Major emergencies are a far greater risk for pesticide stores than they are elsewhere.
The primary objective in the design and
management of pesticide stores is to reduce the risk of fire.
Prevention is better than cure!
Pesticides, especially those formulated as liquids,
present major fire hazards because the solvents used in formulations
(oils and petroleum distillates) have low flashpoints and may be
readily vaporized at normal temperatures. In poorly ventilated stores
heavy vapours may accumulate near the floor if drums are left open or
if leaks and spills are not cleared up. An electrical spark, naked
flame or even the sun's rays concentrated by a glass container may
cause an explosion followed by the spread of fire.
Some wettable powders are suspected of starting
fires through spontaneous combustion, while sodium chlorate (used as
a herbicide, defoliant, desiccant and soil sterilant) is a powerful
oxidizing agent that easily catches fire and should only be supplied
with a fire suppressant in the formulation (once sodium chlorate
containers have been opened their entire contents should be used
immediately).
The outside of pesticide stores should bear
prominently displayed warning notices stating "Danger pesticides:
authorized persons only" and "No smoking: no naked flame" as well as
symbols. These rules should be strictly followed.
Fire extinguishers (powder or carbon dioxide, not
water) should be available in the store and should be regularly
checked. Static or running water (required, together with soap, for
decontamination purposes anyway) should also be available and buckets
of sand or earth (also required for absorbing any liquid pesticide
spills or leaks) are useful for putting out small fires (Figure 28).
FIGURE 28 - Extinguishing a small fire in a pesticide
store using shovefuls of sand or earth from a container
The local fire brigade should be informed of the
store's existence and the hazards involved. It is very useful to
place a notice on the outside of the store giving names and addresses
of those responsible for the store (including key holders) who can be
contacted in an emergency.
In the event of a fire it is essential to try to
contain the pesticides that leak from burning and exploding
containers in the store. Hence the need for bunding of some kind to
be provided when the store is built; bunds also prevent the water
used to fight the fire, which inevitably becomes contaminated with
pesticides, from contaminating the neighbourhood and thus the
environment generally.
Contamination of the environment from combustion
products such as smoke and fumes cannot be prevented. A light roof
designed to collapse easily in a fire will at least permit the fumes
to be carried upwards away from the fire-fighters (Figure 29).
FIGURE 29 - Pesticide store in flames - the light roof has collapsed thus preventing an explosion
Fires in pesticide stores that contain
organophosphorus compounds and carbamates can be extremely dangerous
to fire-fighters, who should never go downwind of the fire and should
always wear breathing apparatus.
Solid water streams from fire-fighting hoses should
be avoided since they can disperse the pesticide, especially powder
formulations, over a wide area. Care should also be taken to avoid
dragging fire hoses through contaminated water.
Protective clothing and equipment used by fire-fighters should be
thoroughly decontaminated after the fire.
Flooding during seasonal rains is a common event
in tropical countries. Flooded pesticide stores are subject to
special hazards.
Cardboard or paper containers in which many
pesticides are packed lose strength and may leak or burst open when
wet. Other containers, especially partially empty drums of liquid,
may be swept away with a flood. Environmental
contamination over a wide area may result from either of these
events; water supplies may become polluted and pesticide containers
may present a hazard to people who find them.
Dangers from fire, flooding and destruction during civil disturbances emphasize the value of keeping records of stocks in a place where they will be safe in an emergency. Records of the quantities and types of pesticide involved prove invaluable in subsequent efforts to clean up, trace missing containers and assess the environmental risk and financial loss caused by the emergency.