Response
/ In-Situ
Burning / Questions About
Safety Issues
Questions About Safety Issues
Here are answers to some questions
that people have asked about safety issues.
Q. What are the
safety concerns related to in-situ burning (ISB)?
A. Burning presents some unique
safety concerns for workers and response personnel. These are some of the
concerns:
- Fire Hazard:
ISB is a process that involves setting fires. Extreme care must be taken
so that the fires are controlled at all times, and will not harm personnel
or equipment.
- Ignition Hazard:
Planners must carefully consider the ignition of the oil slick. Aerial operations
to ignite oil with gel or other ignition methods must be well-coordinated.
Weather and water conditions should be kept in mind, and proper safety distances
should be observed at all times. Communication with all personnel is essential.
- Vessel Safety:
ISB at sea involves several vessels working in relatively close proximity
to each other or in poor-visibility conditions. Such conditions are hazardous
by nature, and require practice, competence, and coordination.
- Other Hazards:
Personnel involved in ISB may be exposed to extreme heat from the compounded
effects of hot weather and fire, or extreme cold, in places like Alaska.
Working under time constraints may impair judgment or increase the tendency
to attempt costly shortcuts. Thorough training and strict safety guidelines
must be part of any ISB operation.
Q. How do you control
an ISB and avoid spreading of the fire?
A. The fire is usually
contained in a fire-resistant boom. Oil can be burned in an area physically
remote from other sources of oil, or a boom can be used to isolate oil for burning.
The goal of ISB is to avoid accidentally igniting oil outside the boomed area.
If there is a potential of igniting oil outside the boomed area, burning will
not be conducted.
Q. Is burning the
oil safer than other cleanup methods?
A. All cleanup methods
pose safety concerns for the responders. Response personnel involved in ISB
are trained and outfitted to conduct this procedure in a safe manner. In addition,
safety and human health specialists monitor their operations for safety.
Revised: December
29, 2000
Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration