Hazardous Materials: Transportation & Emergency Response

• Guidelines outline prevention methods and personal protection when dealing with hazardous materials.

Guidelines for the Transportation of Hazardous Chemical Materials

• It contains info on 2,500 chemicals identified by their United Nations and Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) numbers.
• It provides information relating to the chemical substance's properties and how to handle it during transportation and storage.
• This all aims to avoid incidents like fire, leakage, or spillage.

HAZMAT System

• Offers a guide with details on 10,500 chemical substances.
• It includes aspects like chemical and physical properties.
• It contains information on toxicity, firefighting materials, and protective gear.
• It has guidelines for evacuation distances and first aid.

Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)

• Assists responders in quickly identifying a substance's general hazards.
• Protects first responders and the public during the initial stages of an incident.

Sections of the Emergency Response Guidebook

• Signboard Table- refers to signs used to transport hazardous goods and their respective guide numbers (orange section), consisting of three digits.
• Graphical Charts for Tank and Trailer- illustrates the shapes of transportation vehicles with their respective guide number (orange section), consisting of three digits.
• Yellow Section (ID Number)- Materials arranged by United Nations Identification Number (four digits), followed by the guide number (orange section) and the scientific name.
• Blue Section (Cargo Names)- Materials arranged alphabetically by scientific name, followed by the guide number (orange section) and identification number (four digits).
• Orange Section (Page Guide)- Details potential hazards like fire, explosion, and health effects.
• Green Part (Isolation Distances)- Contains general safety measures for area isolation, protective clothing, and evacuation. It also has emergency response procedures for fire, leakage, and first aid and a table of initial isolation and safety distances.

Instructions for Using the Preventive Guide

• The guide has three parts, including a usage key.
• Each page has five columns
• Column 1: Substance names in alphabetical order.
• Column 2: The UN number for each substance.
• Column 3: The preventive guide number for easy lookup.
• Column 4: Provides the storage guide number and properties.
• Column 5: Displays the hazard ranking per the UN classification.

Identifying Chemical Substances

• Identify using the four-digit number on hazardous warning signs.
• Look for the number on shipping documents or labels.
• Find the substance by name/number in the first part of the guide to get the preventive guide number.
• Open the preventive guide to the corresponding numbering, reading all instructions.
• Search the fourth column for information on the chemical's storage.
• For unidentified substances, refer to Guide Number (1) for professional assistance.
• Class -A explosives should use Protective Guide Number 26
• Class -B explosives should use Protective Guide Number 36
• Class -C explosives should use Protective Guide Number 40
• Blasting Agents should use Protective Guide Number 36

International Chemical Safety Card (ICSC)

• It can accompany hazardous material shipments and available in industrial facilities.
• This document offers information similar to the 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook.

Guidance Sign

• Uses symbols and numbers with specific meanings.
• It needs to be weather-resistant and securely fastened to the transport unit.
• Part (1), which needs to be white, is the warning sign. It indicates the specific hazard of the chemical. like Flammable, Oxidizing, Corrosive, Toxic, or Radioactive.
• The remaining parts are in orange.
  • Part (2)- Indicates emergency procedures that must be followed dealing in emergencies
  • Part (3)- Indicates the United Nations (UN) number
  • Part (4)-Reflects the substance's scientific name
• Guidance sign dimensions: 70 cm length, 40 cm width.

Computerized Chemical Information

• Chemical information is available through computerized systems and programs:
  • Early Warning System (Operations)
  • the NIOSH Hazardous Substance Program
  • CAMEO Program
  • Internet search engines
• Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) suite includes:
  • CAMEO fm (Database and Information Management Tool)
  • CAMEO Chemicals
  • MARPLOT
  • ALOHA
• CAMEO fm is a database application for emergency planning.

CAMEO Chemicals

• Provides chemical response datasheets and reactivity prediction tools.
• Offers thousands of specific response details.
• Includes:
  • Chemical Data- Information on physical/chemical properties, health, air, and water hazards, plus firefighting, first aid, and spill advice.
  • UN Data- Response details from the Emergency Response Guidebook and shipping information.
  • Assesses hazards of mixing substances.

MARPLOT

• This allows mapping for local response, planning, and operational tasks.

ALOHA

• This atmospheric dispersion model assesses chemical vapor releases.
• Estimates hazardous areas from releases, including toxic gas, fires, and explosions.

Covers guidelines and systems for safely handling hazardous chemical materials, including transportation, storage, and emergency response. Includes details on chemical properties, toxicity, firefighting, protective measures, and first aid.