Code of Federal Regulations Title 40. Protection of Environment 40 CFR Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Tbl. 3 Table 3 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63.—Work Practice Standards—Required Actions for Liquid Mercury Spills and Accumulations and Hydrogen and Mercury Vapor Leaks

1. A liquid mercury spill or accumulation

a. Initiate clean up of the liquid mercury spill or accumulation as soon as possible, but no later than 1 hour from the time you detect it.

b. Clean up liquid mercury using a mercury vacuum cleaner or by using an alternative method. If you use an alternative method to clean up liquid mercury, you must submit a description of the method to the Administrator in your Notification of Compliance Status report.

c. If you use a mercury vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner must be designed to prevent generation of airborne mercury; you must cap the ends of hoses after each use; and after vacuuming, you must wash down the area.

d. Inspect all equipment in liquid mercury service in the surrounding area to identify the source of the liquid mercury within 1 hour from the time you detect the liquid mercury spill or accumulation.

e. If you identify leaking equipment as the source of the spill or accumulation, contain the dripping mercury, stop the leak, and repair the leaking equipment as specified below.

f. If you cannot identify the source of the liquid mercury spill or accumulation, re-inspect the area within 6 hours of the time you detected the liquid mercury spill or accumulation, or within 6 hours of the last inspection of the area.

2. Equipment that is leaking liquid mercury

a. Contain the liquid mercury dripping from the leaking equipment by placing a container under the leak within 30 minutes from the time you identify the liquid mercury leak.

b. The container must meet the requirement for open-top containers in Table 1 to this subpart.

c. Make a first attempt at stopping the leak within 1 hour from the time you identify the liquid mercury leak.

d. Stop the leak and repair the leaking equipment within 4 hours from the time you identify the liquid mercury leak.

e. You can delay repair of equipment leaking liquid mercury if you either isolate the leaking equipment from the process so that it does not remain in mercury service; or determine that you cannot repair the leaking equipment without taking the cell off line, provided that you contain the dripping mercury at all times as described above, and take the cell off line as soon as practicable, but no later than 48 hours from the time you identify the leaking equipment. You cannot place the cell back into service until the leaking equipment is repaired.

3. A decomposer or hydrogen system piping up to the hydrogen header that is leaking hydrogen and/or mercury vapor

a. Make a first attempt at stopping the leak within 1 hour from the time you identify the hydrogen and/or mercury vapor leak.

b. Stop the leak and repair the leaking equipment within 4 hours from the time you identify the hydrogen and/or mercury vapor leak.

c. You can delay repair of an equipment leaking hydrogen and/or mercury vapor if you isolate the leaking equipment or take the cell off line until you repair the leaking equipment.

4. Equipment in the hydrogen system, from the start of the hydrogen header to the last control device, that is leaking hydrogen and/or mercury vapor

a. Make a first attempt at stopping the leak within 4 hours from the time you identify the hydrogen and/or mercury vapor leak.

b. Stop the leak and repair the header within 24 hours from the time you identify the hydrogen and/or mercury vapor leak.

c. You can delay repair of equipment leaking hydrogen and/or mercury vapor if you isolate the leaking equipment.