A-DRUM: Five Basic Steps for Successfully Responding to and Mitigating Pressurized Drums

Most Hazmat Technicians have either learned about, or witnessed a pressurized drum situation at one time or another. But how many of us actually know how to properly respond to one? On this page, we will review the acronym A-DRUM; describing the five basic steps for responding to pressurized drums.

A-DRUM

A= Assess the hazards: What is the drum doing? Is it bulged, or in the process of bulging? Is the drum pinging? What is in the drum? Why is it under pressure? (Heat, Incompatibles, Decomposing Organics?) What are the potential hazards if the drum catastrophically fails?

D= Dam or contain the area from any potential spills that may occur.

R= Rehearse your equipment. Too often we make entry with only verbal direction on how to use the equipment. Take the time before making entry to rehearse your equipment.

U= Understand the risks and hazards involved. For example, never approach a drum if it is visually expanding and or pinging, catastrophic failure may soon follow.

M= Mitigate and make it safe!

By utilizing these five basic response techniques, your team now has a structured, defensive plan to mitigate the hazards associated with pressurized drums!