Louisiana State Police Emergency Services Unit The Emergency

Louisiana State Police Emergency Services Unit

The Emergency Services Unit is comprised of: • Explosives Control • Haz. Mat • Right-to-Know • Tier II • Haz. Mat Hotline • Haz. Mat Violations • Training

ESU Goals and Objectives 1. Public Safety & Education Ø Provide for public safety through education and enforcement of regulations and statutes. 2. Training and Equipment Ø Maintain adequate personnel, training and equipment to enable responders to adequately respond to incidents. 3. Enforcement Ø Enforce State and Federal regulations. 4. Support Ø Provide technical information, response and logistical support to the Department, other State, Federal and Local Agencies.

Haz. Mat Unit’s Authority • Authority is derived from: • • • LARS 30: 2361 thru 2380 (Right-to-Know) LARS 32: 1501 et seq (Transportation & Motor Carrier Safety) LARS 40: 1379 (Duties of police officers) LAC Title 33 V – chapter 101 (Environmental Quality) Title III of SARA required that the Governor designate a State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) The Office of State Police acts as the SERC in Louisiana The SERC appoints Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) for each parish The SERC is responsible for supervising and coordinating the activities of the LEPC, and establishing procedures for receiving and processing public requests for information

Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 40 Public Health and Safety PART VIII. Underground Utilities and Facilities § 1749. 11. Short title; purpose A. This Part shall be known and may be cited as the “Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law. ” B. It is the public policy of this state to promote the protection of property, workmen, and citizens in the immediate vicinity of an underground utility or facility from damage, death, or injury and to promote the health and well-being of the community by preventing the interruption of essential services which may result from the destruction of, or damage to underground facilities or utilities.

• In 1988, the "Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law“ became effective. This law requires excavators and demolishers to call a regional notification center at least 48 hours before they begin work. • It also requires owner/operators of underground facilities to mark locations or supply information that will enable excavators and demolishers to locate underground utilities and facilities.

Underground Utility Reporting 1. Each excavator or demolisher, including cable television owners or operators, shall serve telephonic notice to the regional notification center, LAONECALL. Excavation or demolition in any street, highway, public place or servitude, or near the location of an underground facility or utility or on the premises of a customer served by an underground utility must have a locate ticket.

Underground facility or utility means any pipe, conduit, duct, wire, cable, valve, line, fiber optic equipment, or structure which is buried or placed below ground or submerged for use in connection with storage, conveyance, transmission, or protection of electronics communication system, telephone or telegraph system, or fiber optic, electric energy, oil, natural gas, gases, steam, mixture of gases, petroleum products, hazardous or flammable fluids/gases, toxic or corrosive fluids/gases, hazardous fluids/gases, or other substances of like nature or water systems, sewer systems or traffic, drainage control systems, or other items of like nature.

2. Call must be made at least forty eight (48) hours before excavating. Expires after 10 days. Call for a new ticket on Day 8. Excavation or excavate means any operation for the purpose of movement or removal of earth, rock, or other materials in or on the ground by the use of powered or mechanical or manual means, including pile driving, digging, blasting, auguring, boring, back filling, dredging, compressing, plowing-in, trenching, ditching, tunneling, land-leveling, grading, and mechanical probing. 3. There is a provision for an emergency excavation.

Precautions to Avoid Damage RS 40: 1749: 16 • Plan the excavation or demolition to avoid damage • Maintain a safe clearance between the utility and the cutting edge or point of any powered equipment • Provide support for utilities during excavation and back filling • Dig test pits to determine the actual location of the utility

Underground Utility Violations 1. If no One. Call is made. 2. If the waiting period is not honored. 3. If a cut utility is not reported. 4. If a contractor refused to stop after a utility is cut. 5. Failure to take precautions. 6. Failure to mark or incorrectly mark a utility.

Report violations to the Louisiana Hazmat Hotline 225 -925 -6595 Or Toll Free 877 -925 -6595

Incident # 06 -06389 October 12, 2006 A spud from a barge hit a pipeline It resulted in a…… • Fire, explosion, injuries and fatalities. It fell under the regulations for…… • Transportation – a barge • Underground Utility - locate

Stats Prior to 2007 – no underground utility violations issued 2007 - 64 2008 – 144 2009 – 164 148 – first time offenders 8 - second time offenders 5 - third time offenders 3 - fourth time offenders 2010 ytd – 146 Of the 9000(+, -) incoming calls to the hotline – approximately 42% are natural gas incidents

For additional information, please contact Mr Gene Dunegan Program Manager Emergency Services Unit (225) 925 -6113 ext 253