Remote Opening Procedures

Container Handling

Our Reactive Material Specialists limit the handling of potentially shock sensitive materials as much as possible.  Once the equipment is staged and personnel have donned the appropriate personal protective equipment, they enter the storage area or laboratory where the materials are located.  Each chemical is placed into an ATF Type II Daybox for removal to the exclusion zone.  This Daybox is coal tar lined to dissipate any potential static electricity and contains cushioning to dampen the effects of shock or disturbance.

Remote Container Opening

We utilize specially designed equipment for all reactive remediation and stabilization projects including remotely operated, pneumatically-driven machinery that can drill or twist open a container’s cap.  With some peroxidizable, shock sensitive and unknown materials, twisting the cap can potentially cause a container to detonate.  The presence of explosive peroxides or other shock sensitive crystals between the containers cap and threads can be enough to initiate a detonation or deflagration.

Our remote opening equipment allows access to these materials to be performed away from people, buildings and other property.  We have internalized our remote opening equipment into a Type II magazine as specified by the ATF.  This equipment is designed for outdoor use to protect our customers’ property and the health and safety of our employees, and it enables safe operation in densely populated areas.

Remote Drum Opening

Clean Harbors can remotely open larger sized shipping containers.  Our remote drum opening device is pneumatically-driven and designed to open the bung on a drum or shipping container.  This may eliminate the need to transfer the drum’s contents to another shipping container.  This engineering control was developed to minimize the impact to personnel and property.  The greatest hazard when working with a potentially unstable substance is the process of opening the container.  Once the container has been opened, the contents can be evaluated, inhibited and stabilized.