Hazardous Materials Awareness

Blountstown Fire Department Training Division

Involved Standards and Regulations

OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.120 and EPA, 40 CFR Part 311: Requires all first responders to be trained at the Awareness level and use of the ERG NFPA 704: Standard for hazardous materials marking and placards.

First Responder Awareness Level

• Recognize Potential Incident • Call For Assistance • Take No Further Action • Not Part of the Emergency Response

Operations Level

• Defensive Operations- Outside Release Area • Decon Assistance, containment outside release area • Dispatched As Part of the Initial Response

Technician Level

• Offensive Operations • Usually Operates in Hot Zone • Part of a HazMat Team

Specialist Level

• Enhanced or Specialized Task Specific Training

Incident Commander Level

• At Least Operations Level Certified • Trained in ICS

The Role of the Awareness Level First Responder

•

R N I Recognition

of the hazardous chemical

Notification

of the proper authorities

Isolation

of the area around the incident *NEVER attempt to mitigate the scene without proper PPE and training.

Elements of Recognition

• Container Shape and Type – Tank, Drum, Bag or Box *Container Composition - Metal, Glass, Paper, Cardboard or Plastic

RNI continued……..

• Markings -Placards Only required for vehicles transporting 1000 lbs of product or more.

-Labels on packages or containers -Signage or Stenciling -Color Coding **No Marking requirement for fixed facilities.

Using “Context Clues”

• What is typical for the Occupancy?

• Use your senses -Sight- Effects on humans, animals and plants.

Form the spilled material takes (gas/solid/liquid) -Sound- noise from product being released sound of relief valves operating sound of victims screaming -Smell- not typically recommended. Generally if you smell it, it’s too late.

Context Clues continued…..

• Information gathering -Information from Bystanders -Eyewitnesses -Shipping Papers

The ERG

• Each Chemical has a 4 digit ID number ***If the chemical name is highlighted go directly to the “GREEN” section.

If the chemical is not highlighted, find the guide number and locate it in the ORANGE section.

If a number cannot be found but if the chemical is known it may be looked up alphabetically.

Unknown Substance

If a reference guide cannot be found and an incident is thought to involve dangerous chemicals TURN TO GUIDE 111 and use until more information comes available.

Guidebook Contents

Yellow Bordered Pages

• Lists dangerous chemicals in numerical order of ID number For Example ID # Guide # 1203

128

Name of Material Gasoline

Blue Bordered Pages

Lists dangerous goods in alphabetical order of material name.

For Example Material Name Toluene Guide No. ID No.

130

1294

Orange Bordered Pages

• THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE GUIDEBOOK!!!!

• Gives safety recommendations and emergency response information.

The left hand page provides safety related information The right hand page provides emergency response guidance and activities for fires, spills, leaks and first aid.

Green Bordered Pages

• Contains a table which lists by number TIH (toxic inhalation hazards) and initial isolation distances.

For Example Find Chlorine in the ERG and give the initial isolation distance for a small spill at night .

SMALL SPILL: Less than 200 Liters LARGE SPILL: Greater than 200 Liters

Safety Precautions

• Always approach the scene uphill and upwind.

• Secure the scene outside the HOT Zone.

• Gather as much information as possible, identify the hazards if possible.

• Asses the situation *Is there a fire, spill or leak?

*What are the weather conditions?

*What is the terrain like?

*Who is at risk: people, property or environment?

*What actions should be taken?

*What can be done immediately? • Obtain Help: Call the appropriate authorities.

Who do I call?

• Notify your local Emergency Operations Center.

• Notify the emergency response number on the shipping documents.

• Contact the appropriate National Agency if necessary.

• For Domestic shipments call CHEMTREC 1-800-424-9300 (p. 10) • For military shipments with explosives or ammunitions 703-697-8703 all others call 1-800-851-8061 • Nationwide Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222

Establish Operational Zones

• •

Hot Zone-

Area near the release. Usually requires specialized clothing to enter. Perimeter can be outlined using the ERG’s Initial Isolation Distances.

Warm Zone-

Area used for decon. Size dependent on space needed. Requires specialized clothing one level below hot zone. Should be a limited access area.

Operational Zones continued…

•

Cold Zone-

Operational area outside warm zone. Used for staging resources and Incident Command. No special clothing requirements.

Identifying Chemicals

• The placard system is the most common identification system in hazardous materials transport.

1. Notice the color and picture on the placard.

2. Notice the ID number on the placard. 3. Notice the shape and size of the container.

Intermodal Containers

• Intermodal containers have been shipped internationally or across great distances with varying identification systems.

ALWAYS approach pressurized tanks from the center. The end caps are the weakest point and the most dangerous!

Vehicle Crash involving a semi tractor trailer displaying this placard:

The vehicle it collided with was displaying this placard and is now making a hissing noise from the rear compartment.

A farmer’s truck rolls over and catches fire, he’s carrying 25 bags of the substance pictured below:

You’ve been called to a structure fire in the front of a building. While performing a primary search, you and your partner come across this scene: