Transcript SAFETY A Perspective View & Handling of Hazardous

Emergency Response &
Rescue Planning
by
Mr. G. S. Saini
Director, National Civil Defence College
Scenario #1
• You are a Safety officer of your Plant.
• You receive a call from a worker reporting a
person down, clutching his throat and
coughing.
• Upon arrival at the scene you notice several
people in the immediate vicinity also down
– Some are clutching their chests and some are
coughing heavily.
Scenario #1 Questions
• What is happening?
• Is this a normal reaction for a heart
attack?
• Is it likely that five people have had heart
attacks at the same time and place?
Scenario #2
• Now people are staggering away from the
scene
• All are complaining of blurred vision & red
teary eyes.
Scenario #2 Questions
• What might we be dealing with?
• Are we dealing with something other than a
heart attack?
• Could this be caused by something in the
atmosphere?
Scenario #3
• People are starting to run from
the scene.
• Some people have lost
consciousness.
Scenario #3 Questions
• What could account for all these
symptoms?
• What would you look for as the cause?
Observations of Incident
• There is no debris, which might indicate a
blast
• No smoke or fire is apparent
• There are multiple casualties, without the
presence of trauma
• It was a sudden onset
Operational Clues
• Clues that indicate a chemical incident
– Symptoms exhibited in multiple casualties that
are normally seen in a single person.
– Multiple casualties for no apparent reason
– Multiple casualties without trauma
– Escalating number of victims
– Escalating symptoms of the victims
Solution
• Observations indicate a toxic chemical
agent has caused the incident
• Symptoms indicate victims have likely
been exposed to a choking agent-
CHLORINE
What is the Next Move?
• Call in support based on
– Increasing number of victims
– Responder hazard (first response was for a
unknown factor, now there is a chemical
hazard)
– Need for additional equipment
• Protect yourself
• Treat the victims
What is a Hazard ?
Hazard
“Any substance/operation that poses an
unreasonable risk to life, property or the
environment.”
• Hazardous Material
– “Any substance that poses an unreasonable risk
to life, the environment, or property when not
properly contained.”
How to Identify ?
Hazardous materials pose many
problems. One of the obvious problems
is determining what constitutes a
hazardous materials incident. Many
agencies are involved with the handling,
use, and the problems associated with
hazardous materials. Each of these
agencies has identified hazardous
materials as it relates to their realm of
service.
Definition
• OSHA and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (NIOSH) views a hazardous
material from the standpoint of potential
hazard. They rate conditions that may
cause injury or death as they are found in
the working environment, whether they are
obvious or not.
Problems
• The problems encountered at a
hazardous materials incident are
many. The primary threats
involve injury to the emergency
worker and harm to the
community.
• Without emergency personnel,
the situation cannot be handled
in a safe or timely manner.
When dealing with this type of
incident, personal safety should
always be the primary concern
Hazardous Chemical Incident
• Methylisocyanate (MIC)
incident at Bhopal, India
• 3,300 people killed
immediately; 16,000 after
ten years
• 40 tons of MIC released
that covered 20 Km2
• Over 500,000 people
suffered effects of gas
• Ground water hazard for
ten years
Hazardous Chemicals
Any chemical (solid, liquid, gas) that can cause
harm to people and their surroundings
Physical Hazards
• Explosives
• Compressed gases
• Flammable and
combustible liquids
• Flammable solids
• Oxidizers
• Poisons
• Radioactive
• Corrosives
Health Hazards
• Asphyxiant
• Carcinogen
• Irritant
• Corrosive
• Sensitizer
• Toxic Agent
Effects of Hazardous Chemicals
• Any substance that
can result in harmful
effects
– Immediate (acute)
– Delayed (minutes or
hours)
– Long Term (chronic)
– Temporary effects
– Permanent effects
Intensity of Effects
• Varies by
– Type of chemical
– Exposure (time X amount)
– Physical health
– Age
– Weather (wind, temperature,
rain)
Symptoms
• Coughing
• Constricted pupils, red teary eyes
• Bleeding or hemorrhaging
• Strong or unusual smell
• Strange behavior
• Convulsions
• Unconsciousness
Symptoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Difficulty breathing
Blurred vision
Runny eyes and nose
Slurred speech, disorientation
Skin irritation
Nausea
Sudden headache
Weakness
If you experience these
symptoms, seek medical
attention immediately
Safety Considerations
for
Emergency
Response & Rescue
Safety is a Matter of Attitude
• Negative attitudes promote:
–
–
–
Carelessness
Recklessness
Overconfidence
• Positive safety attitudes promote:
–
–
–
Openness to new ideas
Alertness
Planning ahead
Multiple Hazard Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Explosive
Flammable
Thermally unstable
Reactive
Poisonous
Infectious
Radioactive
Corrosive
Safety Keypoint #1
• “Always consider the possibility of
multiple hazard characteristics in
each hazard class.”
Safety Keypoint #2
• “Approach all hazardous material
incidents from upwind, upgrade,
and upstream, positioning vehicles
and apparatus headed away from
the incident scene.”
Distance is an Ally
• Distance
100'
– 200'
– 300'
– 400'
– 500'
–
Safety Factors
1
2 times
4 times
16 times
256 times
Staging Area
• A safe haven for personnel and
equipment that allows a 3 minute
scene access from a safe distance
should the incident suddenly
escalate
Outward Warning Signs
• People running from the
hazardous area
Outward Warning Signs
• People running from the hazardous area
• People collapsed inside the hazardous area
Outward Warning Signs
• People running from the hazardous area
• People collapsed inside the hazardous area
• Evidence of fire indicated by smoke
Outward Warning Signs
•
•
•
•
People running from the hazardous area
People collapsed inside the hazardous area
Evidence of fire indicated by smoke
A loud roar of increasing pitch from an operating
relief valve
Outward Warning Signs
•
•
•
•
People running from the hazardous area
People collapsed inside the hazardous area
Evidence of fire indicated by smoke
A loud roar of increasing pitch from an operating
relief valve
• Evidence of a leak indicated by a hissing sound
Outward Warning Signs
•
•
•
•
People running from the hazardous area
People collapsed inside the hazardous area
Evidence of fire indicated by smoke
A loud roar of increasing pitch from an operating
relief valve
• Evidence of a leak indicated by a hissing sound
• Birds and insects falling out of the sky
Rescue Considerations
• The Victim
Has the presence of the person(s)
requiring rescue been confirmed visually
or by credible sources?
– How long has the person(s) been
exposed to the hazardous material?
– Is the person viable?
– Is the person(s) requiring rescue
trapped in a vehicle or by debris?
–
Rescue Considerations
• The Product
What are the hazards of the material
involved?
– Is a fire or explosion likely?
– How fast is the product leaking from it’s
container?
– Is the person(s) directly exposed to the
product or it’s vapors?
–
Rescue Considerations
• The Responder(s)
–
–
–
–
–
Does the responder have adequate training?
Is appropriate protective equipment
available?
Are there sufficient personnel present to
provide back-up?
How long must responders be exposed in
the process of attempting rescue?
Are the proper tools available?
Rescue Considerations
• Physical Factors
Must the vehicle or entrapping debris be
stabilized?
– Can the flow of product be diverted away
from victim or stopped altogether?
– Is access to the person difficult due to
steep terrain or other reasons?
–
Safety Keypoint #3
• “In a hazardous material incident
you may have to delay attending to
the injured in order to save the
lives of many others”
Scene Control
• Initial actions taken to secure the
scene will save many lives by
preventing “convergence” into the
hazardous area.
Synergism
• Two or more chemicals combined
resulting in a new compound
–
The resulting compound can be more
hazardous than the original substances.
Chlorine + Ammonia = Chloramine gas
Safety Keypoint #4
• First operational priority:
– Isolate
the hazard area and
deny entry.
Establish Perimeters
• Establish inner perimeter first.
• Initially establish a large outer
perimeter by closing major roadways
into the area by using incoming
response units.
• Downwind perimeters should be 2-3
times larger than other perimeter
boundaries.
Scene Safety
After surveying the scene:
• Set up zones
HOT
WARM
COLD
 Control the scene
The
Hot Zone
• Center = center of the incident/explosion
• First perimeter = location of the farthest piece
of evidence
• ‘y’ = distance between the center and
perimeter
y
shrapnel
y=100 meters
The
Warm Zone
• Half the distance
• Likely place for a second device
• Distance between Hot and Warm zone
is ‘x’
x
X=50 meters
The
Cold Zone
• Where the incident command post is set up
• Choose the point which provides the most
safety
CP
Safe Deployment of Resources
Maintain safe distances, up wind and up hill, if possible
Operations for Hazardous Accidents
Wind Direction
Security
Medical &
Triage
Command
Post
Staging
Area
Operations &
Safety
Safety Keypoint #5
• Only those emergency personnel
in the proper protective clothing
and positive pressure SCBA, “who
are actively performing emergency
operations” are to operate within
the inner perimeter.”
Emergency Response Plans
• Must identify minimum perimeter
distances to be utilized by the
emergency responders for the
protection of both the emergency
responders and the citizens.
Control Zones
• Recommended minimum initial
isolation distances:
Minor incident = 150 mtrs
– Major incident = 500 mtrs
– Explosion potential = 800 mtrs
–
• Isolate in all directions
Safety Keypoint #6
• “Recommended minimum safety
perimeter for citizens = 1,000 mtrs
beyond inner perimeter boundaries
in open areas.”
Safety Keypoint #7
• “To avoid inhalation hazards, SCBA
must be properly worn, used and
maintained.”
Recognize the potential for downwind
hazards to be present;
– Use personnel in the proper level of
personal protective clothing to expand
downwind perimeters to well beyond the
hazardous area.
–
Safety Keypoint #8
• “Never eat, smoke or drink at or
around hazardous material
incident scenes until you
decontaminate and wash your
hands, face, and hair thoroughly.”
Absorption
• Skin absorption occurs by:
– Direct
contact of material with
exposed skin (such as splashes
and spills on unprotected skin)
– Handling of contaminated patients,
clothing, and equipment
– Penetration of protective clothing
Safety Keypoint #9
• “Consult protective clothing
compatibility data to ensure
available protective clothing is
compatible with the hazardous
material(s) involved in the
incident.”
Medical Surveillance
• Pre-employment exam
• Annual or periodic exams and
testing
• Post employment
• Post exposure treatment
• Record keeping
Exposure Records
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Date
Time
Incident number
Blood gas levels (carboxyhemoglobin)
Material involved
Level of exposure
Medical treatment received
General Safety Precautions
• Isolate the hazard area and deny entry
General Safety Precautions
• Isolate the hazard area and deny entry
• Do not walk into or touch any spilled
material
General Safety Precautions
• Isolate the hazard area and deny entry
• Do not walk into or touch any spilled
material
• Avoid inhalation of all gases, fumes, and
smoke,
General Safety Precautions
• Isolate the hazard area and deny entry
• Do not walk into or touch any spilled
material
• Avoid inhalation of all gases, fumes, and
smoke,
• Do not assume that gases or vapors are
harmless just because you can't see or
smell them.
General Safety Precautions
• Isolate the hazard area and deny entry
• Do not walk into or touch any spilled
material
• Avoid inhalation of all gases, fumes, and
smoke,
• Do not assume that gases or vapors are
harmless just because you can't see or
smell them.
Safety Keypoint #10
“Think of safety
with every breath
you take.”
Primary Considerations
for Response
• Responder Safety • Risk Assessment
• Public Safety
• Scene Security
• Hazard
Assessment
• Environmental
Concerns
• Property
Conservation
Establish Response Priorities
• Low
– Protecting environment,
property or equipment
• Moderate
– Attempt rescue of
person(s) with low
probability of survival
• High
– Attempt rescue of
person(s) with high
probability of survival
Identify Evacuation or
Relocation Procedures
• Evacuation
– Action taken rapidly in the
best interests of the public
within the threatened area
• Relocation
– Preventing re-entry into
the area when negative
impacts will persist for a
long period of time, or
permanently
Response Reactions
• When looking at the hazards involved
consider your responders safety and will
their effects dramatically change the
outcome of the incident
• Decision time
– “Stay and Play” (safely do the job)
– “Get Out” (the risks are too great)
Safe Work Practices
• Prevent direct contact with hazardous
chemicals
• Limit exposure levels and time
• Good hygiene
• Take appropriate fire prevention and control
measures
Safe Work Practices
• Use appropriate personal protective
equipment
• Use equipment and tools not affected by the
chemical being handled
• Prevent chemicals from mixing that cause
adverse reactions
• Use good common sense
Scene Safety
• Ensure that there is an evacuation
plan and an escape route
• Minimize the number of people on
the scene
• Set up the triage area
outside the event area
Use Emergency Response Guide
• First responders guide developed jointly by
transportation departments of Canada, United
States and Mexico
– Includes United Nations dangerous goods list
• Assist first responders in making initial decisions
Emergency Response Guide
• Quick identification of the specific or
generic hazards of the material(s)
involved in the incident
• Isolation and protection of first
responders and the general public
Emergency Response Guide
• Not a substitute for emergency response
training, knowledge or sound judgment
• Does not address all possible
circumstances
• No physical or chemical properties of
hazardous materials
Guidebook Contents
• White pages
– How to use the guidebook during a dangerous goods incident
– General information
• Yellow-bordered pages
– Index list of dangerous goods in numerical order of four-digit ID
number
• Blue-bordered pages
– Index list of dangerous goods in alphabetical order of material
name
Guidebook Contents
• Orange-bordered pages
– Contains all safety recommendations in numerical
order by 3-digit guide number
• Green-bordered pages
– Table of Initial Isolation and Protective Action and a
table which lists, by ID number, Toxic by Inhalation
(TIH) materials
Hazmat Ipod
• Developed to address the unique needs of first
responders determining unknown hazards using
observable physical characteristics and signs
and symptoms observed in victims.
• Contains more than 91,000
chemical, biological warfare
(TICs, TIMs, CW agents),
biological agents (bio-weapon
and bioterror agents),
and improvised explosive devices
Single Gas Detectors
• Single-gas personal protection Monitors
for continuous readouts of Toxic gas
Concentrations
 Ammonia
 Carbon Monoxide
 Chlorine
 Chlorine Dioxide
 Hydrogen Cyanide
 Hydrogen Sulfide
 Nitric Oxide
 Nitrogen Dioxide
 Oxygen
 Phosphine
 Sulfur Dioxide
Multi Gas Detector
• Combines a PID and a
4-gas Monitor
• It measures oxygen,
combustibles (LEL),
carbon monoxide, and
hydrogen sulfide
Chemical Disaster
Management Tools
Detection Systems Are
Tools for Critical Decision
Making
PLAN! TRAIN!
PRACTICE!
• Preplanning is essential
• Train the way you plan to respond
• Practice varying your response
Evaluate
the
Risk
Prevent
the
Risk
Reduce
or
Eliminate
Learn
to
Survive
&
Recover
SUMMARY
•
•
•
•
Identify physical and structural hazards
Identify threats
Ensure responder safety.
Mark hazard areas and designate
safety zones
• Request specialized services
• Communicate & coordinate
• Use appropriate equipment
Any Questions
THE END