Wood preservation facilities, alkaline copper quaternary: chapter G-8

8. Operational Recommendations

The recommendations for good operating practice listed in this section must be used in conjunction with those in Part I, Chapter A - General Recommendations for All Wood Preservatives, Section 8. The objectives are meant to protect both workers and the environment from harmful exposure to ACQ components and solutions.

8.1 Operational Standards

The registered pesticide labels are legal documents that must be followed when treating wood with wood preservatives. The labels state the required PPE, the acceptable treatment solution concentrations and the target retention rates within the wood. While not a legal requirement, the CSA O80 Series of Standards specifies a number of additional requirements and recommendations related to wood preservatives, including ACQ-C and ACQ-D. Those standards should be followed and applied in respect of applicable laws and regulations. Process controls should be installed, maintained and calibrated in accordance with CSA O80.2-08 Clause 4.1 (referenced to AWPA M3). The calibration can be conducted by facility staff if they have the appropriate training.

All tables of general content from Chapter A, Section 8 must be taken into consideration.

8.2 Facility Wide Recommendations

Refer to Part I, Chapter A - General Recommendations for All Wood Preservatives, Section 8.2 and consult Table 17 and Table 18.

8.3 Process Area-specific Recommendations

Currently, knowledge of preservative stabilization and leachability of ACQ is based on operational observation and monitoring. Plants must take all necessary precautions to minimize charge drippage (e.g. charge tilting, extended vacuums, hot air purging of cylinder) and allow for at least 48 hours of storage at a minimum of 20oC on a roofed drip pad that allows stabilization of ACQ and recovery of all drip liquid. Only the use of an accelerated stabilization process at controlled humidity and temperature can shorten the 48-hour storage time. Treated wood should be wrapped prior to moving to any outside storage area.

The operator should be familiar to the additional recommendations of Table 22. Additional Recommended Operating Practices for Maintenance, Cleanout and Shutdown of Treatment Systems (ACQ Preservatives)