Industries that use hazardous materials need to prepare for an emergency similarly to all other industries. However, in addition to those preparations, several stringent steps are included in light of the risk that the hazardous materials might scatter and spread.
In the event that there is a risk of enemy attack or an impending natural disaster, every industry that keeps various hazardous materials must refresh its preparations to handle an event in its area.
The necessary preparation steps are:
1. Make sure that there is an updated industry file of emergency procedures that includes all steps delineated below:
* the purpose of the procedure
* preventive measures
* areas of responsibility and authority when the procedure goes into effect
* method and stages of handling the event
* defining teams for specific tasks
* necessary means
* eventualities and reactions
* command and control of the event
* miscellaneous and appendices (labeling, industry data, maps)
2. Make sure that there are organized and updated procedures based on Home Front Command directions as to how to deal with hazardous materials, such as a procedure for reducing hazmat stocks, an evacuation procedure, etc., according to the requirements of the Home Front Command’s Hazmat Center.
Refreshing and drilling the procedures for all workers must take place every six months.
3. Make sure that the equipment to deal with a hazmat event (such as system equipment, personal protective equipment, and protective breathing apparatus for emergency teams) is available and in working order.
4. Make sure that emergency/firefighting teams are continuously staffed, including someone responsible fore turning off the electrical supply.
5. The firefighting/dilution/gas/vapor teams should undergo refreshers regarding what to do in the event of a fire or a leak, and how to use their personal protective equipment.
6. The industry first aid teams should undergo refreshers. It is recommended to see to it that teams are reinforced by other industry workers trained in basic first aid directions.
7. Make sure that means of communication with local emergency personnel in the area are up to date (an updated phone list including in particular the Israel Police, the Ministry of the Environment, the local council or municipality, rescue personnel, the Home Front Command, and other industries in the same general locale).
8. Make sure that there are sufficient amounts of absorbent materials, and that these are in an accessible location, in the event that a rocket falls near the storage area of flammable liquids.
9. Make sure that firefighting equipment is available and in working order; this includes hoses, nozzles, water mains.
10. Make sure that there are sufficient detectors in the plant, and that they are in working order.
11. Make sure that all essential signs are up to date.
12. Make sure that electrical back-up systems are in working order.
These actions must be repeated at least once every six months, in addition to comprehensively drilling the entire emergency procedure.
When preparing for a specific emergency (when the alert level is raised, when a specific warning is issued, or when there is a risk that an emergency elsewhere is spreading your way), the industry must:
1. Repeat the twelve preparation steps as outlined above while matching them to the specific emergency and immediately covering shortcomings or deficiencies, if such exist.
2. Contact local emergency personnel to coordinate responses in an actual emergency.
3. Make sure that the relevant Home Front Command directive is available (if such a directive has been issued).
4. First response is to be handled by the factory teams and personnel themse