9.4 Hazardous Substances, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Spill Response, and PPE

Free CESSWI Certified Erosion, Sediment and Stormwater Inspector Study Guide 2026 Exam

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1 Chapter 1: CESSWI Program Overview, Scope of Practice & Professional Ethics

1.1 CESSWI Scope of Practice, Eligibility, and Exam Structure 1.2 Certification Renewal, PDH Requirements, and Audit Policies 1.3 EnviroCert Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

2 Chapter 2: Federal, State, and Local Stormwater Regulations

2.1 Federal Water-Pollution History and Stormwater Phases 2.2 CWA Sections, Water Quality, and Related Federal Programs 2.3 EPA Construction Permit Coverage and Operational Clocks 2.4 Industrial MSGP and Municipal MS4 Programs 2.5 Regulatory Compliance, Enforcement Mechanisms, and Penalties

3 Chapter 3: Soil Mechanics, Erosion Processes, and Climatic Factors

3.1 Soil Formation, Horizons, and Geomorphology 3.2 Soil Texture, Mechanics, and Revegetation 3.3 Splash, Sheet, Rill, Gully, Channel Erosion, and Slope Movement 3.4 Wind Erosion, Sediment Transport, Climatic Erosivity, and Resource Impacts

4 Chapter 4: Hydrology, Runoff Characteristics, and Drainage Principles

4.1 The Hydrologic Cycle, Watershed Drainage Planning, and Precipitation 4.2 Hydrologic Soil Groups, Disturbed Profiles, and Time Parameters 4.3 Hydrograph Characteristics, Curve Numbers, and Runoff Estimation Equations

5 Chapter 5: Inspection Fundamentals, Duties, and Field Procedures

5.1 Inspector Roles, Scope of Authority, and Core Professional Skills 5.2 Pre-Inspection Document Review and Inspector Support Equipment 5.3 Systematic Field Inspection Sequence, Post-Inspection Meetings, and Follow-Through

6 Chapter 6: Inspection Elements for Active Construction Sites

6.1 Pre-Construction Meetings, Entrance Posting, and On-Site Document Inspections 6.2 Inspecting Active Construction Controls and Diagnosing BMP Failure Modes 6.3 Final Stabilization Verification, Final Inspections, and Notice of Termination

7 Chapter 7: Stormwater Monitoring, Field Sampling, and Chain of Custody

7.1 Permit Monitoring Triggers and Water-Quality Indicators 7.2 Sampling Preparation and Analytical Parameters 7.3 Sampling Locations, Collection Methods, and Field Meter Calibration 7.4 Sample Preservation, Data Recording, Shipping, and Chain of Custody

8 Chapter 8: Inspection Documentation, Reporting, and Map Management

8.1 Inspection Notes and Evidence Procedures 8.2 Objective Findings and Photographic Evidence 8.3 Proper Reporting Techniques and Corrective Action Log Management 8.4 Site Drawing (Map) Management, Compliance Resolution, and Enforcement Records

9 Chapter 9: Professional Communication and Site Safety for Inspectors

9.1 Communication Protocols in Pre-Construction, Post-Inspection, and O&M Meetings 9.2 Dealing with Difficult People, Problematic Sites, and Unpleasant Findings 9.3 Site Hazard Recognition: Physical, Biological, Trenching, and Confined Spaces 9.4 Hazardous Substances, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Spill Response, and PPE

10 Chapter 10: Stormwater Plan Reading, Map Interpretation, and Site Calculations

10.1 Stormwater Plan Types, Credentials, and Authority 10.2 SWPPP Components and Permit Notifications 10.3 Civil Plan Sets, Legends, Phased Sequencing, and Living Site Maps 10.4 Topography, Contour Lines, Slope Calculations, and Plan Amendments

11 Chapter 11: BMP Framework, Site Planning, and Erosion Control Practices

11.1 Six Functional BMP Categories, Preservation of Vegetation, Phasing, and Tree Protection 11.2 Seeding and Sod Establishment 11.3 Hydroseeding and Hydromulching Inspection 11.4 Mulch and Rolled Erosion-Control Products 11.5 Tackifiers, Soil Binders, Roughening, and Temporary Cover

12 Chapter 12: Perimeter, Linear, and In-Water Sediment Control Practices

12.1 Perimeter & Sheet-Flow Sediment Barriers: Silt Fence, Fiber Rolls, Straw Bales, and Filter Dikes 12.2 Access & Roadside Sediment/Runoff Controls: Stabilized Entrances, Cut-Back Curbs, and Ditch Checks 12.3 In-Water & Dewatering Controls: Temporary Stream Crossings, Turbidity Curtains, and Sediment Bags

13 Chapter 13: Sediment Basins, Traps, and Runoff Conveyance Controls

13.1 Sediment Basins and Traps 13.2 Porous Baffles and Surface Skimmers 13.3 Runoff Conveyances: Diversions, Swales, Pipe Slope Drains, and Rock Check Dams 13.4 Riprap and Gabion Inspection 13.5 Retaining Walls, Outlet Protection, and Wet Ponds

14 Chapter 14: Storm Drain Inlet Protection and Good Housekeeping BMPs

14.1 Storm Drain Inlet Protection: At-Grade, Curb, Block & Gravel, Excavated, Fabric Drop, Gravel Bag, Stone Collar, and Pre-Manufactured 14.2 Good Housekeeping Part 1: Concrete Washout, Equipment Maintenance, Materials Management, and Secondary Containment 14.3 Good Housekeeping Part 2: Stockpiles, Dust Control, Wind Fence, Street Cleaning, Sanitary Waste, and Trash

15 Chapter 15: Post-Construction Stormwater Management BMPs

15.1 Vegetative & Structural Dispersion BMPs: Final Ground Cover, Headwalls, Level Spreaders, Filter Strips, and Riparian Buffers 15.2 Permeable Surfaces and Construction Protection 15.3 Infiltration, Bioretention, and Media Filters 15.4 Detention, Retention & Proprietary BMPs: Dry/Wet Basins, Wetlands, Inline Storage, Catch Basin Inserts, Vaults, and Manufactured Devices

9.4 Hazardous Substances, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Spill Response, and PPE

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom / GHS), standardized 16-section Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be readily accessible on site during every work shift; inspectors should specifically know Section 2 (Hazard Identification), Section 4 (First-Aid), Section 6 (Accidental Release Measures), Section 8 (Exposure Controls/PPE), and Section 12 (Ecological Information).

Chemical treatment must follow the approved formulation and dose; cationic treatment requires prior EPA approval under the CGP, because cationic polymers bind to the negatively charged gill membranes of fish and aquatic organisms, causing acute suffocation and aquatic toxicity.

SPCC bulk-storage containment must hold the largest container plus sufficient precipitation freeboard; the aboveground threshold is more than 1,320 gallons of qualifying oil capacity where the applicability conditions are met.

When encountering a hazardous chemical spill, an inspector must protect personal safety first (stay upwind and upslope, never touch or smell unknown substances), immediately notify site personnel to contain the spill before it reaches storm drains, ensure National Response Center (NRC) notification if petroleum causes a sheen on Waters of the U.S., and select PPE as the last line of defense in the Hierarchy of Controls.

Last updated: October 2026

Hazardous Substances on Construction, Industrial, and MS4 Sites

Stormwater inspectors regularly inspect material storage yards, fueling areas, equipment maintenance pads, and chemical treatment skids containing hazardous substances:

Petroleum Products and Lubricants: Diesel fuel, gasoline, hydraulic fluid, motor oil, cutting oils, and grease.

Paving, Concrete, and Masonry Chemicals: Asphalt emulsions and tack coats, petroleum-based form-release oils, concrete curing compounds, epoxies, solvents, paints, and muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid used to etch concrete or clean masonry brick, which produces severely acidic runoff).

High-pH Cementitious Materials: Uncured Portland cement, concrete washout water, stucco, mortar, and lime used for soil stabilization ( pH 11 to 13 \text{pH } 11\text{ to }13 pH 11 to 13 ). In addition to polluting receiving waters, wet concrete and lime dust cause severe alkaline chemical burns to human skin and eyes.

Stormwater Flocculants (Anionic vs. Cationic PAM): Polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculants are used on some sites to settle suspended clay particles. Use only the approved formulation and dose. Cationic treatment requires prior EPA approval under the CGP and may be prohibited or restricted by state/local rules in stormwater discharges because positively charged polymer chains bind tightly to the gill surfaces of fish and aquatic invertebrates, causing rapid mechanical suffocation and acute aquatic mortality at very low concentrations.

OSHA HazCom and the 16-Section Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200 / 1926.59) , harmonized with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) , manufacturers must provide a standardized 16-Section Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (formerly known as an MSDS) for every hazardous chemical on site. Copies of all SDS documents (physical binder or immediately accessible electronic terminal) must be readily accessible to all workers and inspectors on site during every work shift .

When reviewing a chemical product or polymer proposed for use in a SWPPP, a CESSWI inspector must know where to look in the 16-section SDS:

SDS Section Number & Title Key Information Used by Stormwater Inspectors and Site Personnel

Section 1: Identification Product identifier, chemical name, recommended uses, manufacturer name, and 24-hour emergency phone number

Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification GHS classification, Signal Word ( DANGER for more severe hazards vs. WARNING for less severe hazards), GHS Pictograms (e.g., Flame, Corrosion, Exclamation Mark, Skull & Crossbones, Environment), and hazard/precautionary statements

Section 4: First-Aid Measures Immediate medical instructions by exposure route (inhalation, skin/eye contact, ingestion) and symptoms

Section 6: Accidental Release Measures Spill response procedures , personal precautions, containment methods (diking, drain blocking), and cleanup absorbents

Section 7: Handling and Storage Safe storage conditions, incompatible materials (e.g., keeping acids away from bases or oxidizers away from fuels), and secondary containment needs

Section 8: Exposure Controls / Personal Protection OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), engineering controls (ventilation), and specific required PPE (glove material, eye protection, respirators)

Section 12: Ecological Information Aquatic toxicity ( LC 50 / EC 50 \text{LC}_{50} / \text{EC}_{50} LC 50 / EC 50 for fish and Daphnia ) , persistence, degradability, and bioaccumulation potential—critical for verifying whether a tackifier, curing compound, or PAM flocculant is safe near Waters of the U.S.

Section 13: Disposal Considerations Proper waste treatment, container disposal, and hazardous waste classification rules

Secondary Containment, SPCC Thresholds, and Inspector Spill Response
Secondary Containment and SPCC Rules

To prevent leaks or ruptured drums from reaching storm drains or soil, liquid chemicals and fuels stored on site must be placed inside impervious secondary containment (such as berms, dikes, or double-walled tanks/spill pallets) covered or managed to prevent rainwater accumulation:

SPCC containment sizing: Sized containment for bulk storage must hold the entire capacity of the largest single container plus sufficient freeboard for precipitation under 40 CFR 112.8(c)(2). Federal SPCC does not impose a universal 110% figure or the hazardous-waste 10%-aggregate formula. A project detail may specify 110%, but verify design rainfall and usable containment volume after displacement.

Federal SPCC Plan Thresholds (40 CFR Part 112): Under the EPA Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule, any facility or construction site that could reasonably discharge oil into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines must prepare and implement a certified SPCC Plan if it has:

Total aboveground oil storage capacity > 1 , 320 gallons > 1,320\text{ gallons} > 1 , 320 gallons (counting only containers with a capacity of 55 gallons 55\text{ gallons} 55 gallons or greater ), OR

Total completely buried underground oil storage capacity > 42 , 000 gallons > 42,000\text{ gallons} > 42 , 000 gallons .

Inspector Spill Response Protocol: Caution, Notify/Control, Document

If a CESSWI inspector discovers an active fuel leak, ruptured hydraulic hose, or unknown chemical spill during an inspection:

Protect Your Own Safety First (Upwind and Upslope): Approach any suspected hazardous release from upwind and upslope (upgradient). Never walk through, touch, taste, or intentionally smell an unknown liquid or vapor. Unless you are specifically trained (e.g., OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER), medically cleared, and wearing chemical-specific PPE for that material, do not attempt hands-on cleanup of a hazardous substance release yourself .

Notify Immediately and Prioritize Source/Drain Control: Immediately alert the Site Superintendent or Emergency Coordinator so trained site crews can stop the source (shut a valve, upright a leaking drum) and deploy on-site spill kits (hydrophobic oil-only absorbent booms, pads, socks, granular clay/kitty litter, and neoprene storm drain inlet covers) to block the spill from entering storm drain inlets, ditches, or surface waters . Never allow crews to hose down a fuel or chemical spill with water or apply dish soap/emulsifiers, which washes the pollutant directly into the storm sewer.

Verify Mandatory Regulatory Reporting (NRC 1-800-424-8802):

Under the Clean Water Act "Sheen Rule" (40 CFR Part 110) , if an oil or petroleum discharge reaches a Water of the United States or adjoining shoreline in a quantity that causes a film or sheen upon or discoloration of the surface of the water (or a sludge/emulsion beneath the surface), OR if a hazardous substance spill equals or exceeds its CERCLA Reportable Quantity (RQ) within a 24 -hour 24\text{-hour} 24 -hour period, the operator must immediately notify the federal National Response Center (NRC) at 1-800-424-8802 as well as required state/MS4 emergency agencies.

Under the EPA CGP, the operator must also document the release, complete a Corrective Action, and modify the SWPPP within 7 calendar days 7\text{ calendar days} 7 calendar days of knowledge of the reportable release.

The Hierarchy of Controls and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

According to NIOSH and OSHA safety principles, workplace hazards are managed using the Hierarchy of Controls , ranked from most effective to least effective :

Elimination (Most Effective): Physically remove the hazard (e.g., inspect an underground vault from the surface with a pole camera instead of entering it).

Substitution: Replace a hazardous material with a safer alternative (e.g., replace toxic cationic PAM or petroleum form-release oil with biodegradable vegetable-based release agents).

Engineering Controls: Isolate people from the hazard through physical design (e.g., trench boxes, secondary containment berms, equipment backup cameras/alarms, mechanical ventilation).

Administrative Controls: Change the way people work through procedures, schedules, training, warning signs, and heat-acclimatization rest breaks.

Personal Protective Equipment — PPE (Least Effective / Last Line of Defense): Protects the individual worker only if worn and maintained properly when higher-level controls cannot fully eliminate the risk.

Essential Inspector PPE Standards

Before stepping onto an active site, check the general contractor's site-specific safety plan and verify that your PPE meets minimum consensus standards:

Head Protection: Hard hat or safety helmet meeting ANSI/ISEA Z89.1 (Type I protects against top impact; Type II protects against both top and lateral/side impacts; Class E is electrical-rated to 20 , 000 V 20,000\text{ V} 20 , 000 V , Class G to 2 , 200 V 2,200\text{ V} 2 , 200 V , and Class C is conductive with no electrical protection). Inspect the suspension liner regularly and replace shells damaged by UV chalking, cracks, or impacts.

Eye and Face Protection: Impact-resistant safety glasses with side shields (or chemical splash goggles when sampling acid/caustic washouts) stamped ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 ( Z87+ for high-velocity impact).

High-Visibility Safety Apparel: Retroreflective vest or outerwear meeting ANSI/ISEA 107 : select Type and Performance Class for the applicable traffic-control standard, employer hazard assessment, visibility, and work assignment; speed alone does not impose a universal federal Class 3 requirement.

Foot Protection: Protective-toe (steel or composite toe) work boots with puncture-resistant soles and ankle support meeting ASTM F2413 .

Hand, Hearing, and Water Safety PPE: Heavy leather gloves for rough wire/stakes; waterproof nitrile or neoprene gloves when handling water samples or chemical containers; earplugs or earmuffs when noise levels exceed 85 dBA 85\text{ dBA} 85 dBA (8-hour action level) or 90 dBA 90\text{ dBA} 90 dBA (OSHA construction PEL); and a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when working on barges, steep rip-rap riverbanks, or deep retention pond outlet structures.

Tip

Exam Memory Aid — SDS Section 6 vs. Section 8 vs. Section 12:

Need to know how to contain and clean up a spill ? Check Section 6 ( Accidental Release Measures ).

Need to know what gloves or respirator to wear ? Check Section 8 ( Exposure Controls / Personal Protection ).

Need to know whether a polymer or chemical is toxic to fish ( LC 50 \text{LC}_{50} LC 50 ) ? Check Section 12 ( Ecological Information ).

SPCC sizing and chemical-treatment qualification

SPCC bulk-storage containment requires the largest container’s entire capacity plus sufficient precipitation freeboard. A 110% project specification is an example, not a universal federal formula. Oil storage thresholds also require a reasonable expectation of discharge to navigable waters or adjoining shorelines and consideration of the rule’s exclusions. The CGP requires EPA approval before cationic treatment under Part 1.1.9; anionic PAM is not automatically safe or authorized. Verify formulation, residual monomer, dose, aquatic toxicity, site soils, approved treatment plan, and receiving-water restrictions before use. SDS Sections 12–15 retain standardized headings, but OSHA does not enforce their substantive content; lack of ecological data is not proof that a product is safe.