This video from India is an excellent lesson in how NOT to handle compromised containers. In the USA we have an established practice of removing as much of the HAZMAT as we can before we attempt to move the container. As you will see in this video, things can go badly really quick when attempting to move a container that has been compromised and still contains the HAZMAT. The HAZMAT involved in this video is anhydrous ammonia…
Another valuable lesson to be learned with this video is PPE matters! Even when we have a small leak, but our container contains large quantities of the HAZMAT, coupled with the poor egress out of the HOT zone, we need to be prepared for the WORST and assume that the responders will need the highest level of PPE. Early in the video we will see responders in SCBA and short sleeve shirts and they seem to be fine, but just watch how quickly it goes south!