666 HAZWOPER for General Site Workers VII

Standing Orders: Safe Work Practices

A list of standing orders should be developed to maintain a strong safety awareness and enforce safe procedures at a site. Separate standing orders should be developed for the Contamination Reduction Zone and the Exclusion Zone if the hazards are sufficiently different. To ensure that everyone who enters the site is aware of these orders and that a high degree of familiarity with their content is maintained, the list should be:

• Distributed to everyone who enters the site. Posted conspicuously at the Command Post.
• Posted conspicuously at the entrance Access Control Points into the Contamination Reduction Zone and/or the Exclusion Zone.
• Reviewed by the Field Team Leader or Project Team Leader with the field crew at the beginning of each workday. In this way, personnel are immediately informed of any new standing orders resulting from a change in site conditions or work activities.

In addition to the standing orders, a hazardous substance information form that lists the names and properties of chemicals present on site should be prepared and posted conspicuously. Employees should be briefed on the chemical information at the beginning of the project or whenever they first join the work team. Daily safety meetings should be held for all employees.

Personnel entering the Contamination Reduction Zone should do the following:

• No smoking, eating, drinking, or application of cosmetics in this zone.
• No matches or lighters in this zone.
• Check in at the entrance Access Control Point before you enter this zone.
• Check out at the exit Access Control Point before you enter this zone.

Personnel entering the Exclusion Zone should do the following:

• No smoking, eating, drinking, or application of cosmetics in this zone.
• No matches or lighters in this zone.
• Check in at the entrance Access Control Point before you enter this zone.
• Check out at the exit Access Control Point before you exit this zone.
• Always have your buddy with you in this zone.
• Wear an SCBA in this zone.
• If you discover any signs of radioactivity, explosivity, or unusual conditions such as dead animals at the site, exit immediately and report this finding to your supervisor.

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