Hazmat Awareness
TWO reasons the Authority Having Jurisdiction's processes are important to you at a HazMat incident.
1.provide guidelines to individuals trained at the Awareness level about their role 2.establish methods and procedures for facility owners/operators to follow
Polymerization
A chemical reaction that produces heat and high-pressure build-up in containers which may explode or rupture.
Division 4 Explosives
A diamond-shaped sign with the number "four" the presence of division four explosives, which present a moderate fire hazard.
Military Chemical Warning — Red
A red military chemical warning sign indicates that there's a highly toxic material present.
Division 2 Explosives
A sign in the shape of an "X" with the number "two" indicates the presence of division two explosives, which present an explosive with fragmentation hazard.
Division 3 Explosives
A triangular sign with the number "three" on it indicates the presence of division three explosives, which present a mass fire hazard.
Military Chemical Warning — White
A white military chemical warning sign indicates that white phosphorus munitions are present.
Military Chemical Warning — Yellow
A yellow military chemical warning sign indicates a harassing agent.
Division 1 Explosives
An eight-sided orange sign with the number "one" indicates the presence of division one explosives, which present a mass detonation hazard.
chemical vs biological differences
B-has no odor or other signatures and CHEM does C- rapid onset of symptoms B-affect larger geographic wile a chemical incident can involve a smaller geographic
Nonbulk pesticide and agriculture chemical containers can have markings that include labels that read:
CAUTION WARNING DANGER
If the UN/NA number is not available, call the
Chemical Transportation Emergency Center (CHEMTREC, in the U.S.) Canadian Transport Emergency Center (CANUTEC, in Canada) Emergency Transportation System for the Chemical Industry or the National Center for Communications of the Civil Protection Agency (SETIQ or CECOM, in Mexico)
Class 4.1 — Flammable Solids (paraformaldehyde)
Class 4.1 consists of flammable solids that may be: wetted explosives — wetted with sufficient water, alcohol, or plasticizer to suppress explosive properties self-reactive materials — at normal or elevated temperature, may undergo decomposition caused by excessively high transport temperatures or by contamination readily combustible solids — could cause a fire through friction and metal powders that can be ignited
Class 4.3 — Water-Reactive/Dangerous When Wet Materials (magnesium powder)
Class 4.3 solids are likely to be spontaneously flammable or to release flammable or toxic gas at a rate greater than 1 liter per kilogram of the material per hour when they come into contact with water.
Green section of the ERG
Determine the isolation distance necessary for protecting people from a spill
Orange Section of the ERG
Find out the potential hazards, public safety actions, and emergency response actions associated with the materials involved
Radiological Incidents
In the event of a radiological incident, the symptoms, if any may not be evident for days, weeks, or longer. Typically, there will be no characteristic signatures because radioactive materials are usually odorless and colorless.
end of the green section of the ERG, you will find an additional chart called
List of Dangerous Water-Reactive Materials
Yellow section of the ERG
Look up the four-digit UN/NA number that is displayed on a placard, orange panel, shipping paper, or package
Blue section of the ERG
Look up the name of the material involved in the incident
Military Chemical Warning — Protective Breathing Apparatus
Many materials are dangerous to inhale. A military chemical sign showing a person wearing a protective breathing apparatus will be posted if such a material is present.
The federal agency that mandates local establishments to keep an SDS on file for each chemical stored or used on site is
OSHA
DOT Hazard Class 7 materials cannot be detected with the senses.
Small packages of radioactive materials must be labeled on two opposite sides, with a distinctive warning label.
orange section is divided into three parts
Potential Hazards, Public Safety, and Emergency Response
the incident does involve terrorist or criminal activity, approach with caution. There are a number of specific actions you must take.
Protect yourself and others. Communicate the suspicion to the proper authority or to your immediate supervisor. Isolate potentially exposed people or animals. Document your initial observations. Attempt to preserve any physical evidence while performing your duties. Be alert for explosive devices and/or booby traps. Establish control zones and access control points. Prevent secondary contamination, including from handling patients.
Military Chemical Warning — Apply No Water
Some materials react violently when they come in contact with water. If such a material is present in a facility, it will be marked by a military chemical sign that carries a bucket of water with a red slash through it.
there are three factors that determine the level of potential harm from a hazardous material.
The timing of the release, or how fast the material is released The size of the dispersion pattern, or the area covered The lethality of the materials involved
Class 5.1 are oxidizers
These are materials that yield oxygen, causing or enhancing the combustion of other materials. Ammonium nitrate is an example of an oxidizer.
Class 5.2 are organic peroxides
These materials are unstable due to their atomic structure and are known to spontaneously combust. There are eight types of organic peroxides. Refer to the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) for more information about each type of organic peroxide. The red and yellow placard became mandatory in 2011.
Tom Yoder is a security guard at a chemical plant. While making his nightly rounds, he discovers an incident involving several materials. Unfortunately, neither the SDS nor the LERP is available for the identification process.
activate the plant emergency notification system.
You should only approach a victim of a HazMat incident:
after the victim has been decontaminated.
What kind of containers are used for radioative material ?
bags (paper, plastic, film, textiles, woven material, or others) carboys and jerry cans (glass or plastic, often encased in a basket or box) cylinders drums (metal, fiberboard, plastic, plywood, or others) dewar flasks (glass, metal, or plastic)
Biological Incidents
by the onset of symptoms within a span of time from hours to days to even weeks after exposure.
Chemical Incidents
by the rapid onset of medical symptoms (minutes to hours).
Identify your FOUR main responsibilities at the Awareness level.
call for trained personnel C. recognize the presence of hazardous materials protect yourself F. secure the area
A chemical incident is characterized by a rapid onset of medical symptoms (minutes to hours) and can have observed signatures such as
colored residue dead foliage pungent odor dead insect and animal life
Class 6.1
consists of any quantity of poisons other than gases that are known or presumed to be so toxic to humans that they could cause a hazard to health during transportation, or that is presumed to be toxic to humans based on toxicity tests on laboratory animals.
indicators of secondary devices
containers with no visible markings devices with electronic elements attached or showing devices containing black powder, fuses, or other like materials materials attached to the device including nails, screws, or ball-bearings, and other items that could be used as shrapnel
(sulfuric Acid) DOT Hazard Class 8 materials are
corrosives. These can be liquids or solids that cause visible destruction or irreversible alterations in human skin tissue on contact or have a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum.
DOT Hazard Class 4 materials are solids. This class has three divisions
flammable solids spontaneously combustible materials water-reactive/dangerous when wet materials
If you believe that a hazardous material is present at an incident, but you are not able to confirm it
follow the directions in Guide 111 in the orange section of the ERG.
When transporting hazardous materials, the shipping papers should contain the proper shipping name and the:
four-digit UN/NA number.
A tank truck carrying hydrocyanic acid has overturned on a highway and is leaking from the tank. You have identified the chemical by name, looked it up in the blue section of the ERG, and found that it is highlighted. You have also taken note that no fire has occurred in this incident.
green section, Table of Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances.
The purpose of the NFPA's Standard 704 marking system is to
help emergency responders identify actions and safety procedures to use in the initial response to an incident provide information about the level of potential hazard that exists for a single product in a container or for a product stored or used in a building
Many types of tank trucks carry bulk hazardous materials over the highway such as ...
high pressure tank trucks cryogenic tank trucks low pressure chemical tank trucks nonpressure cargo tank trucks corrosive liquid tank trucks compressed-gas/tube trailers dry bulk cargo trailers
types of shipping papers
highway, rail, water and air
The yellow section of the NFPA marker refers to
how reactive materials are to fire, water, shock, or pressure. The instability section is always on the right side of the sign. The instability levels range from level zero, materials that are normally stable, to level four, materials that are readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal
(Anthrax) Class 6.2 consists of
infectious substances, or materials known to contain or suspected of containing a pathogen. A pathogen is a virus or microorganism (including its viruses, plasmids, or other genetic elements, if any) or a proteinaceous infectious particle (prion) that has the potential to cause disease in humans or animals.
Pipeline markers contain
information about the product ownership of the pipeline an emergency phone number
Indications of a liquid pipeline leak include:
liquids bubbling up from the ground "oil slick" on flowing/standing water flames appearing from ground vapor clouds discolored vegetation or snow unusual petroleum, skunk or rotten egg odor
Matt Boone needs to identify the hazardous material at an incident. He knows he is dealing with a single material leaking from an unknown Department of Transportation vehicle. Unfortunately, neither the SDS nor the local emergency response plan is available for the identification process.
look at Guide 111 in the orange section of the ERG.
Protective action distances are also based on the
materials involved size of the spill time of day
DOT Hazard Class 9 is made up of
miscellaneous materials, products, substances, or organisms that are considered hazardous because they present a hazard during transport and can cause extreme discomfort to a flight crew.
A material that yields oxygen, causing or enhancing the combustion of other materials is classified as a(n):
oxidizer
Places of public assembly, mass transit systems, and places of high economic impact are all examples of
possible targets for terrorist activity involving hazardous materials
Class 4.2 — Spontaneously Combustible Materials (phosphorus (white or yellow, dry)
pyrophoric materials — liquids or solids that can ignite within five minutes after coming in contact with air, even in small quantities and without an external ignition source self-heating materials — likely to self-heat without an energy supply when they come into contact with air
All of the following information can be found in the Emergency Response area of the orange guide pages in the ERG EXCEPT:
recommended type of protective clothing and respiratory protection.
One indicator of a possible criminal or terrorist activity involving biological agents is:
reports of multiple casualties with similar signs and symptoms
four types of indicators for criminal activity
sensory clues (unexplained vapor clouds, mists or plumes) victims' actions (unexplained patterns of sudden onset illnesses or death) environmental signals(rees, shrubs, bushes, food crops, and/or lawns that are dead, discolored, abnormal in appearance, or withered (not related to a drought) unexplained situations
With the UN/NA number you can identify the names of hazardous materials using
the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).
The red section of the NFPA marker refers to
the flammability hazard that exists with the chemicals inside the building. The flammability section is always at the top of the sign. The flammability hazards range from level zero, materials that will not burn, to level four, very flammable gases or very volatile flammable liquids.
ERG provides about the hazardous material, such as:
the hazards associated with the material public safety measures to be taken emergency response guidelines
The blue section of the NFPA marker refers to
the health hazards posed by the materials stored or used inside the building. The health section is always on the left side. The health hazards range from level zero, materials that, during exposure to fire, offer no health hazard beyond that of ordinary combustible materials, to level four, too dangerous to health for a person to be exposed.
identify the precise hazardous substance involved, you can
use the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) get a copy of the shipping papers locate the responsible party/person
Some typical examples of facilities that are associated with certain hazardous material are
warehouses tank farms weapons depots hospitals laboratories truck terminals flight line maintenance facilities
Indicators of possible criminal or terrorist activity involving radiological agents includ
warning or threat of a radiological attack (or received intelligence) individuals exhibiting signs and symptoms of radiation exposure radiological materials packaging left unattended or abandoned in public locations suspicious packages that appear to weigh more than they should activation of radiation detection
Indications of a gas pipeline leak include:
whistling/hissing sound distinctive, strong odor, similar to rotten eggs dense fog, mist, or white cloud bubbling in water, ponds, or creeks dust or dirt blowing up from ground discolored/dead vegetation above pipeline right-of-way
The bottom diamond of the NFPA marker is
white and can have one of many special markings. A "W" with a slash through it indicates that materials could react to water, so it should be used with caution. Another is an "OX" indicating that oxidizers are inside. NFPA markers for materials that provide a radioactivity hazard carry the standard radioactive symbol. There are also markings that indicate polymerization, extinguishing agent, and required protective equipment.
colors for ammunition
yellow- high explosives brown- low explosive black-armor capability silver-counter measure ammunition light green- carry screening or marking smoke red- incendiary capability white- guided rocket, missile, dispenser light blue-practice orange- tracking and recovery gold or brass- can't be loaded or fired and will not exploded olive- protective body coloring