic vapors, fire, over-pressurization, toxic gases, or toxic particulates.
(b) Safety and health program.
NOTE TO (b): Safety and health programs developed and implemented to meet other Federal, state, or local regulations are considered acceptable in meeting this requirement if they cover or are modified to cover the topics required in this subsection. An additional or separate safety and health program is not required by this subsection.
(1) General.
(A) Employers shall develop and implement a written safety and health program for their employees involved in hazardous waste operations. The program shall be designed to identify, evaluate, and control safety and health hazards, and provide for emergency response for hazardous waste operations.
(B) The written safety and health program shall incorporate the following:
1. An organization structure;
2. A comprehensive workplan;
3. A site-specific safety and health plan which need not repeat the employer's standard operating procedures required in subsection (b)(1)(B)6. of this section;
4. The safety and health training program;
5. The medical surveillance program;
6. The employer's standard operating procedures for safety and health; and
7. Any necessary interface between general program and site specific activities.
(C) Site excavation. Site excavations created during initial site preparation or during hazardous waste operations shall be shored or sloped as appropriate to prevent accidental collapse in accordance with 8 CCR, Chapter 4, Subchapter 4, Article 6.
(D) Contractors and sub-contractors. An employer who retains contractor or sub-contractor services for work in hazardous waste operations shall inform those contractors, sub-contractors, or their representatives of the site emergency response procedures and any potential fire, explosion, health, safety or other hazards of the hazardous waste operation that have been identified by the employer, including those identified in the employer's information program. Each contractor/sub-contractor is responsible for compliance with all safety and health protection requirements for its employees. An employer's safety and health plan can be used by contractors/sub-contractors at the site if it appropriately addresses their activity and potential safety and health hazards.
(E) Program availability. The written safety and health program shall be made available to any contractor or subcontractor or their representative who will be involved with the hazardous waste operation; to employees; to employee designated representatives; to Division representatives, and to personnel of other Federal, state, or local agencies with regulatory authority over the site.
(2) Organizational structure part of the site program.
(A) The organizational structure part of the program shall establish the specific chain of command and specify the overall responsibilities of supervisors and employees. It shall include, at a minimum, the following elements:

1. A general supervisor (or Certified supervisor for hazardous substance removal work) who has the responsibility and authority to direct all hazardous waste operations.
2. A Site Safety and Health Supervisor who has the responsibility and authority to develop and implement the site safety and health plan and verify compliance.
3. A Qualified Person for operations defined as hazardous substance removal work, who shall be responsible for scheduling any air sampling, laboratory calibration of sampling equipment, evaluation of soil or other contaminated materials sampling results, and for conducting any equipment testing and evaluating the results of the tests.
4. All other personnel needed for hazardous waste site operations and emergency response and their general functions and responsibilities.
5. The lines of authority, responsibility, and communication.
(B) The organizational structure shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to reflect the current status of waste site operations.

(3) Comprehensive workplan part of the site program: The comprehensive workplan part of the program shall address the tasks and objectives of the site operations and the logistics and resources required to reach those tasks and objectives.
(A) The comprehensive workplan shall address anticipated clean-up activities, as well as normal operating procedures, which need not repeat the employer's procedures available elsewhere.
(B) The comprehensive workplan shall define work tasks and objectives and identify the methods for accomplishing those tasks and objectives.
(C) The comprehensive workplan shall establish personnel requirements for implementing the plan.
(D) The comprehensive workplan shall provide for the implementation of the training required in subsection (e) of this section.
(E) The comprehensive workplan shall provide for the implementation of the required informational programs required in subsection (i) of this section.

(F) The comprehensive workplan shall provide for the implementation of the medical surveillance program described in subsection (f) of this section.
(4) Site-specific safety and health plan part of the program.
(A) General: The site safety and health plan, which must be kept on site, shall address the safety and health hazards of each phase of site operation and include the requirements and procedures for employee protection.
NOTE TO (A): In general, a site plan organized as a single document, with component sections/appendices covering all tasks, operations, and contractors/sub-contractors, may be used to promote use efficiency, and enhance completeness, clarity, and coordination.
(B) Elements: The site safety and health plan, as a minimum, shall address the following:
1. A safety and health risk or hazard analysis for each site task and operation found in the workplan.
2. Employee training assignments to assure compliance with subsection (e) of this section.
3. Personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used by employees for each of the site tasks and operations being conducted as required by the personal protective equipment program in subsection (g)(5) of this section.
4. Medical surveillance requirements in accordance with the program in subsection (f) of this section.
5. Frequency and types of air monitoring, personnel monitoring, and environmental sampling techniques and instrumentation to be used, including methods of maintenance and calibration of monitoring and sampling equipment to be used.
6. Site control measures in accordance with the site control program required in subsection (d) of this section.
7. Decontamination procedures in accordance with subsection (k) of this section.
8. An emergency response plan meeting the requirements of subsection ( l) of this section for safe and effective responses to emergencies, including the necessary PPE and other equipment.
9. Confined space entry procedures.
10. A spill containment program meeting the requirements of subsection (j) of this section.
(C) Pre-entry briefing: The site-specific safety and health plan shall provide for pre-entry briefings to be held prior to initiating any site activity, and at such other times as necessary to ensure that employees are apprised of the site safety and health plan and that this plan is being followed. The information and data obtained from site characterization and analysis work required in subsection (c) of this section shall be used to prepare and update the site safety and health plan.
(D) For operations defined as Hazardous substance removal work, a Pre-job health and safety conference shall be held before the start of actual work. The conference shall include representatives of the owner or contracting agency, the contractor, the employer, employees, and employee representatives; and shall include a discussion of the employer's safety and health program and the means, methods, devices, processes, practices, conditions, or operations which the employer intends to use in providing a safe and healthy place of employment.
(E) Effectiveness of site safety and health plan: Inspections shall be conducted by the site safety and health supervisor or, in the absence of that individual, another individual who is knowledgeable in occupational safety and health, acting on behalf of the employer as necessary to determine the effectiveness of the site safety and health plan. Any deficiencies in the effectiveness of the site safety and health plan shall be corrected by the employer.
(c) Site Characterization and Analysis.
(1) General: Hazardous waste sites shall be evaluated in accordance with this subsection to identify specific site hazards and to determine the appropriate safety and health control procedures needed to protect employees from the identified hazards.
(2) Preliminary evaluation: A preliminary evaluation of a site's characteristics shall be performed prior to site entry by a qualified person to aid in the selection of appropriate employee protection methods prior to site entry. Immediately after initial site entry, a more detailed evaluation of the site's specific characteristics shall be performed by a qualified person to further identify existing site hazards and to further aid in the selection of the appropriate engineering controls and personal protective equipment for the tasks to be performed.
(3) Hazard identification: All suspected conditions that may pose inhalation or skin absorption hazards that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) or other conditions that may cause death or serious harm shall be identified during the preliminary survey and evaluated during the detailed survey. Examples of such hazards include, but are not limited to, confined space entry, potentially explosive or flammable situations, visible vapor clouds, or areas where biological indicators such as dead animals or vegetation are located.
(4) Required information: The following information to the extent available shall be obtained by the employer prior to allowing employees to enter a site:
(A) Location and approximate size of the site.
(B) Description of the response activity and/or the job task to be performed.

(C) Duration of the planned employee activity.
(D) Site topography and accessibility by air and roads.
(E) Safety and health hazards expected at the site.
(F) Pathways for hazardous substance dispersion.
(G) Present status and capabilities of emergency response teams that would provide assistance to hazardous waste clean-up site employees at the time of an emergency.
(H) Hazardous substances and health hazards involved or expected at the site, and their chemical and physical properties.
(5) Personal protective equipment: Personal protective equipment (PPE) shall be provided and used during initial site entry in accordance with the following requirements:
(A) Based upon the results of the preliminary site evaluation, an ensemble of PPE shall be selected and used during initial site entry which will provide protection to a level of exposure below PELs and published exposure levels for known or suspected hazardous substances and health hazards and will provide protection against other known and suspected hazards identified during the preliminary site evaluation. If there is no PEL or published exposure level, the employer may use other published studies and information as a guide to appropriate personal protective equipment.
(B) If positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus is not used as part of the entry ensemble, and if respiratory protection is warranted by the potential hazards identified during the preliminary site evaluation, an escape self-contained breathing apparatus of at least five minute's duration shall be carried by employees during initial site entry.
(C) If the preliminary site evaluation does not produce sufficient information to identify the hazards or suspected hazards of the site, an ensemble providing protection equivalent to Level B PPE shall be provided as minimum protection and direct reading instruments shall be used as appropriate for identifying IDLH conditions. (See Appendix B for guidelines on Level B protective equipment, and a description of Level B hazards.)

(D) Once the hazards of the site have been identified, the appropriate PPE shall be selected and used in accordance with subsection (g).
(6) Monitoring: The following monitoring shall be conducted during initial site entry when the site evaluation produces information that shows the potential for ionizing radiation or IDLH conditions, or when the site information is not sufficient to rule out these possible conditions:
(A) Monitoring with direct reading instruments for hazardous levels of ionizing radiation.
(B) Monitoring the air with appropriate direct reading test equipment (i.e., combustible gas meters, detector tubes) for IDLH and other conditions that may cause death or serious harm (combustible or explosive atmospheres, oxygen deficiency, toxic substances.)
(C) Visually observing for signs of actual or potential IDLH or other dangerous conditions.
(D) An on-going air monitoring program in accordance with subsection (h) shall be implemented after site characterization has determined the site is safe for the start-up of operations.
(7) Risk identification: Once the presence and concentrations of specific hazardous substances and health hazards have been established, the risks associated with these substances shall be identified. Employees who will be working on the site shall be informed of any risks that have been identified. In situations covered by the Hazard Communication standard, 8 CCR 5194, training required by that standard need not be duplicated.
NOTE TO (c)(7): Risks to consider include, but are not limited to:
A. Exposures exceeding the PELs, and published exposure levels.
B. IDLH concentrations.
C. Potential skin absorption and irritation sources.
D. Potential eye irritation sources.
E. Explosion sensitivity and flammability ranges.

F. Oxygen deficiency.
(8) Employee notification: Any information concerning the chemical, physical, and toxicologic properties of each substance known or expected to be present on site that is available to the employer and relevant to the duties an employee is expected to perform shall be made available to the affected employees prior to the commencement of their work activities. The employer may utilize information developed for the hazard communication standard, 8 CCR 5194, for this purpose.
(d) Site Control.
(1) General: Appropriate site control procedures shall be implemented to control employee exposure to hazardous substances before clean-up work begins.
(2) Site control program: A site control program for protecting employees which is part of the employer's site safety and health program required in subsection (b) of this section shall be developed during the planning stages of a hazardous waste clean-up operation and modified as necessary as new information becomes available.

(3) Elements of the site control program: The site control program shall, as a minimum, include: A site map; site work zones; the use of a "buddy system;" site communications including alerting means for emergencies; the standard operating procedures or safe work practices; and, identification of nearest medical assistance. Where these requirements are covered elsewhere they need not be repeated.
(e) Training.
(1) General.
(A) All employees working on site (such as but not limited to equipment operators, general laborers, and others) exposed to hazardous substances, health hazards, or safety hazards, and their supervisors and management responsible for the site shall receive training meeting the requirements of this subsection before they are permitted to engage in hazardous waste operations that could expose them to hazardous substances, safety, or health hazards, and they shall receive review training as specified in this subsection.
(B) Employees shall not be permitted to participate in or supervise field activities until they have been trained to a level required by their job function and responsibility.
(2) Elements to be covered: The training shall thoroughly cover the following:
(A) Names of personnel and alternates responsible for site safety and health;
(B) Safety, health and other hazards present on the site;
(C) Use of PPE;
(D) Work practices by which the employee can minimize risks from hazards;
(E) Safe use of engineering controls and equipment on the site;
(F) Medical surveillance requirements including recognition of symptoms and signs which might indicate overexposure to hazards; and
(G) Subsections 7. through 10. of the site safety and health plan set forth in subsection (b)(4)(B) of this section.

(3) Initial training.
(A) General site workers (such as equipment operators, general laborers, and supervisory personnel) engaged in hazardous substance removal or other activities which expose or potentially expose workers to hazardous substances and health hazards shall receive a minimum of 40 hours of instruction off the site, and a minimum of three days actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.
(B) Workers on site only occasionally for a specific limited task (such as, but not limited to, ground water monitoring, land surveying, or geo-physical surveying) and who are unlikely to be exposed over PELs and published exposure levels shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site, and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.
(C) Workers regularly on site who work in areas which have been monitored and fully characterized indicating that exposures are under PELs and published exposure levels where respirators are not necessary, and the characterization indicates that there are no health hazards or the possibility of an emergency developing, shall receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction off the site and the minimum of one day actual field experience under the direct supervision of a trained, experienced supervisor.
(D) Workers with 24 hours of training who are covered by subsections (e)(3)(B) and (e)(3)(C) of this section, and who become general site workers or who are required to wear respirators, shall have the additional 16 hours and two days of training necessary to total the training specified in subsection (e)(3)(A).
(4) Management and supervisor training: On-site management and supervisors directly responsible for, or who supervise employees engaged in, hazardous waste operations shall receive 40 hours initial training, and three days of supervised field experience (the training may be reduced to 24 hours and one day if the only area of their responsibility is employees covered by subsections (e)(3)(B) and (e)(3)(C)) and at least eight additional hours of specialized hazardous waste operations management training at the time of job assignment on such topics as, but not limited to, the employer's safety and health program and the associated employee training program, PPE program, spill containment program, and health hazard monitoring procedure and techniques.
(5) Qualifications for trainers: Trainers shall be qualified to instruct employees about the subject matter that is being presented in training. Such trainers shall have satisfactorily completed a training program for teaching the subjects they are expected to teach, or they shall have the academic credentials and instructional experience necessary for teaching the subjects. Instructors shall demonstrate competent instructional skills and knowledge of the applicable subject matter.
(6) Training certification: Employees and supervisors that have received and successfully completed the training and field experience specified in subsections (e)(1) through (e)(4) of this section shall be certified by their instructor or the head instructor and trained supervisor as having successfully completed the necessary training. A written certificate shall be given to each person so certified. Any person who has not been so certified or who does not meet the requirements of subsection (e)(9) of this section shall be prohibited from engaging in hazardous waste operations.
(7) Emergency response: Employees who are engaged in responding to hazardous emergency situations at hazardous waste clean-up sites that may expose them to hazardous substances shall be trained in how to respond to such expected emergencies.
(8) Refresher training: Employees specified in subsection (e)(1) of this section, and managers and supervisors specified in subsection (e)(4) of this section, shall receive eight hours of refresher training annually on the items specified in subsection (e)(2) and/or (e)(4) of this section, any critique of incidents that have occurred in the past year that can serve as training examples of related work, and other relevant topics.
(9) Equivalent training: Employers who can show by documentation or certification that an employee's work experience and/or training has resulted in training equivalent to that training required in subsections (e)(1) through (e)(4) of this section shall not be required to provide the initial training requirements of those subsections to such employees. However, certified employees or employees with equivalent training new to a site shall receive appropriate, site specific training before site entry and have appropriate supervised field experience at the new site. Equivalent training includes any academic training or the training that existing employees might have already received from actual hazardous waste site work experience.
(f) Medical Surveillance.
(1) General: Employers engaged in operations specified in subsections (a)(1)(A) through (a)(1)(D) of this section and not covered by (a)(2)(C) exceptions, and employers of employees specified in subsection (q)(9) shall institute a medical surveillance program in accordance with this subsection.
(2) Employees covered: The medical surveillance program shall be instituted by the employer for the following employees:
(A) Any employee who is or may be exposed to hazardous substances or health hazards at or above the PELs or, if there is no PEL, above the published exposure levels for these substances, without regard to the use of respirators, for 30 days or more a year.
(B) Any employee who wear s a respirator during any part of a day for a period of 30 days or more in a year, or as required by 8 CCR 5144.
(C) Any employee who is injured, become s ill or develop s signs or symptoms due to possible overexposure involving hazardous substances or health hazards from an emergency response or hazardous waste operation; and
(D) Members of HAZMAT teams.
(3) Frequency of medical examinations and consultations: Medical examinations and consultations shall also be made available by the employer to each employee covered under subsection (f)(2) on the following schedules:
(A) For employees covered under subsections (f)(2)(A), (f)(2)(B), and (f)(2)(D):
1. Prior to assignment.
2. At least once every twelve months for each employee covered, unless the attending physician believes a longer interval (not greater than biennially) is appropriate.
3. At termination of employment or reassignment to an area where the employee would not be covered if the employee has not had an examination within the last six months.
4. As soon as possible, upon notification by an employee either that the employee has developed signs or symptoms indicating possible overexposure to hazardous substances or health hazards or that the employee has been injured or exposed above the PELs or published exposure levels in an emergency situation.

5. At more frequent times, if the examining physician determines that an increased frequency of examination is medically necessary.
(B) For employees covered under subsection(f)(2)(C) and for allemployees including those of employers covered by subsection (a)(1)(E) who may have been injured, received a health impairment, developed signs or symptoms which may have resulted from exposure to hazardous substances resulting from an emergency incident, or exposed during an emergency incident to hazardous substances at concentrations above the PELs or the published exposure levels without the necessary personal protective equipment being used:
1. As soon as possible following the emergency incident or development of signs or symptoms;
2. At additional times, if the examining physician determines that follow-up examinations or consultations are medically necessary.
(4) Content of medical examinations and consultations.
(A) Medical examinations required by subsection (f)(2) of this section shall include a medical and work history (or updated history if one is in the employee's file) with special emphasis on symptoms related to the handling of hazardous substances and health hazards, and to fitness for duty including the ability to wear any required PPE under conditions (e.g., temperature extremes) that may be expected at the work site.
(B) The content of medical examinations or consultations made available to employees pursuant to subsection (f) shall be determined by the examining physician. The guidelines in the Occupational Safety and Health Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities (see Appendix D, Reference #10) should be consulted.
(5) Examination by a physician and costs: All medical examinations and procedures shall be performed by or under the supervision of a licensed physician, preferably one knowledgeable in occupational medicine, and shall be provided without cost to the employee, without loss of pay, and at a reasonable time and place.
(6) Information provided to the physician: The employer shall provide one copy of this standard and its appendices to the attending physician, and in addition, the following for each employee:

(A) A description of each employee's duties as they relate to the employee's exposures.
(B) Each employee's exposure levels or anticipated exposure levels.
(C) A description of any PPE used or to be used by each employee.
(D) Information from previous medical examinations of each employee which is not readily available to the examining physician.
(E) Information required by 8 CCR 5144 for each employee.
(7) Physician's written opinion.
(A) The employer shall obtain and furnish the employee with a copy of a written opinion from the examining physician containing the following:
1. The physician's opinion as to whether the employee has any detected medical conditions which would place the employee at increased risk of material impairment of the employee's health from work in hazardous waste operations or emergency response, or from respirator use.

2. The physician's recommended limitations upon the employee's assigned work.
3. A statement that the employee has been informed by the physician of the results of the medical examination and any medical conditions which require further examination or treatment.
(B) The written opinion obtained by the employer shall not reveal specific findings or diagnoses unrelated to occupational exposures.
(C) The physician shall provide the results of the medical examination and tests to the employee if requested.
(8) Recordkeeping.
(A) An accurate record of the medical surveillance required by subsection (f) shall be retained. This record shall be retained for the period specified and meet the criteria of 8 CCR 3204.
(B) The record required in subsection (f)(8)(A) shall include at least the following information:

1. The name and social security number of the employee.
2. Physician's written opinions, recommended limitations, and results of examinations and tests.
3. Any employee medical complaints related to exposure to hazardous substances.
4. A copy of the information provided to the examining physician by the employer, with the exception of the standard and its appendices.
(g) Engineering Controls, Work Practices, and Personal Protective Equipment for Employee Protection: Engineering controls, work practices, PPE, or a combination of these shall be implemented in accordance with this subsection to protect employees from exposure to hazardous substances and safety and health hazards.
(1) Engineering controls, work practices and PPE for substances regulated in 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Groups 14, 15, and 16.
(A) Engineering controls and work practices shall be instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposure to or below the PELs of substances regulated by 8 CCR F except to the extent that such controls and practices are not feasible.
NOTE TO (g)(1)(A): Engineering controls which may be feasible include the use of pressurized cabs or control booths on equipment, and/or the use of remotely operated material handling equipment. Work practices which may be feasible are removing all non-essential employees from potential exposure during opening of drums, wetting down dusty operations and locating employees upwind of possible hazards.
(B) Whenever engineering controls and work practices are not feasible or not required, any reasonable combination of engineering controls, work practices, and PPE shall be used to protect employees to reduce exposure to or below established PELs or exposure limits for substances regulated by 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Group 16.
(C) The employer shall not implement a schedule of employee rotation as a means of compliance with PELs or exposure limits except when there is no other feasible way of complying with the applicable ionizing radiation exposure standards.

(D) The provisions of 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Groups 14 and 15 shall be followed.
(2) Engineering controls, work practices, and PPE for substances not regulated in 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Groups 14, 15, and 16: An appropriate combination of engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment shall be used to reduce and maintain employee exposure to or below the published exposure levels for hazardous substances and health hazards not regulated by 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Groups 14, 15, and 16. The employer may use the published literature and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS's) as a guide in making the employer's determination as to what level of protection the employer believes is appropriate for hazardous substances and health hazards for which there is no PEL or published exposure level.
(3) Personal protective equipment selection.
(A) Personal protective equipment (PPE) shall be selected and used which will protect employees from the hazards and potential hazards they are likely to encounter as identified during the site characterization and analysis.
(B) Personal protective equipment selection shall be based on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the PPE relative to the requirements and limitations of the site, the task-specific conditions and duration, and the hazards and potential hazards identified at the site.
(C) Positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or positive pressure airline respirators equipped with an escape air supply shall be used when chemical exposure levels present will create a substantial possibility of immediate death, immediate serious illness or injury, or impair the ability to escape.
(D) Totally-encapsulating chemical protective suits (protection equivalent to Level A protection as recommended in Appendix B) shall be used in conditions where skin absorption of a hazardous substance may result in a substantial possibility of immediate death, immediate serious illness or injury, or impair the ability to escape.
(E) The level of protection provided by PPE selection shall be increased when additional information on site conditions shows that increased protection is necessary to reduce employee exposures below established PELs and published exposure levels for hazardous substances and health hazards. (See Appendix B for guidance on selecting PPE ensembles.)

(F) Personal protective equipment shall be selected and used to meet the requirements of 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Group 2, Articles 10 and 10.1, and 8 CCR 5144 of the General Industry Safety Orders, and additional requirements specified in this section.
NOTE TO (g)(3): The level of employee protection provided may be decreased when additional information or site conditions show that decreased protection will not result in hazardous exposures to employees.
(4) Totally-encapsulating chemical protective suits.
(A) Totally-encapsulating suits shall protect employees from the particular hazards which are identified during site characterization and analysis.
(B) Totally-encapsulating suits shall be capable of maintaining positive air pressure. (See Appendix A for a test method which may be used to evaluate this requirement.)
(C) Totally-encapsulating suits shall be capable of preventing inward test gas leakage of more than 0.5 percent. (See Appendix A for a test method which may be used to evaluate this requirement.)
(5) Personal protective equipment (PPE) program: A written personal protective equipment program, which is part of the employer's safety and health program required in subsection (b) of this section or required in subsection (p)(1) of this section and which is also a part of the site-specific safety and health plan shall be established. The PPE program shall address the elements listed below. When elements, such as donning and doffing procedures, are provided by the manufacturer of a piece of equipment and are attached to the plan, they need not be rewritten into the plan as long as they adequately address the procedure or element.
(A) PPE selection based upon site hazards,
(B) PPE use and limitations of the equipment,
(C) Work mission duration,
(D) PPE maintenance and storage,
(E) PPE decontamination and disposal,

(F) PPE training and proper fitting,
(G) PPE donning and doffing procedures,
(H) PPE inspection procedures prior to, during, and after use,
(I) Evaluation of the effectiveness of the PPE program, and
(J) Limitations during temperature extremes, heat stress, and other appropriate medical considerations.
(h) Monitoring.
(1) General.
(A) Monitoring shall be performed in accordance with this subsection where there may be a question of employee exposure to hazardous concentrations of hazardous substances in order to assure proper selection of engineering controls, work practices, and PPE so that employees are not exposed to levels which exceed PELs, or published exposure levels if there are no PELs, for hazardous substances.
(B) Air monitoring shall be used to identify and quantify airborne levels of hazardous substances, and health and safety hazards in order to determine the appropriate level of employee protection needed on site.
(2) Initial entry: Upon initial entry, representative air monitoring shall be conducted to identify any IDLH conditions, exposure over PELs or published exposure levels, exposure over a radioactive material's dose limits, or other dangerous situations such as the presence of flammable atmospheres or oxygen-deficient environments.
(3) Periodic monitoring: Periodic monitoring shall be conducted when the possibility of an IDLH condition or flammable atmosphere has developed or when there is indication that exposures may have risen over PELs or published exposure levels since prior monitoring. Situations where it shall be considered whether the possibility that exposures have risen are as follows:
(A) When work begins on a different portion of the site.
(B) When contaminants other than those previously identified are being handled.

(C) When a different type of operation is initiated (e.g., drum opening as opposed to exploratory well drilling).
(D) When employees are handling leaking drums or containers or working in areas with obvious liquid contamination (e.g., a spill or lagoon).
(4) Monitoring of high-risk employees: After the actual clean-up phase of any hazardous waste operation commences; for example, when soil, surface water or containers are moved or disturbed; the employer shall monitor those employees likely to have the highest exposures to hazardous substances and health hazards likely to be present above PELs or published exposure levels by using personal sampling frequently enough to characterize employee exposures.
If the employees likely to have the highest exposure are over PELs or published exposure levels, then monitoring shall continue in order to identify all employees likely to be above those limits. The employer may utilize a representative sampling approach by documenting that the employees and chemicals chosen for monitoring are based on the criteria stated above.
NOTE TO (h): It is not required to monitor employees engaged in site characterization operations covered by subsection (c) of this section.
(i) Informational Programs: Employers shall develop and implement a program, which is part of the employer's safety and health program required in subsection (b) of this section, to inform employees, contractors, and subcontractors (or their representatives) actually engaged in hazardous waste operations of the nature, level, and degree of exposure likely as a result of participation in such hazardous waste operations. Employees, contractors, and subcontractors working outside of the operations part of a site are not covered by this regulation.
(j) Handling Drums and Containers.
(1) General.
(A) Hazardous substances and contaminated soils, liquids, and other residues shall be handled, transported, labeled, and disposed of in accordance with this subsection.
(B) Drums and containers used during the clean-up shall meet the appropriate U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), OSHA, and EPA regulations for the wastes that they contain.
(C) When practical, drums and containers shall be inspected and their integrity shall be assured prior to being moved. Drums or containers that cannot be inspected before being moved because of storage conditions (i.e., buried beneath the earth, stacked behind other drums, stacked several tiers high in a pile, etc.) shall be moved to an accessible location and inspected prior to further handling.
(D) Unlabeled drums and containers shall be considered to contain hazardous substances and handled accordingly until the contents are positively identified and labeled.
(E) Site operations shall be organized to minimize the amount of drum or container movement.
(F) Prior to movement of drums or containers, all employees exposed to the transfer operation shall be warned of the potential hazards associated with the contents of the drums or containers.
(G) U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) specified salvage drums or containers and suitable quantities of proper absorbent shall be kept available and used in areas where spills, leaks, or ruptures may occur.
(H) Where major spills may occur, a spill containment program which is part of the employer's safety and health program required in subsection (b) of this section shall be implemented to contain and isolate the entire volume of the hazardous substance being transferred.
(I) Drums and containers that cannot be moved without rupture, leakage, or spillage shall be emptied into a sound container using a device classified for the material being transferred.
(J) A ground-penetrating system or other type of detection system or device shall be used to estimate the location and depth of buried drums or containers.
(K) Soil or covering material shall be removed with caution to prevent drum or container rupture.
(L) Fire extinguishing equipment meeting the requirements of 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch.7, Group 27 of the General Industry Safety Orders shall be on hand and ready for use to control incipient fires.

(2) Opening drums and containers: The following procedures shall be followed in areas where drums or containers are being opened:
(A) Where an airline respirator system is used, connections to the bank of air cylinders shall be protected from contamination and the entire system shall be protected from physical damage.
(B) Employees not actually involved in opening drums or containers shall be kept a safe distance from the drums or containers being opened.
(C) If employees must work near or adjacent to drums or containers being opened, a suitable shield that does not interfere with the work operation shall be placed between the employee and the drums or containers being opened to protect the employee in case of accidental explosion.
(D) Controls for drum or container opening equipment, monitoring equipment, and fire suppression equipment shall be located behind the explosion-resistant barrier.
(E) When there is a reasonable possibility of flammable atmosphere being present, material handling equipment and hand tools shall be of the type to prevent sources of ignition.
(F) Drums and containers shall be opened in such a manner that excess interior pressure will be safely relieved. If pressure cannot be relieved from a remote location, appropriate shielding shall be placed between the employee and the drums or containers to reduce the risk of employee injury.
(G) Employees shall be instructed not to stand upon or work from drums or containers.
(3) Material handling equipment: Material handling equipment used to transfer drums and containers shall be selected, positioned and operated to minimize sources of ignition related to the equipment from igniting vapors released from ruptured drums or containers.
(4) Radioactive wastes: Drums and containers containing radioactive wastes shall not be handled until such time as their hazard to employees is properly assessed.
(5) Shock sensitive wastes: As a minimum, the following special precautions shall be taken when drums and containers containing or suspected of containing shock-sensitive wastes are handled:
(A) All non-essential employees shall be evacuated from the area of transfer.
(B) Material handling equipment shall be provided with explosive containment devices or protective shields to protect equipment operators from exploding containers.
(C) An employee alarm system capable of being perceived above surrounding light and noise conditions shall be used to signal the commencement and completion of explosive waste handling activities.
(D) Continuous communications (i.e., portable radios, hand signals, telephones, as appropriate) shall be maintained between the employee-in-charge of the immediate handling area and both the site safety and health supervisor and the command post until such time as the handling operation is completed. Communication equipment or methods that could cause shock sensitive materials to explode shall not be used.
(E) Drums and containers under pressure, as evidenced by bulging or swelling, shall not be moved until such time as the cause for excess pressure is determined and appropriate containment procedures have been implemented to protect employees from explosive relief of the drum.
(F) Drums and containers containing packaged laboratory wastes shall be considered to contain shock-sensitive or explosive materials until they have been characterized.
CAUTION: Shipping of shock sensitive wastes may be prohibited under U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Employers and shippers should refer to 49 CFR 173.21 and 173.50.
(6) Laboratory waste packs: In addition to the requirements of subsection (j)(5), the following precautions shall be taken, as a minimum, in handling laboratory waste packs (lab packs).
(A) Lab packs shall be opened only when necessary and then only by an individual knowledgeable in the inspection, classification, and segregation of the containers within the pack according to the hazards of the wastes.
(B) If crystalline material is noted on any container, the contents shall be handled as a shock-sensitive waste until the contents are identified.
(7) Sampling of drum and container contents: Sampling of containers and drums shall be done in accordance with a sampling procedure which is part of the site safety and health plan developed for and available to employees and others at the specific worksite.
(8) Shipping and transport.
(A) Drums and containers shall be identified and classified prior to packaging for shipment.
(B) Drum or container staging areas shall be kept to the minimum number necessary to safely identify and classify materials and prepare them for transport.
(C) Staging areas shall be provided with adequate access and egress routes.
(D) Bulking of hazardous wastes shall be permitted only after a thorough characterization of the materials has been completed.

(9) Tank and vault procedures.
(A) Tanks and vaults containing hazardous substances shall be handled in a manner similar to that for drums and containers, taking into consideration the size of the tank or vault.
(B) Appropriate tank or vault entry procedures as described in the employer's safety and health plan and meeting the requirements of 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Article 108 of the General Industry Safety Orders shall be followed whenever employees must enter a tank or vault.
(k) Decontamination.
(1) General: Procedures for all phases of decontamination shall be developed and implemented in accordance with this subsection.
(2) Decontamination procedures.
(A) A decontamination procedure shall be developed, communicated to employees, and implemented before any employees or equipment may enter areas on site where potential for exposure to hazardous substances exists.

(B) Standard operating procedures shall be developed to minimize employee contact with hazardous substances or with equipment that has contacted hazardous substances.
(C) All employees leaving a contaminated area shall be appropriately decontaminated; all contaminated clothing and equipment leaving a contaminated area shall be appropriately disposed of or decontaminated.
(D) Decontamination procedures shall be monitored by the site safety and health supervisor to determine their effectiveness. When such procedures are found to be ineffective, appropriate steps shall be taken to correct any deficiencies.
(3) Location: Decontamination shall be performed in geographical areas that will minimize the exposure of uncontaminated employees or equipment to contaminated employees or equipment.
(4) Equipment and solvents: All equipment and solvents used for decontamination shall be decontaminated or disposed of properly.
(5) Personal protective clothing and equipment.

(A) Protective clothing and equipment shall be decontaminated, cleaned, laundered, maintained, or replaced as needed to maintain its effectiveness.
(B) Employees whose non-impermeable clothing becomes wetted with hazardous substances shall immediately remove that clothing and proceed to shower. The clothing shall be disposed of or decontaminated before it is removed from the work zone.
(6) Unauthorized employees: Unauthorized employees shall be instructed not to remove protective clothing or equipment from change rooms.
(7) Commercial laundries or cleaning establishments: Commercial laundries or cleaning establishments that decontaminate protective clothing or equipment shall be informed of the potentially harmful effects of exposures to hazardous substances.
(8) Showers and change rooms: Where the decontamination procedure indicates a need for regular showers and change rooms outside of a contaminated area, they shall be provided and meet the requirements of 8 CCR, Ch. 4, Subch. 7, Article 9 of the General Industry Safety Orders. If temperature conditions prevent the effective use of water, then other effective means for cleansing shall be provided and used.
(l) Emergency Response by Employees at Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites.
(1) Emergency response plan.
(A) An emergency response plan shall be developed and implemented by all employers within the scope of subsections (a)(1)(A)-(B) of this section to handle anticipated emergencies prior to thecommencement of hazardous waste operations. The plan shall be in writing and available for inspection and copying by employees, their representatives, Division personnel, and other governmental agencies with relevant responsibilities. (continued)