Policy Text
San Francisco Police Department 8.07
GENERAL ORDER Rev. 03/01/17
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENTS
This order establishes policies and procedures for officers and supervisors to follow when a
hazardous material incident poses a safety threat to citizens. The order explains the levels of
responsibility, including those of police and fire department personnel.
I. DEFINITIONS
A. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. Any substance, in any amount, that when released outside of
its normal containment poses a threat to human health and safety or the environment or any
substance designated as hazardous under state and/or federal regulations or city ordinances.
B. HAZARDOUS WASTE. Hazardous waste is any waste that because of its quantity,
concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, poses a present or potential
hazard to human health and safety, or a potential hazard to the environment, e.g., used motor
oil, acids that have passed their expiration date, etc.
C. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT. A hazardous material incident is a condition
caused by the release of any hazardous material or hazardous waste that poses a threat to the
health and safety of the public or the environment.
II. POLICY
A. RESPONSIBILITIES
HANDLING. It is the policy of the City and County of San Francisco that the primary
authority and responsibility for all non-criminal hazardous material incidents within the city
rests with the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD). The San Francisco Police Department
(SFPD) will supply technical and resource support and joint Incident Command, pursuant to
the Incident Command System (ICS). The Office of Emergency Services (OES) will assist in
major incidents. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will manage hazardous material
incidents on state freeways that lie within the City and County of San Francisco. The
following guidelines specify the responsibility for handling specific types of hazardous
material:
a. The SFFD is responsible for the handling of all incidents involving hazardous materials
with no criminal intent at all locations under the jurisdiction of the City and County of San
Francisco. If the incident is a result of a criminal act or attempted criminal act, the SFPD
Special Investigations Division (SID), with the assistance of certified bomb technicians of
the SFPD Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, shall have the primary responsibility
for the investigation.
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b. Investigation of suspected terrorist and/or weapons of mass destruction incidents shall rest
with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the SFPD SID and certified
bomb technicians of the SFPD EOD Unit.
c. Pursuant to 2454(b) CVC, SFPD and SFFD share responsibilities for hazardous material
releases that result from incidents on local streets or roads.
d. Incidents involving the disposal of crystallized picric acid, crystallized ether, or other
unstable and potentially explosive agents shall be handled by certified bomb technicians
of the SFPD EOD Unit.
Ill. PROCEDURES
A. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT. When confronted with a potential or actual
hazardous material incident, members shall follow these procedures:
1. SAFETY. When possible, members should approach a hazardous material incident upwind
and/or upgrade. When possible, members should avoid positioning themselves in a place
where they cannot conduct a safe assessment of the scene. When possible, members should
avoid making contact with the suspect material. All substances should be presumed
dangerous until the SFFD Hazardous Materials Unit (HazMat), SFPD EOD Unit certified
bomb technicians or the Department of Public Health (DPH) has analyzed the substance and
identified it is harmless.
2. ISOLATE AND DENY ENTRY. Members shall establish a sufficient perimeter, taking into
consideration all known atmospheric conditions and possible changes in wind direction.
Members shall treat the incident as a Critical Incident and deny entry of all non-essential
personnel into the perimeter. Members shall follow the guidelines listed in the Department
of Transportation (DOT) Emergency Response Guidebook and/or the recommendations of
the SFFD HazMat Unit, SFPD EOD Unit or the DPH.
NOTIFICATION. Upon arrival to a hazardous material incident, members shall notify
Dispatch and request to have the SFFD HazMat Unit respond to the scene. Members shall
identify a safe avenue of approach to the incident and have Dispatch broadcast this
information to all responding units. Members shall also notify a district supervisor and
request that he/she respond to the scene. The district supervisor shall contact the Officer-In-
Charge (OIC) of the district and SFPD Department Operations Center (DOC) as soon as
practical. The DOC is responsible for notifying the SFPD EOD Unit of the incident.
4. IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE HAZARD. Members should attempt to visually identify
hazardous material (inspection of shipping papers, Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS),
posted National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) placards, etc.) without exposing themselves
to the hazard.
5. RESCUE. Rescue of persons from a contaminated area shall not be attempted unless the
member has the appropriate Department-issued personal protective equipment (PPE),
including respiratory protection. Per CAL/OSHA requirement 5144, members must have
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undergone Department approved training in the use of that equipment prior to its use,
including Fit Testing.
6. INCIDENT REPORT. The first SFPD member on the scene of a hazardous material incident
involving a criminal or attempted