(6) The facility should be equipped with a pull-box alarm at each exit, and heat/smoke
detectors that activate alarms both locally and at the fire department should be installed.
SECTION VIII. PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
RECOUPMENT
4.38 General
A. Recoupment of hazardous materials can be divided into two categories, "care and
preservation" and "open container transfer." Care and preservation recoupment requires
relabeling, remarking, cleaning, or repacking materials without opening the original package.
Care and preservation recoupment will be performed by packaging personnel under the COSIS
Program. Open container transfer recoupment involves the transfer of hazardous materials from
damaged packages to new packages and thereby exposes personnel and facilities to the hazards
associated with the material (e.g., flammability, toxicity, corrosivity, reactivity). To safely
transfer these materials, procedural controls must be implemented that will augment the safety
provided by recoupment facility and equipment controls. This section will describe the
procedures required to safely and efficiently return to an issuable state materials with severely
damaged or deteriorated packages in need of replacement. General procedural requirements are
detailed in this section. Preparation for transfer and transfer procedures are detailed in section
4.39, decontamination and cleanup procedures in section 4.40, and emergency procedures
relevant to recoupment operations in section 4.41.
B. During all phases of recoupment operations, incompatible materials must be segregated as
outlined in section II for holding areas. Also, recoupment personnel should assure that
incompatible conditions that may reduce the stability of a product are eliminated from the
environment in which the material is recouped. Incompatible conditions may include flame,
heat, sparks, sunlight, water, humidity, air, or other manufacturer-identified conditions.
C. The quality of the product must be maintained. Before beginning recoupment, recoupment
personnel should verify that the shelf-life has not expired, and during open container transfer
operations, personnel should assure that the material is not contaminated. Quality control
procedures detailed in section IX should be implemented.
D. Recoupment personnel should maintain the following records:
1. An inventory of hazardous materials in the holding area and recoupment area should be
maintained, and periodic updates should be sent to the fire department and spill response team.
This should provide a means for emergency response personnel to quickly assess the hazards
present in the facility in the event of a mishap.
2. A record of recoupment operations should be maintained, including the identity of
personnel who performed the recoupment, the identity and quantity of material recouped
(including NSN, hazardous constituents, and type of package), the type of recoupment
performed, and any mishaps that occurred during recoupment (e.g., spill, personnel exposure).
These records can be used to improve recoupment operations and may be vital in determining the
health condition and required treatment of injured personnel.
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