Toronto Fire Hazardous Materials Incidents Operations PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS OPERATIONS Date Issued: March 29, 2019 Rescinds: November 19, 2015 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-HAZC PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for operations at hazardous materials (H...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS OPERATIONS Date Issued: March 29, 2019 Rescinds: November 19, 2015 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-HAZC PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for operations at hazardous materials (Haz Mat) incidents RESPONSIBILITY All personnel are responsible for being familiar with procedures for safe and efficient emergency response to operations at hazardous materials incidents. Company Officers are responsible for ensuring safe and efficient emergency operations by all personnel at hazardous materials incidents. Incident Commanders are responsible for ensuring this guideline is implemented for safe and efficient management of responses to hazardous materials incidents. GUIDELINES 1. First Arriving Officer 1.1. The first arriving Officer shall do the following: a) Rescue civilians that can be rescued. Wear full Structural Firefighting PPE and limit exposure to rescues that can be done quickly. Afterwards conduct gross decon then remove bunker suit, with the SCBA being last (i.e. other person holds mask frame as rescuer removes bunker jacket and pants - then they remove facepiece. Mask holder then washes own gloves afterward). b) If no rescues, secure the area and maintain a safe distance until chemical can be identified. c) Restrict access. Take defensive corrective actions only until the chemical has been identified and the hazards that are associated with it. d) Set up a charged hose line in a safe area uphill and upwind to facilitate emergency decontamination due to unexpected exposure to the public or responders. e) Attempt to identify the hazardous material using all available resources including; i. on site personnel. ii. placards. iii. labels. iv. containers. v. shipping papers. File Code: G-HAZC Page 1 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE vi. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). f) Notify the Communications Centre that a hazardous material is involved. g) Determine the hazards of the chemical and the initial action guidelines through the Emergency Response Guide and on site personnel. h) Evacuate civilians as per the evacuation guidelines in the Emergency Response Guide (if necessary). i) Monitor the area with appropriate detection device(s). j) Determine whether the product can be contained or confined safely by on site personnel. k) Decide whether any action such as rescue can be safely initiated by Firefighters. 1.2. Taking offensive spill control action at a hazardous materials incident should be avoided until the chemical can be identified and the hazards are known. 2. Command 2.1. The Incident Commander shall do the following: a) Establish a Command Post in the Cold Zone and located in a safe area based on the information received from the first arriving Officer. b) Confer with the Hazard Unit Officer and other on scene Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) Technicians to assist in decision making. c) Define the limits of the hazard zones (Hot, Warm and Cold) and if necessary the evacuation area after consultation with the Haz Mat Team and any other persons who are qualified to assist in such decisions. d) If a hazardous material has been identified and the hazards are known, size up the extent of the emergency, develop and initiate a plan of action. e) Call for all outside agencies and resources required (Police, Toronto EMS, Ministry of Environment, Toronto Works, Spills Action Centre (SAC), etc.). f) Confirm decisions (may contact CANUTEC). 2.2. In addition to all other assignments required by the Incident Management System (IMS), the Incident Commander shall ensure personnel are assigned to the following: a) Hazardous Materials Sector Officer. b) Hot Zone Sector Officer. c) Decontamination Officer. 2.3. The Incident Commander is responsible for the overall strategic level of the command structure and takes overall command of the incident. 2.4. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to do the following: a) Ensure reasonable and safe actions are taken to identify the hazardous material involved and to determine the hazards. b) Maintain a safe operating distance from the emergency site and to ensure other arriving vehicles are informed of the current status of the situation. c) Establish control of the scene and maintain a Command post in a safe area. d) Define the limits of the Hazard Zones (Hot, Warm or Cold) and the File Code: G-HAZC Page 2 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE evacuation area, if required. e) Ensure a Decontamination Sector is established and maintained as outlined in the appropriate guideline prior to anyone entering into the Hot Zone. f) Ensure Emergency Decontamination has been established prior to any other decontamination activity. g) Ensure the exit from the Hot Zone is through the Decontamination Sector. h) Ensure Emergency Decontamination is established in an area readily accessible from the Hot Zone but adjacent to the Decontamination Sector. i) Provide the resources required to control and stabilize the situation and to ensure the emergency site is left in a stable condition. j) Confirm and approve the level of personal protective clothing for the Entry Teams and Decontamination Team as recommended by knowledgeable personnel. k) Ensure decontamination, first aid and medical assistance are provided for all contaminated persons at the scene. l) Ensure that personnel and equipment have been properly decontaminated and cleaned before returning to service. m) Ensure records are kept of all persons requiring decontamination or medical aid due to the exposure to hazardous materials from the incident. n) Ensure the incident is properly documented in accordance with TFS practices. 3. Hot Zone Sector Officer 3.1. The Incident Commander shall appoint a Hot Zone Sector Officer (HZSO) from a responding Haz Mat Team. The HZSO shall be a TFS Haz Mat qualified Officer. 3.2. Other Haz Mat Officers shall assist the Hot Zone Sector Officer during the operation. 3.3. The Hot Zone Sector Officer in consultation with TFS Hazmat Technicians and the Incident Commander (Hot Zone Branch Officer) shall determine the level of personnel protective equipment required. 3.4. The HZSO shall be responsible for the following: a) Management of all personnel and activities in the Hot Zone. b) Gathering as much data as possible relating to the emergency such as; i. specific location of incident. ii. material(s) involved. iii. equipment required. iv. course of action. c) Ensuring a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) is established and prepared to enter in the same level of protection as the Entry Team prior to entry. d) The RIT shall only go on air when about to enter the Hot Zone. e) Ensure an Emergency Decontamination line is established as soon as possible. f) Ensure the Decontamination Sector is ready and operational prior to the Hot Zone Entry Team(s) entering the Hot Zone. g) Brief the Hot Zone Entry Team(s) and the RIT together prior to entering the File Code: G-HAZC Page 3 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE Hot Zone. i. The RIT will have better knowledge of the activities of the Entry Team and reduce the briefing time necessary should they have to enter. h) Requesting the Entry Team(s) air pressure prior to their entry, when they have arrived at their objective and periodically throughout their entry to determine when they should return for decontamination. i) Calculating the air pressure required for the Entry Team to make a safe return for decontamination. j) Continuously updating the Hot Zone Entry Team(s) as new data becomes available. k) Maintaining radio communication with the Hot Zone Entry Team at all times. 4. Emergency Signals 4.1. The Hot Zone Sector Officer shall review emergency hand signals and Air Horn Evacuation Signals (refer to Standard Operating Guideline G-EVFG — Evacuation of Fire Ground) with all persons before they enter the Hot Zone. 5. Hot Zone Entry Teams 5.1. Hot Zone Entry Team(s) shall be in compliance with the following: a) Consist of a minimum two (2) members. b) Not enter until a RIT is equipped with comparable level of protection and poised for rapid entry if needed. c) Enter and exit the Hot Zone together. d) Use full one (1) hour SCBA cylinders to allow enough time to decontaminate. e) Hydrate prior to entering the Hot Zone (drinking water only; diuretics such as coffee or tea are not recommended for working in Totally Encapsulating Vapour-Protective Chemical Suits). f) Advise the Hot Zone Sector Officer; i. when beginning to use cylinder air ii. initial pressure on SCBA gauges. g) Report their air pressure when they arrive at the actual incident (to assist the Hot Zone Sector Officer monitor the time required to return for decontamination). 6. Communications 6.1. Each member of an Entry and RIT Team should be assigned a portable radio. 6.2. Communications between the Hot Zone Entry Team(s) and the Hot Zone Sector Officer shall take place on a dedicated channel separate from the incident. This reduces interference caused by normal radio traffic and allows for quicker response. 6.3. The Second/Back Up Hot Zone Entry or RIT and the Decontamination Sector Officer shall monitor the assigned frequency and not use the frequency for communication until entering the Hot Zone. This allows the Decontamination Officer to determine when the Entry Team is returning for decontamination. File Code: G-HAZC Page 4 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 7. Status Reports 7.1. Hot Zone Entry Team(s) shall provide status reports related to their activities and their air pressure to the Hot Zone Sector Officer at a minimum of every five (5) minutes or as a change in activity occurs. 7.2. The Hot Zone Entry Team shall report all observations to the Hot Zone Sector Officer. 7.3. The Hot Zone Sector Officer shall provide regular status reports to the Incident Commander. 8. Hot Zone Entry Team Relief 8.1. As soon as it is determined the task may not be completed within the maximum time period, the Hot Zone Sector Officer shall advise the backup Hot Zone Entry or RIT(s) to prepare to enter the Hot Zone and a backup RIT shall be immediately assembled. 8.2. If the RIT becomes the Hot Zone Entry Team then another RIT shall be established and dressed in the same level of protection prior to the entry of the Hot Zone Entry Team. 9. Emergency Exiting 9.1. Orders (signals) given to Hot Zone Entry Team(s) to exit an incident SHALL BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND OBEYED IMMEDIATELY. 9.2. In the event of an equipment failure or a team member is injured, the Hot Zone Entry Team shall exit the Hot Zone IMMEDIATELY. 9.3. Where the first/original Hot Zone Entry Team is experiencing distress and the RIT is required to enter the Hot Zone to assist, the Hot Zone Sector Officer shall ensure there is no additional entry into the Hot Zone until proper deployment of manpower is re-established in accordance with this guideline. 10. Decontamination 10.1. The Hot Zone Entry Officer shall ensure no persons enter the Hot Zone until suitable decontamination procedures are in place and decontamination personnel are ready. 10.2. Hot Zone Entry Team(s) returning from the Hot Zone Sector shall report to the Decontamination Area with a minimum of one quarter (¼) cylinder air pressure remaining. To estimate when the Entry Team should leave the Hot Zone, add the amount of air pressure used by the team member who used the most air to enter to one quarter (¼) of a full cylinder. The resulting figure is the amount required to return to the entrance of the decontamination corridor to be decontaminated and to be removed from the Totally Encapsulating Vapour- Protective Chemical Suits. 10.3. Personnel presenting themselves for decontamination shall become the responsibility of the Decontamination Officer and shall act on the orders of the Decontamination Crew. File Code: G-HAZC Page 5 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 11. Rehabilitation 11.1. Personnel completing decontamination shall present themselves to Rehabilitation (Rehab) for replenishment of fluids and cool down. At this time personnel completing decontamination will receive medical monitoring. 11.2. After Rehab, personnel having served in Totally Encapsulating Vapour- Protective Chemical Suits at an incident should be relieved of further duties as personnel resources permit. 12. Notifications 12.1. CANUTEC is the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre operated by the Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate of Transport Canada. CANUTEC is staffed by professional chemists experienced and trained in interpreting technical information and providing emergency response advice. Contact information is the following: a) CANUTEC Emergency; Collect at (613) 996-6666 (24 hours). *666 cellular. b) CANUTEC Non-Emergency; Information line at (613) 992-4624 (24 hours). 12.2. Although technical information and emergency response assistance can be obtained from CANUTEC, there are federal and provincial regulations requiring the reporting of dangerous goods incidents to certain authorities. In Ontario, local Police shall be contacted to make the appropriate notifications of these agencies. 12.3. Appropriate federal agencies shall be notified in the case of rail, air or marine incidents. 12.4. Police shall be notified in all cases of lost, stolen or misplaced explosives, radioactive materials or infectious substances. 12.5. CANUTEC shall be notified in the case of any of the following: a) Lost, stolen or misplaced infectious substances. b) An incident involving infectious substances. c) An incident where the shipping documents display the CANUTEC telephone number (613) 996-6666 as the emergency telephone number. i. A dangerous goods incident in which a railway vehicle is involved. 13. Emergency Request Procedure – Airspace NOTAM Notice to Airmen Format 13.1. It may become necessary or desirable during a Hazardous Materials Incident to have aircraft and drones kept away from an incident area or air space downwind. This may be a consideration of the Incident Commander during any of the following: a) Toxic cloud with potential to harm aircrews and passengers. b) Congregation of air traffic around an incident (i.e. media interests) and where such convergence may cause an air collision. File Code: G-HAZC Page 6 of 7  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE c) Rotor wash from helicopters or aircraft may disturb vapour containment measures (i.e. foam blankets, etc.). d) BLEVE hazard is present. 13.2. The Incident Commander may request a “NOTAM” (Notice to Airmen) flight exclusion zone be issued by Transport Canada. The Incident Commander should request the TFS Communications Centre notify the following: Transport Canada Emergency Air Operations Centre (877) 992-6853 13.3. At the conclusion of any incident or the need for a NOTAM, the Incident Commander should request termination of the NOTAM through the TFS Communications Centre. ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS E-AIRM – Air Monitoring Equipment E-CHEM – Chemical Protective Suits and Equipment G-AIRB - Air Monitoring G-DECO - Decontamination Unit G-EVFG - Evacuation of Fire Ground G-HAZA - Hazardous Materials Incidents – Alarm Levels G-HAZB - Hazardous Materials Incidents – Awareness Level G-HAZD - Hazardous Materials Incidents – Decontamination Operations G-HAZP – Hazardous Materials Incidents – Provincial CBRNE Deployment G-HAZU — Hazardous Materials Incidents – Response to Unknown Substances G-OAEN — Other Agencies (Non Emergency) – Ministry of Environment (MOE) G-RADI — Radiation Hazards File Code: G-HAZC Page 7 of 7