sop

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are important administrative and procedural controls. An SOP should be prepared by a competent person or team with a chemical background and knowledge of occupational and environmental legislation. [2]

A key to developing an effective SOP is involving individuals that operate, maintain, and service the equipment. [1]

SOPs are also important in the transport and retrieval of granite slabs and should address receiving and retrieval, appropriate slab cart or rack type for typical sizes and weights of granite slabs, slab rack storage, and avoidance of transport hazards such as lack of support pins and individual compartments. [4]

SOPs are also required to give specific safety instructions on accomplishing hazardous tasks such as hoisting pistons and instruct employees and have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in standardized communication signals to use when voice contact is not adequate or provide employees with control devices that allow employees to ascertain the position of hoisted equipment. [5]

The SOP for hazardous waste should include information on:

• The facility's waste identification system: how to identify the type of hazardous waste and type of ingredients that are present in the waste
• The waste's hazardous characteristics (e.g., toxicity, fire, explosion, or reactivity)
• How hazardous wastes are collected, sorted, and which wastes can be mixed together in the same containment method
• How to store the waste safely (e.g., separation of incompatible waste containers, placing containers in a secondary containment)
• How to handle the hazardous waste safely (e.g., type of personal protective equipment (PPE) to use, special handling practices such as bonding and grounding for ignitable or flammable wastes)
• How to contain and clean up spills
• Which wastes will be treated on site (if any) and the treatment method
• Which wastes will be sent out to a commercial waste management facility
• Firefighting information
• Emergency response
• First aid measures

[2] A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) should be developed for each confined space to standardize the entry procedure. The SOP outlines: [3]

• Hazards
• Hazard Control & Abatement
• Acceptable Entry Conditions
• Means of Entry
• Entry Equipment Required
• Emergency Procedures

[3] A parking brake and wheel chocking standard operating procedure (SOP) policy should require drivers to: [6]

• Put their foot on the service brake and place the transmission in neutral.
• Set the parking brake and time they park, regardless of whether or not they exit the cab.
• Stop the engine, lock the ignition, and remove the key and place it in their pocket.
• Turn the truck's front wheels to the curb or side of the road and chock at least one tractor drive wheel on each side if parked on any grade.
• Never to pursue or try to stop a rollaway truck if outside the cab.

[6]