San Francisco Police Department 8.07 GENERAL ORDER Rev. 12/19/16 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.is dangerous to all living thingshuman beings, property, or the environment. B. HAZARDOUS WASTE. Hazardous waste is any waste that holds no monetary value that because of and 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 requires the unified and coordinated response of multiple agencies to assess a situation in which the health and safety of the public or the environmentis jeopardized to any degree. II. POLICY A. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. 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 ccity 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)Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS). The Office of Emergency Services (OES) will assist in major incidents. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will manage hazardous material incidents on Sstate 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 intentexplosive chemicals 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.
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 Special Investigation Divisionand 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 (Explosive Ordinance Detail). III. PROCEDURES A. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT. When confronted with a potential or actual hazardous material incident, members shall follow these procedures: 1. SAFETY. When possible, Always members should approach a hazardous material incident upwind and/or, upgrade., etc. When possible, mmembers should avoid positioning themselves in a place where theydo NOT get so close that you cannot conduct a safe assessment of the scene. When possible, mmembers should avoid making Use binoculars if available. DO NOT makecontact with the suspect material(s). All substances should be presumedassume any substance is dangerous until the SFFD Hazardous Materials Unit (HazMat),HazMat unit, technical specialist teamsfpd EOD Unit certified bomb technicians or the Department of Public Health (DPH) Bureau of Toxics has analyzed the substance and proved identified it is harmless. 2. ISOLATE AND DENY ENTRY. Members shall Eestablish 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) Use crime scene tape, cones or barricades. DO NOT use flares at any time when suspected hazardous materials are present. (This includes use of flares at traffic collision scenes when such use is unsafe.) Back vehicles into the scene to aid in rapid egress from an area in the event of a sudden wind shift. Follow the guidelines in the Orange Pages of the D.O.T. Emergency Response Guidebook, Public Safety Sections, Isolate spill or leak. and/or the recommendations of the SFFD HazMat Unit, SFPD EOD Unit or the DPH. 3. NOTIFICATION. Upon arrival to a hazardous material incident, members shall notify the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Dispatch and request to have the San Francisco Fire Department SFFD HazMat Unit respond to the scene. Members shall then 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. 2
Operations Center will contact the Police Department s Environmental Crime Unit. The first responder should check with the SFFD to ascertain if the Bureau of Toxics should respond on the matter. Request that the Department of Public Works (DPW) to respond to any case involving oil spills or liquids that require damminggive your exact location, the wind direction, and/or safe direction for approaching the incident site. Also notify your field supervisor and request that he/she respond. In the event of a suspected chemical release, whether accidental or criminal, or traffic collision notify the Operations Center to have the on-call Environmental Crimes Inspector contact you ASAP. In the event of a suspected release of a weapon of mass destruction (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear agent) notify the Operations Center to activate the City s Metropolitan Medical Response System (M.M.R.S.), and the Homeland Security Unit. 4. IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE HAZARD. Members should attempt to visually identify that hazardous material (inspection of shipping papers, material safety data sheet (MSDS), posed NFPD placards, etc.) without exposing themselves to the hazard. observe any hazard clues. Clues may include shipping papers, placards, or NFPA diamonds on the outside of a building or vehicle. Members should immediately advise DEM of any odd colored smoke or flame, runoff, or localized multiple victims. This information shall be relayed at once to those responding to the scene. The Incident Commander, or their designee, is responsible for ensuring that this information is relayed. 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 CALOSHA requirement 5144, members must have undergone Department approved Further, he/she must have previous training in the use of that equipment prior to its use, including Fit Testing. 6. DOCUMENTATIONINCIDENT REPORT. The first SFPD member on the scene of a hazardous material incident involving a criminal or attempted criminal act is responsible for writing the incident report, unless relieved of this duty by a supervisor. If the criminal or attempted criminal act causes injury, the incident report shall be assigned to SID for investigation and a copy shall be sent to the SFPD EOD Unit. If the criminal or attempted criminal act causes death to a human being, the incident report shall be assigned to Homicide for investigation and a copy shall be sent to the SFPD EOD Unit and SID. Whenever possible, a member(s) certified as a Hazardous Materials First Responder OPERATIONAL shall be summoned through Operations Center to the scene. This member(s) shall be responsible for generating the appropriate report (Collision, Incident, or Crime Report). If no Hazardous Materials First Responder OPERATIONAL member is available, the first member on scene shall be responsible for generating the appropriate report. The report(s) shall include the names of ALL responding personnel, the CAD printout, Crime Scene Log, and all suspect information. The Environmental Crimes Unit will investigate criminal violations, whether daytime or nighttime. 7.6. Members certified as Hazardous Materials Incident Commanders shall be notified by the first member on scene, through the Operations Center, to respond to the scene to help coordinate, manage and direct SFPD operations. 3
B. SUPERVISOR'S OFFICER-IN-CHARGE RESPONSIBILITIES. When notified of a hazardous material incident, the Field Supervisor OIC of the district shall respond to the scene and follow these procedures: 1. PERIMETER. Upon arrival at the scene, the OIC shall establish a perimeter, taking into consideration all known atmospheric conditions and possible changes in wind direction. The OIC shall treat the incident as a Critical Incident and deny entry of all non-essential personnel into the perimeter. The OIC shall follow the guidelines listed in the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook and/or the recommendations of the SFFD HazMat Unit, SFPD EOD Unit or the DPH. Inner perimeter zones shall be established by the SFFD HazMat Team members, the Health Department s Industrial Hygienists, or the SFPD s CPC Specialists as appropriate (See type of incident, as indicated in section II-A). SFPD members who lack personal protective equipment and respiratory protection shall remain on the outer perimeter line and remain there until informed the area has been rendered safe. 2. COMMAND POST. Upon arrival at the scene, the OIC shall Eestablish a command post at a safe distance outside the perimeter. The command postperimeter should be, upwind and/or uphill from the incident and should be situated after considering the possibility of changing atmospheric conditions (wind direction, temperature, etc.). out of the path of possible changing conditions. The OIC shall report the location of the command post to Dispatch and specify a safe avenue of approach (refer to DGO 8.01, Critical Incident Evaluation and Notification). Report the location to DEM and specify a safe approach route (see DGO 8.01, Critical Incident Evaluation and Notification). Establish immediate and continuous communication between the SFPD and the Fire Department. If possible, establish the command post jointly with the Fire Department to facilitate communications and coordination. Supply the SFFD Incident Commander with the name and rank of the Officer-in-Charge of the SFPD Command Post. 3. EVACUATION/SHELTER IN PLACE NOTIFICATIONS. The OIC, in consultation with the on-scene SFPD HazMat Unit and the SFPD EOD Unit, shall facilitate all mandatory evacuations and/or shelter in place notifications. Security for evacuated areas may be provided by available personnel. In cases of spontaneous and/or serious explosive threats (natural gas leaks, liquefied petroleum gasses etc.), spontaneous evacuations can be conducted. 4. MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS. If a HAZMAT incident occurs as a result of a motor vehicle collision (e.g., a semi truck/tractor transporting hazardous materials), the first member on the scene shall notify DEM and request a HAZMAT trained officer certified in commercial vehicle enforcement. Also see DGO 9.02, Vehicle Accidents. C. UNLAWFUL DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTES 1. NOTIFICATION. Members who encounter incidents involving illegal hazardous waste (e.g., unlawful disposal of motor oil or hazardous waste in a garbage dumpster or down a sewer, etc.) disposal shall request notify Dispatch to contact the SFFD HazMat Unit. the Bureau of Toxics, Health and Safety Services or the Operations Center. Whenever possible and/or applicable, members certified as Hazardous Materials First Responders OPERATIONAL, 4
shall be notified to respond to the scene to commence initial size-up and mitigation actions in a safe, defensive manner. 2. INVESTIGATION/INCIDENT REPORT. Prepare The first SFPD member on the scene of an illegal hazardous waste disposal is responsible for writing the incident report unless relieved of this duty by a supervisor. If the hazardous waste disposal incident causes injury, the incident report shall be assigned to SID for investigation and a copy shall be sent to the SFPD EOD Unit. If the hazardous waste disposal incident caused death to a human being, the incident report shall be assigned to Homicide for investigation and a copy shall be sent to the SFPD EOD Unit and SID.If the hazardous waste disposal incident caused injury or death to a human being, thethe incident report shall be assigned to the Special Investigations Division (SID)SID for the follow-up investigation All other incidents shall be assigned to the districts Station Investigation Teams (SIT) for any follow-up investigation. Forward one copy of the report 3. to the District Attorney's Office, Environmental Crimes Unit, and another to the DPH 4.2. Liaison officer. Include any information that would enable cost recovery (i.e., shipping papers or shipping reports). D. CHEMICAL DISPOSAL. If a citizen requests information regarding chemical disposal in a non emergency situation, members shall inform tell the citizen to contact a commercial handler listed in the telephone directory or contact the Department of Public Health sdph s Department of Health Hazardous Material Program. E. CONTAMINATION/DECONTAMINATION. If a member has been contaminated or suspects he/she may have been contaminated, the member shall immediately contact the SFFD HazMat Unit to request decontamination. The member shall immediately report to San Francisco General Hospital, if deemed necessary by the SFFD HazMat Unit or any other emergency medical services personnel at the scene. All suspected contaminations resulting from a criminal act or attempted criminal act shall be reported to SID for investigation and direction on evidence related issues. The contaminated member s supervisor shall contact the SFPD EOD Unit and provide the circumstances involved in the (suspected) contamination. The supervisor shall ensure that a description of decontamination efforts of the member are the member-related incident of decontamination be documented in an incident report. The supervisor shall complete all required work-related illness/injury forms for the member. The member shall submit a memorandum to his/her commanding officer indicating the specifics of the (suspected) contamination as soon as practical. References Event Management Manual, SFPD D.O.T. Emergency Response Guidebook. Chris Manual, DOT Coast Guard CG-446-1 5
Area Plan for Emergency Response to Hazardous Materials Incidents, March 1993, State of California, OES HazMat Basic Response Strategy, First Responder Operational/Awareness Manuals. 29 CFR 1910.120 (q)(iii)(b) San Francisco Department of Public Health, Bureau of Toxins, Health and Safety Services 6