Print this page Print this page

Secondary Containment Structures Regulatory Requirements for Hazardous Materials

Tim Laughlin, P.E.


Course Outline

THIS COURSE DOES NOT CONTAIN STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OR SOILS ENGINEERING INFORMATION OR CALCULATIONS.  MANY OTHER CLASSES OFFER MORE DESIGN DETAILS ON SLAB ON GRADE AND/OR PIER FOOTING DESIGN REGARDING SECONDARY CONTAINMENT POINT & LATERAL LOADS AND SOIL BEARING PRESSURES.  This class does not discuss secondary containment options for wastewater treatment facilities and landfill liners.

The author has attempted to explain and suggest engineering recommendations for proper construction and installation of secondary containment systems for hazardous materials, petroleum/vegetable oils, and animal fats.  Spill controls of these fluids are regulated mainly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).  States and even local agencies may have regulations of various degrees regarding spill control of these fluids.
Frequently US EPA regulations stipulate requires for secondary containment.  However, national fire codes and other agencies such as the USDA-NRCS and/or OHSA provide other requirements.  Therefore, Fire Codes (NFPA or IFC) should also be included for the proper installation of secondary containment storage systems in accordance with US EPA regulations concerning environmental compliance.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Intended Audience

This course is intended for agricultural, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical, and petroleum engineers.

Benefit to Attendees

Attendee of this course will be able to understand the basics of the regulatory requirements and guidance for specific secondary contain structures for regulated hazardous waste, petroleum/vegetable oils, and animal fats.

Course Content

In this lesson, you are required to download and study the following course content in PDF format:

Secondary Containment Structures Regulatory Requirements for Hazardous Materials

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.

Course Summary

This course only offers a brief outline of the Federal and National regulatory requirements on the use and installation of secondary containment structures.  Methods, materials, hydraulic conductivity, cost, typical installation details and chemical compatibility are briefly discussed.  We strongly suggest that you contact a qualified professional engineer or professional geotechnical engineer/ geologist for details specific federal/state/local laws and regulations in the event you plan to install secondary containment structure.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

Take a Quiz


DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.