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Policy 406Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/01/09, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police DepartmentHazardous Material Response - 1Hazardous Material Response 406.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE Hazardous materials present a potential harm to employees resulting from their exposure. To comply with Title 8, California Code of Regulations § 5194, the following is to be the policy of this Department. 406.1.1 HAZARDOUS MATERIAL DEFINED A hazardous material is a substance which by its nature, containment and reactivity, has the capability of inflicting harm during exposure; characterized as being toxic, corrosive, flammable, reactive, an irritant or strong sensitizer and thereby posing a threat to health when improperly managed. Per SMMC § 5.24.020(q), the City of Santa Monica defines hazardous material as any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. This includes, but is not limited to, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, and any material which a handler or the Department has a reasonable basis for believing that it would be injurious to the health and safety of persons or harmful to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. 406.2 HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RESPONSE Employees may encounter situations involving suspected hazardous materials, such as at the scene of a traffic accident, chemical spill or fire. When employees come into contact with a suspected hazardous material, certain steps should be taken to protect themselves and citizens. The following steps should be considered at any scene involving suspected hazardous materials: (a)Attempt to identify the type of hazardous substance. (Identification can be determined by placard, driver's manifest or statements from the person transporting). (b)Notify the fire department. (c)Provide first-aid for injured parties if it can be done safely and without contamination. (d)Begin evacuation of the immediate area and surrounding areas, depending on the substance. Voluntary evacuation should be considered; however, depending on the substance, mandatory evacuation may be necessary. (e)Notify the local health authority. Such notification is mandatory when a spilled or released item is a pesticide (Health and Safety Code § 105215). (f)Notify the Department of Toxic Substances Control. This is mandatory when a sworn officer comes in contact with, or is aware of, the presence of a suspected hazardous Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Hazardous Material Response Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/01/09, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police DepartmentHazardous Material Response - 2substance at a site where an illegal controlled substance is or was manufactured (Health and Safety § 79355). 406.2.1 PAINT, CEMENT, AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL SPILLS Calls regarding spills of paint, cement and other construction materials shall be referred to the City's Code Enforcement Inspector. If there is no response within one-half hour, police personnel shall respond to the scene and proceed as follows: (a)Advise the responsible person(s) that clean-up is their responsibility. They may complete the clean-up themselves or contract with a hazardous materials contractor. (b)Advise the responsible person(s) that if they fail to complete the clean-up, the City will commence clean-up procedures and subsequently hold them responsible for all costs incurred. (c)Complete the appropriate report. A violation of law shall be recorded on a Crime Report and an accidental spill on an "Information Received" report. This will initiate criminal prosecution and/or cost recovery measures. The report should include: 1.A summary of the incident including how long clean-up efforts took and the type of equipment used for clean-up 2.Police units on scene 3.SMFD engine number(s) on scene 4.Other City Staff who was involved See Administrative Instruction IV-6-3 (Hazardous Waste Cost Recovery) for additional information. 406.3 REPORTING EXPOSURE(S) Department personnel who believe that they have been exposed to a hazardous material shall immediately report the exposure to a supervisor. Each exposure shall be documented by the employee in an Injury Report (SMPD Form #3.15.1) that shall be forwarded via chain of command to the Commanding Officer. Should the affected employee be unable to document the exposure for any reason, it shall be the responsibility of the notified supervisor to complete the documentation. Injury or illness caused or believed to be caused from exposure to hazardous materials shall be reported the same as any other on-duty injury or illness in addition to a crime report or incident report. Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Hazardous Material Response Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/01/09, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police DepartmentHazardous Material Response - 3406.3.1 SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY When a supervisor has been informed that an employee has been exposed to a hazardous material, the supervisor shall ensure that immediate medical treatment is obtained and appropriate action is taken to lessen the exposure. To ensure the safety of employees, safety equipment is available through supervisory personnel. Safety items not maintained by the Department will be obtained through the fire department.