1996-02-06_REVISION - M1977493 (14)

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• • Chapter 4-Site-Specific Industrial Storm Water BMPs I* I What to Consider When using drip pans, consider the location of the drip pan, weather conditions, the type of material to be used for the drip pan, and how it will be cleaned. The location of the drip pan is important. Because drip pans must be inspected and cleaned frequently, they must be easy to reach and remove. In addition, take special care to avoid placing drip pans in precarious positions such as next to walkways, on uneven pavement/ground, or sitting on pipelines. Drip pans in these locations are easily overturned and may present a safety hazard, as well as an environmental hazard. Weather conditions are also important factors. Heavy winds and rainfall move or damage drip pans because of their small size and their light weight (if not built-in). To prevent this, secure the pans by installing or anchoring them. Drip pans may be placed on platforms or behind wind blocks or tied down. For drip pans to be effective, employees must pay attention to the'pans and empty them when they are nearly full. Because of their small holding capacities, drip pans will easily overflow if not emptied. Also, recycling efforts can be affected if storm water accumulates in drip pans and dilutes the spilled material. It is important to have clearly specified and easily followed practices of reuse/recycle and/or disposal, especially the disposal of hazardous materials. Many facilities dump the drip pan contents into a nearby larger volume storage container and periodically recycle the contents of the storage container. In addition, frequent inspection of the drip pans is necessary due to the possibility of leaks in the pan itself or in piping or valves that may occur randomly or irregular slow drips that may increase in • volume. Conduct inspections before forecasted rainfall events to remove accumulated materials and immediately after storm events to empty storm water accumulations. Advantages of Drip Pans • Are inexpensive • Are easily installed and simple to operate • Allow for reuse/recycle of collected material • Empty or discarded containers may be reused as drip pans Disadvantages of Drip Pans • Contain small volumes only • Must be inspected and cleaned frequently • Must be secured during poor weather conditions • Contents may be disposed of improperly unless facility personnel are trained in proper disposal methods • 4-17