Fact Sheets and Information Papers

Planning for Spills During a Field Training Exercise

June 1998


1. BACKGROUND. Unexpected situations are a common and natural experience in the field environment. The potential for a hazardous materials spill is everywhere. When developing your field training exercise, plan for spills. As a minimum, the following fielding training exercise SOPs need to include information on how to prevent and respond to a spill: transportation of POL/hazardous materials; river crossing operations; temporary refueling points; and other field maintenance operations. Preparing an effective SOP and placing spill prevention equipment will prevent a bad situation from becoming worse.

2. BEFORE MOBILIZATION. Include the following information in your field operation SOP: 

a. Describe the type of operation and the potential for a spill.

b. Describe how to conduct your operation to minimize spills. Some ways to minimize spills include operating refueling operations away from streams, rivers, or lakes and setting up containment/bermed areas. Equipment to minimize spills include POL drip plans*, inert absorbent materials (like sand, dry sweep, or vermiculite) and sandbags. Include how and where to place spill prevention and control equipment and materials. Ensure that the equipment and materials are included as part of the vehicles basic load.

c. Emergency Communication. Describe reporting procedures. Include the following information in your procedures.

(1) Emergency Radio frequency and call sign

(2) Military & Civilian Emergency contact and phone number

(3) Information to give to emergency contact:

Type of substance spilled

Quantity of substance spilled

Unit/Location

Proximity to surface water source (lake, river, stream)

How did you respond (How was spill controlled?)

Personnel injured/exposed

d. Specify who will oversee spill response. Describe step by step procedures to control the spill. Include what to do with the clean up material (drum it and arrange for disposal). 

3. COORDINATION. Coordinate with installation and training center environmental offices and host nation liaisons for their training and maneuver area requirements. They should approve the portion of your field training exercise SOP which covers spills. Include environmental requirements in operations orders.

4. IN THE FIELD. When out in the field, but before conducting the exercise, the unit logistics section should distribute spill prevention and control equipment and materials. Pre-operational checks should confirm that equipment and materials are placed at potential spill sites in accordance with the SOP. Should a spill occur follow emergency procedures. Record the spill/accident events (follow same format described above) and give to the operations officer or commander.

The Point of Contact for this fact sheet is Mr. Rob Booze. He may be contacted at DSN 584-3651 or commercial (410) 436-3651.