HAZMAT.pptx

HAZMAT Hazmat incidents i) (1) Involve a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to people, the environment, and/or property (2) May involve a hazardous substance that has been or may be released from a container (3) May involve a hazardous substance that is on fire (4) Are more complex than a rou...

HAZMAT Hazmat incidents i) (1) Involve a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to people, the environment, and/or property (2) May involve a hazardous substance that has been or may be released from a container (3) May involve a hazardous substance that is on fire (4) Are more complex than a routine emergency incident (5) May be the result of a deliberate or accidental attack Other emergencies – do not involve the release of a hazardous substance Training requirements for awareness-level (hazmat) first responders i) The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require responders to meet specific training requirements ii) The US Department of Justice (DOJ) requires first responders to have training to prepare them for terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) iii) National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standards (1) NFPA 471: Recommended Practice for Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents (2) NFPA 472: Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents (3) NFPA 473: Standard for Competencies for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents The primary responsibilities of an awareness-level responder at a hazmat incident i) Recognize the presence or potential presence of hazmat ii) Recognize the container type and identify the material in it, if possible iii) Transmit information to the appropriate authority and call for assistance iv) Identify actions to protect oneself and others from the hazards v) Establish control of the scene by isolating the hazardous area and denying entry The primary agencies that regulate hazmat i) Department of Transportation (DOT) (1) Issues transportation regulations for air space, highways, pipelines, railways, and waterways (2) Enforces regulations at the federal, state, and local levels (3) Defines when a material is considered hazardous (4) Requires the use of placards during the transportation of hazmat (a) Placards – diamond-shaped signs attached to hazmat transportation vehicles that identify the following: (i) Explosive (orange) (ii) Flammable or non-flammable gas (green or red) (iii) Flammable combustible liquids (red) (iv) Flammable solids (red candy-stripe or blue) (v) Oxidizers (yellow) (i) Poison (white) (ii) Radioactive (yellow and white) (iii) Corrosives (black and white) EPA (1) Researches and sets national standards for environmental programs (2) Delegates the responsibility for issuing permits, monitoring, and enforcing the standards compliance of states and tribes (3) Works with industries and government agencies for pollution prevention and energy conservation Department of Labor (DOL) (1) Includes OSHA (2) Is responsible for overseeing US labor laws Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (1) Regulates US commercial nuclear power plants and the civilian use of nuclear materials (2) Regulates the possession, use, storage, and transfer of radioactive materials Four products most often involved in hazmat incidents i) Flammable/combustible liquids (1) Petroleum products (2) Paint products (3) Resins (4) Adhesives ii) Corrosives (1) Sulfuric Acid (2) Hydrochloric acid (3) Sodium hydroxide iii) Anhydrous ammonia iv) Chlorine Hazard-control zones i) Provide scene control to (1) Protect first responders from interference by unauthorized persons (2) Help regulate the movement of first responders within the zones (3) Minimize contamination Primary zone designations: Hot zone (a) The area of greatest hazard at a hazmat incident site (b) No person should enter unless in approved PPE Primary zone designations: Warm zone (a) The area between the hot zone and the cold zone where danger exists but risk is limited (b) Responders may put on PPE and clean materials, if needed, but civilians and media are not allowed in this zone Primary zone designations: Cold zone (a) The outermost area of a hazmat incident site, which is considered uncontaminated (b) Special protective clothing measures are unnecessary in this zone General information about hazmat (1) May be elements, compounds, or mixtures found in gaseous, liquid, or solid states, or a combination of these states (2) May present a direct threat to health or be considered dangerous because of their physical hazards (3) Range in severity from negligible to extremely dangerous (a) Non-flammable to extremely flammable (b) Non-reactive to highly reactive (i.e. detonate easily or unexpectedly) (c) Short-lived to multi-generational radioactive and biochemical effects Types of exposures (1) Acute (single occurrence) (2) Chronic (reoccurring) Types of health effects (1) Acute – short-term effects that appear within hours or days (e.g. vomiting or diarrhea) (2) Chronic – long-term effects that may take years to appear (e.g. cancer) Behaviors of hazmat (1) Depend upon a material’s (a) Physical state (b) Flammability (c) Boiling point (a) Chemical reactivity (b) Other properties (2) Determine the type and amount of harm caused (3) Influence the effects it has on containers, people, living organisms, other chemicals/materials, and the environment Potential ignition sources at a hazmat scene i) Open flames ii) Static electricity iii) Pilot lights iv) Electrical sources v) Internal combustion engines vi) Radiant heat vii) Cigarettes viii) Cameras ix) Road flares Categories of health and physical hazards: Thermal hazards (1) Are related to temperature extremes (2) Are caused by various factors such as (a) Hazmat (e.g. elevated-temperature materials or cryogenic liquids) (b) Conditions on the scene (e.g. extreme ambient air temperature) Categories of health and physical hazards: Radiological hazards (1) Exist in many forms, but ionizing radiation is the greatest concern for firefighters (2) Usually exist for firefighters during incidents at specific types of locations, but they might also be used in terrorist attacks (a) Medical centers (b) Industrial operations (c) Nuclear power plants (d) Research facilities (3) Usually pose minimal risks for firefighters if proper precautions, such as wearing PPE, are taken Categories of health and physical hazards: Asphyxiation hazards (1) Asphyxiants – substances that interfere with the oxygenation of the body and cause suffocation if untreated (2) Two classes of asphyxiants (a) Simple asphyxiant – gases that dilute or displace the oxygen needed for breathing (b) Chemical asphyxiant – substances that prohibit the body from using oxygen Categories of health and physical hazards: Chemical hazards (1) May produce a wide range of effects whose likelihood and severity are contingent on the following factors (a) Chemical’s toxicity (b) Route of exposure (c) Nature and extent of exposure (d) Susceptibility of the exposed person (2) Are classified as follows (a) Poisons/Toxic chemicals (b) Corrosives (c) Irritants (d) Convulsants (e) Carcinogens (f)Sensitizers/Allergens Categories of health and physical hazards: Etiological/Biological hazards (1) Are microorganisms that may cause severe disabling disease or illness, including (a) Viral agents (b) Bacterial agents (c) Rickettsias (d) Biological toxins Categories of health and physical hazards: Mechanical hazards (1) Can cause trauma as a result of direct contact with an object, usually striking or friction (2) Can be mild, moderate, or severe (3) Can result from a single event Routes of entry for human exposure to hazmat i) Inhalation – breathing through the nose or mouth (e.g. smoke) ii) Ingestion – consuming through the mouth by a process other than inhalation (e.g. pill) iii) Injection – forcing through the skin by a puncture or break (e.g. syringe) iv) Absorption – assimilating through mucous membranes or areas of the body where skin is the thinnest (e.g. eyes) i) Contact – occurs when a material touches skin or an exposed surface of the body (e.g. acid)