UNIT 3UNIT 3SAFETY SAFETY

PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

Briefings – pre-operational and post Briefings – pre-operational and post operationaloperational

CommunicationsCommunications Hazardous Material Safety Data Hazardous Material Safety Data

SheetsSheets Mixing hazards and PPE standardsMixing hazards and PPE standards Static Bonding proceduresStatic Bonding procedures Hazardous Material transportationHazardous Material transportation Spill proceduresSpill procedures

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

Job Hazard AnalysisJob Hazard Analysis Operational Safety, Go/No Operational Safety, Go/No

Go and Equipment Go and Equipment checklistschecklists

Fire ProtectionFire Protection Emergency contingency Emergency contingency

plansplans

OBJECTIVES (cont’)OBJECTIVES (cont’)

BriefingBriefing

Briefing PostingsBriefing Postings

Pre Operational Pre Operational BriefingsBriefings

Pilot pre-flight briefing, including load Pilot pre-flight briefing, including load calculation, fire shelter use, flight calculation, fire shelter use, flight hazards & mission objectiveshazards & mission objectives

Pre-operational briefing will include Pre-operational briefing will include the pilot, fuel truck drivers, Burn the pilot, fuel truck drivers, Burn Boss, Ignition Specialist, Boss, Ignition Specialist, Helitorch/Helibase, and fire protection Helitorch/Helibase, and fire protection personnel.personnel.

Should cover the burn plan objectives Should cover the burn plan objectives and sequence of eventsand sequence of events

Pre Operational Pre Operational Briefings (cont’)Briefings (cont’)

Reference pertinent items Reference pertinent items on the Aviation Safety Plan, on the Aviation Safety Plan, Helitorch Operations Helitorch Operations Checklist & Job Hazard Checklist & Job Hazard AnalysisAnalysis

Pre Operational Pre Operational Briefings (cont)Briefings (cont)

Helitorch Manager will brief/de-Helitorch Manager will brief/de-brief helitorch personnel on: brief helitorch personnel on: Hazards and safety requirementsHazards and safety requirements Emergency proceduresEmergency procedures Personnel assignmentsPersonnel assignments Inform pilot of helibase operation Inform pilot of helibase operation

procedures and alternate procedures and alternate emergency landing areasemergency landing areas

Orientation FlightOrientation Flight

In Flight BriefingIn Flight Briefing

Burn Boss/Ignition Specialist shall brief the Burn Boss/Ignition Specialist shall brief the pilot separately about:pilot separately about:

Unit orientationUnit orientation Terminology/commandsTerminology/commands Firing patternsFiring patterns Fire BehaviorFire Behavior Unit control lines/boundariesUnit control lines/boundaries Equipment and personnel locationsEquipment and personnel locations Hang-fire flight proceduresHang-fire flight procedures Alternate landing areas Alternate landing areas (Helicopter (Helicopter

Manager must approve all landing areas)Manager must approve all landing areas)

Operational De-BriefingOperational De-Briefing

All personnel need attendAll personnel need attend Discuss successes, and failuresDiscuss successes, and failures Determine necessary corrective Determine necessary corrective

actionsactions Complete documentationComplete documentation

Unit LogUnit Log SafecomSafecom Commo LogCommo Log Etc!!!Etc!!!

Communications PlanCommunications Plan

Discreet tactical frequency between Discreet tactical frequency between Pilot, Parking Tender, and Pilot, Parking Tender, and Burn/Ignition SpecialistBurn/Ignition Specialist

All aircraft and ground personnel must All aircraft and ground personnel must have assigned tactical frequency for have assigned tactical frequency for operations use onlyoperations use only

Air-to-Air frequency with other aircraftAir-to-Air frequency with other aircraft Flight following communicationsFlight following communications Helibase must maintain a commo link Helibase must maintain a commo link

to activate emergency servicesto activate emergency services

CommunicatiCommunicationon

HELITORCH PRESCRIBED FIRE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Burn Boss

Other Aircraft

Dispatch

Ground Personnel

Pilot Helitorch

Base

Legend Command Flight Following Air to Ground Air to Air Tactical Discrete

HELITORCH WILDFIRE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Ignition Specialist

Pilot Helitorch

Base

Main Helibase

Air Attack

Other Aircraft

Operations

Division

Legend Command Flight Following Air to Ground Air to Air Tactical Discrete

Communications PlanCommunications Plan

Parking Tender: headset or Parking Tender: headset or SPH-4 or 5 helmet w/ remote SPH-4 or 5 helmet w/ remote transmit button to talk with transmit button to talk with pilot prior to take-off, landings pilot prior to take-off, landings , and while on the pad, and while on the pad

Qualified radio operator should Qualified radio operator should be used on complex aerial be used on complex aerial ignition operations.ignition operations.

Hazardous Material Hazardous Material Safety Data SheetsSafety Data Sheets

ALL EMPLOYEES SHALL receive info ALL EMPLOYEES SHALL receive info regarding hazardous materials to regarding hazardous materials to which they may be exposed towhich they may be exposed to

MSDS - designed to help us MSDS - designed to help us understand how to work safely with understand how to work safely with hazardous materialhazardous material

MSDS explains proper ways to use, MSDS explains proper ways to use, handle, and store chemicals, health handle, and store chemicals, health hazards, precautionary measures to hazards, precautionary measures to follow, and emergency,procedures for follow, and emergency,procedures for spills, fire, and first aidspills, fire, and first aid

Mixing HazardsMixing Hazards

Mixing requires working with Mixing requires working with chemicals that can cause chemicals that can cause physical harm to those who physical harm to those who don’t protect themselves don’t protect themselves

Review the Fire and Explosion, Review the Fire and Explosion, health hazard, and special health hazard, and special precautions sections of MSDSprecautions sections of MSDS

Mixing HazardsMixing Hazards

Mixing hazards includeMixing hazards include:: Inhalation of gelling agent dust & Inhalation of gelling agent dust &

gasoline vaporsgasoline vapors Volatility/flammability of gasolineVolatility/flammability of gasoline Skin & eye contact with gasoline Skin & eye contact with gasoline

and gelling agentand gelling agent Portable Eyewash station Portable Eyewash station

required on-siterequired on-site

Inhalation HazardInhalation Hazard

Dress for SuccessDress for Success

Mixing PPE StandardsMixing PPE Standards

Ensure that all precautions are Ensure that all precautions are exercised to eliminate exposureexercised to eliminate exposure

Hard hat with chinstrapHard hat with chinstrap Chemical splash gogglesChemical splash goggles Ear protectionEar protection Fire Retardant clothing labeled as Fire Retardant clothing labeled as

Non-static or 100% cotton overallsNon-static or 100% cotton overalls Nitrile gloves required during fuel Nitrile gloves required during fuel

handlinghandling Cotton/leather gloves, non fuel Cotton/leather gloves, non fuel

handlinghandling NIOSH approved dust maskNIOSH approved dust mask

Mixing System Mixing System Mechanical HazardsMechanical Hazards

High engine noiseHigh engine noise Exhaust muffler can cause Exhaust muffler can cause

burnsburns Drive shaft should be Drive shaft should be

protected with cover shieldprotected with cover shield

Static BondingStatic Bonding

Bonding is the process of joining Bonding is the process of joining objects with conductive wire to objects with conductive wire to neutralize the potential charge neutralize the potential charge between thembetween them

One technique for protecting against One technique for protecting against the dangers of static electricity is the dangers of static electricity is bondingbonding

Federal & local codes require bonding Federal & local codes require bonding connections during gravity transfer of connections during gravity transfer of flammable liquids and on fuel flammable liquids and on fuel handling equipmenthandling equipment

Static BondingStatic Bonding

All hoses used in helitorch operations

Must have bonding built into their structure

Bonding Components and Bonding Components and TestingTesting

Use only approved 1½” or 2” Use only approved 1½” or 2” gasoline transfer hosegasoline transfer hose

Use only approved 2” vapor hose Use only approved 2” vapor hose All hardware and equipment will All hardware and equipment will

be bonded prior to contact with be bonded prior to contact with mixing system (bare metal)mixing system (bare metal)

Continuity testing shall be done Continuity testing shall be done on all fuel transfer and vapor on all fuel transfer and vapor hoses and bonding cables prior hoses and bonding cables prior to useto use

Hazardous Material Hazardous Material TransportationTransportation

A driver must know and follow the A driver must know and follow the regulations pertaining to hauling regulations pertaining to hauling hazardous materials on public highways hazardous materials on public highways

There are Federal, State, and Local There are Federal, State, and Local regulations concerning the regulations concerning the transportation of flammable liquids on transportation of flammable liquids on public highwayspublic highways

Federal regulations concerning the Federal regulations concerning the transportation of flammable liquids are transportation of flammable liquids are listed in the Code of Federal listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Parts 100-180Regulations, Title 49, Parts 100-180

Employer Employer ResponsibilityResponsibility

Employer must provide to Employer must provide to driver HM-126F training (every driver HM-126F training (every 3 years) that shall at a 3 years) that shall at a minimum include:minimum include: General awarenessGeneral awareness Function specificFunction specific SafetySafety Driver trainingDriver training

Fuel Spill ProceduresFuel Spill Procedures

Fuel Spill ProceduresFuel Spill Procedures Safeguard personnel Safeguard personnel Remove any ignition sourceRemove any ignition source Notify Agency Dispatch/Hazmat Coor. Notify Agency Dispatch/Hazmat Coor.

of spills in excess of 5 gallonof spills in excess of 5 gallon Use appropriate PPE during cleanupUse appropriate PPE during cleanup Spill cleanup: soak up with sawdust, Spill cleanup: soak up with sawdust,

sand, or other absorbent materialsand, or other absorbent material If spill exceeds comfort level, back off, If spill exceeds comfort level, back off,

wait for qualified personnelwait for qualified personnel Disposal must be in accordance with Disposal must be in accordance with

applicable Federal, Sate, and Local applicable Federal, Sate, and Local regulationsregulations

Job Hazard AnalysisJob Hazard Analysis

A required document that A required document that should outline the should outline the primary tasks, identify primary tasks, identify the hazards, and describe the hazards, and describe methods to mitigate or methods to mitigate or remove any risk remove any risk associated with the associated with the helitorch operationhelitorch operation

Operational Safety & Operational Safety & Equipment ChecklistsEquipment Checklists

Go no/go check list must be Go no/go check list must be completed prior to commencing a completed prior to commencing a Helitorch operationHelitorch operation

Checklists work as a reminder to Checklists work as a reminder to what elements, items, and what elements, items, and inspections are necessary before inspections are necessary before initiating a Helitorch operationinitiating a Helitorch operation

Stop operations if all checklist Stop operations if all checklist items do not remain a Goitems do not remain a Go

Fire ProtectionFire Protection

Extinguisher Mounted on Extinguisher Mounted on UnitUnit

Fire ProtectionFire Protection One 40-B:C dry chemical fire One 40-B:C dry chemical fire

extinguisher at landing padextinguisher at landing pad D.O.T. regulations require D.O.T. regulations require

Batchmixer and fuel trucks have a Batchmixer and fuel trucks have a 40-B:C fire extinguisher on unit40-B:C fire extinguisher on unit

Additional fire extinguishers are Additional fire extinguishers are required during mixing & fuel required during mixing & fuel transfer operation (minimum two, 3 transfer operation (minimum two, 3 gallon class B CAF or Engine with gallon class B CAF or Engine with class B foam capability)class B foam capability)

Helitorch personnel should be Helitorch personnel should be trained on fire extinguisher usetrained on fire extinguisher use

Trimax ExtinguisherTrimax Extinguisher

Fire Protection (cont’)Fire Protection (cont’)

Dedicated suppression Dedicated suppression personnel will staff a charged personnel will staff a charged hoseline during take-off, hoseline during take-off, landings, mixing operations, landings, mixing operations, functional tests and fuel functional tests and fuel transfer/fillingtransfer/filling

Parking Tender will staff fire Parking Tender will staff fire extinguisher at all timesextinguisher at all times

Emergency Emergency Contingency PlanContingency Plan

Establish and Follow approved Establish and Follow approved crash rescue plancrash rescue plan

Establish and maintain a Establish and maintain a communication link to Dispatch/ICPcommunication link to Dispatch/ICP

Establish escape routes and a Establish escape routes and a safety zone to congregate for safety zone to congregate for accountabilityaccountability

Identify and brief suppression, Identify and brief suppression, extraction, and first aid personnelextraction, and first aid personnel