PDFWAC 173-180-420
Class 1 facility—Operations manual content requirements.
(1) Each operations manual submitted to ecology must contain a written statement binding the manual submitter to its use. In the binding agreement, the signatory will:
(a) Include the name, address, phone number, and email address of the submitting party;
(b) Verify acceptance of the manual by the owner or operator of the Class 1 facility by either signature of an authorized owner, operator, or a designee with authority to bind the owners and operators of the facility;
(c) Commit to the implementation and use of the manual;
(d) Verify the person(s) signing the agreement is authorized to make expenditures to implement the requirements of the manual; and
(e) Include the name, location, and address of the facility, type of facility, and starting date of operations of the facility covered by the manual.
(2) The facility may submit their United States Coast Guard operations manual required under 33 C.F.R. Part 154.300 to satisfy manual requirements under this chapter if:
(a) Ecology deems that such federal requirements equal or exceed those required in this section; or
(b) The facility modifies or appends the manual to meet requirements as described in WAC 173-180-415(2).
(3) Manuals must address at a minimum the following topics for oil transfer operations to or from Class 1 facilities:
(a) General facility information including:
(i) The geographic location of the facility shown on a topographic map;
(ii) A physical description of the facility including a plan of the facility showing mooring areas, transfer locations, control stations, oil flow patterns, and locations of safety equipment;
(iii) A statement identifying facility operation hours;
(iv) A brief summary of applicable federal, state, and local oil pollution laws and regulations;
(v) Recordkeeping procedures and sample forms which are associated with the requirements in this chapter;
(vi) Overfill prevention procedures must be described for transfers to storage tanks in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Flammable and Combustible Code, No. 30-2021, Chapter 21, section 21.7.1 Prevention of Overfilling of Storage Tanks;
(vii) Example maintenance schedules incorporating manufacturers' recommendations or an industrial standard approved by ecology, preventative maintenance, replacement criteria for transfer pipelines, pumps, and valves;
(viii) A description of all oil types transferred to or from the facility including:
(A) Generic and chemical name;
(B) A description of the appearance of the oil;
(C) The hazards involved in handling the oil; and
(D) Instructions for safe handling of oil.
(ix) The procedures to be followed if the oil spills or leaks, or if a person is exposed to the oil;
(x) A list of firefighting procedures and extinguishing agents effective with fires involving the oil;
(xi) A description of each communication system and instructions in the use of each;
(xii) Detailed procedures for:
(A) Operating each hose system and loading arm including the limitations of each loading arm;
(B) Transferring oil, including startup, topping off, and shutdown;
(C) Completion of pumping; and
(D) Quantity, types, locations, and instructions for use of all transfer monitoring devices;
(xiii) A discussion of the leak detection system and/or procedures implemented by the facility;
(xiv) The location and facilities of each personnel shelter, if any; and
(xv) Maximum relief valve settings (or maximum system pressures when relief valves are not provided) for each transfer system.
(b) Facility procedures for oil transfers to or from nonrecreational vessels including, at a minimum:
(i) Discussion of the sizes, types, and number of vessels that the facility can transfer oil to or from, including simultaneous transfers;
(ii) Discussion of equipment and procedures required for all vessels which transfer oil to or from the facility;
(iii) Procedures for verifying that vessels meet facility requirements and operations manual procedures;
(iv) Discussion of the minimum number of persons or equipment required to perform transfer operations and their duties;
(v) Description and instructions for the use of drip and discharge collection and vessel slop reception facilities, if any;
(vi) If applicable, procedures for shielding portable lighting;
(vii) Description of the facility's requirements or actions taken regarding unexpected weather and sea conditions and the threshold values developed by the facility which may impact oil transfers to or from vessels. Supporting data for oil transfer weather and sea restrictions must be available to ecology upon request and include at a minimum:
(A) Instrumentation or methodology for accurately measuring and recording this information in the facility's dock operations log book;
(B) Measuring current velocity, weather, and sea conditions before and during the oil transfer operation;
(C) Monitoring forecasted weather and sea;
(D) Procedures for communicating weather and sea conditions to the persons in charge (PICs) at regular intervals;
(E) Threshold values for weather and sea conditions above which transfer operations must cease; and
(F) Procedures for communicating with the vessel and shutting down the oil transfer should weather or seas exceed threshold values.
(c) Safe and effective threshold determination. If a facility conducts Rate A transfers, then the manual must include the safe and effective threshold values identified in the safe and effective threshold determination report under WAC 173-180-224.
(d) Facility emergency information must include, at a minimum:
(i) Procedures for reporting spills to the appropriate agencies and initial response actions taken in the event of an oil discharge;
(ii) The names and telephone numbers of facility, federal, state, local, and other personnel who may be called by the employees of the facility in case of an emergency;
(iii) Emergency plans and procedures including a description of and the location of each emergency shutdown system;
(iv) Quantity, types, locations, instructions for use, and time limits for gaining access to containment equipment; and
(v) Quantity, types, locations, and instructions for use of fire extinguishing equipment.
(e) For facilities that transfer to or from transmission pipelines the operations manual must address, in addition to the requirements in (a) of this subsection, the following topics:
(i) The duties of the facility operator and/or PIC;
(ii) A description of each associated communication system;
(iii) Emergency plans and procedures including a description of and the location of each emergency shutdown system;
(iv) A description of the training and qualification program for the facility operator and/or PICs; and
(v) A discussion of facility operation procedures for conducting oil transfers including transfer startups and shutdowns.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 88.46.160, 88.46.165, 90.56.005, 90.56.050, 90.56.200, 90.56.220, 90.56.230, and chapter 90.56 RCW. WSR 23-12-077 (Order 21-03), § 173-180-420, filed 6/6/23, effective 7/7/23. Statutory Authority: RCW 88.46.160, 88.46.165, and chapter 90.56 RCW. WSR 06-20-034 (Order 06-02), § 173-180-420, filed 9/25/06, effective 10/26/06.]