SGTT23 - washing out/down plant & machinery
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Washing down plant and machinery, hosing down concrete truck mixers and degreasing engines can potentially lead to a serious pollution incident if not properly controlled. The resulting wastewater should not be allowed to enter surface water drains or road gullies, which will generally discharge into a stream, river or soak away.

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Careful consideration of where should activities take place should be done.

By doing so we hope to be able to: -

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Avoid environmental harm: Dirty washing and rinsing water may contain dislodged mud, grease oils, detergents, cleaning agents or toxic chemicals and materials that may kill fish and other forms of aquatic life. Which could potentially seriously effect the surrounding environment.

Avoid prosecution: it is illegal and carries high fines for discharging or to allow silt, cement, concrete, fuels, oils and other such chemicals into a watercourse or drain. Therefore the cost of implementing proper controls far exceeds the cost of cleaning up after an incident.

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• Do ask your manager if there are any special areas for washing down plant or machines

• Only use designated areas, when provided

• Ensure that any wastewater as a result of washing down plant is contained and not allowed to enter drains or watercourses

• Check with your manager before using any degreasing or cleaning chemicals before using them onsite don’t just assume you can

• Report to your manager any washing down that may create a pollution incident.

• Create bunds for washing down, maintain regularly by disposing of cured concrete and replacing polythene if necessary.

• Ensure delivery drivers know where they can wash down their vehicles.

• DON’T wash down before finding out were the designated area is

• DON’T wash down directly into a watercourse or surface water drains.

• DON’T allow wash out/down water to enter a road gullies

• DON’T wash down near material or storage areas or immediately next to working areas

• DON’T use any more water than absolutely necessary – conserve water