FEMA Hazardous Materials

The Safe Drinking Water Act

1974, specifically to protect the public water supplies from contamination by mandating water testing, denying Federal funds to projects that threaten critical water supplies, and requiring States to submit plans to protect public wells from contamination.

Additive Effect

A biological response to exposure to multiple chemicals which is equal to the sum of effects of the individual agents

Synergistic effect

A biological response to exposure to multiple chemicals which is greater than the sum of the effects of the individual agents

Command Post

A centralized base of operations established near the site of a hazardous materials incident

Carcinogen

A chemical or physical agent that encourages cells to develop cancer.

Mutagen

A chemical or physical agent that induces an permanent chance in the genetic material

Explosive

A chemical that causes a sudden, almost instantaneous release of pressure, gas, and heat when subjected to sudden shock, pressure, or high temperatures

Corrosive

A chemical that destroys or irreversibly alters living tissue by direct chemical action at the site of contact

Poison

A chemical that, in relatively small amounts, is able to produce injury by chemical action when it comes in contact with susceptible tissue

Specific Gravity

A comparison of the weight of the chemical to the weight of an equal volume of water. Chemicals with a specific gravity of less than 1 are lighter than water, while a specific gravity of more than 1 means the chemical is heavier than water. Most flammable liquids are lighter than water

Hazard Class

A group of materials, as designated by the Department of Transportation, that share a common major hazardous property such as radioactivity or flammability

Pathway

A history of the flow of a pollutant from source to receptor, including qualitative descriptions of emission type, transport, medium, and exposure route

Teratogen

A material that produces a physical defect in a developing embryo

Exercise

A simulated emergency condition carried out for the purpose of testing and evaluating the readiness of a community or organization to handle a particular type of emergency

Aerosol

A solid particle or liquid droplet suspended in air. An aerosol is larger than a molecule and can be filtered from the air

Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT)

A team of specially trained personnel who respond to a hazardous materials incident. The team performs various response actions including assessment, firefighting, rescue, and containment; they are not responsible for cleanup operations following the incident. local areas that cannot afford their own HMRTs pool their resources to form a more practical multijurisdictional team.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

A worksheet required by OSHA containing information about hazardous chemicals in the workplace. MSDSs are used to fulfill part of hazardous chemical inventory reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

SERC

State Emergency Response Commission. includes representatives of public agencies and departments with expertise in environmental issues, natural resources, emergency services, public health, occupational safety, and transportation. SERC is responsible for coordinating emergency plans among districts

SARA

Superfund Amendments and Re-authorization Act of 1989. Title III of SARA provides a framework for Federal, State, and local governments to work with industry to reduce hazardous materials risks and to develop comprehensive emergency response plans.

CWA Chemical Warfare Agent

The CWA that interferes with the body's ability to transfer oxygen to the cells is:

CHEMTREC

The Chemical Transpportation Emergency Center, a service operated by the Chemical Manufacturers Association to provide information and other assistance to emergency responders

Vapor Density

The measure of the heaviness of a chemical's vapor as compared to the weight of a similar amount of air. A vapor density of 1.0 is equal to air. Vapors that are heavier than air may build up in low-lying areas, such as along floors, in sewers, or in elevator shafts. Vapors that are lighter than air rise and may collect near the ceiling

PH

The pH is a measure of how acidic or caustic a chemical is, based on a scale of 1-14. A pH of 1 means the chemical is very acidic. Pure water has a pH of 7. A pH of 14 means that the chemical is very caustic. Both acidic and caustic substances are dangerous to skin and other valuable surfaces

Absorption

The passing of a substance into the circulatory system of the body. Also used specifically to refer to the entry of toxicants through the skin

Percent Volatile

The percentage of a chemical that will evaporate at ordinary temperatures. A high volatile percentage may mean there is a risk of explosion, or that dangerous fumes can be released. Evaporation rates are a better measure of the danger than the percent volatile measure

Incident Commander

The person in charge of on-scene coordination of a response to an incident, usually a senior officer in a fire department

Leaching

The process by which water dissolves nutrient chemicals or contaminants and carries away or moves them to a lower layer

Decontamination

The process of removing or neutralizing contaminants that have accumulated on personnel and equipment. This process is critical to health and safety at various hazardous waste incidents

Dose

The quantity of a chemical absorbed and available for interaction with metabolic processes

Evaporation Rate

The rate at which a chemical changes into a vapor. A chemical that evaporates quickly can be a more dangerous fire or health hazard

NFPA 704 System Markings

blue = health, red = fire, yellow = explosive, w = material that reacts with water to release a gas that is either flammable or hazardous to health. also radioactive symbol

Commodity Flow Survey (CFS)

contains data on shipments by domestic establishments in manufacturing, wholesale, mining, and selected other industries. obtained from LEPC

Code of Federal Regulations 49 (CFR 49)

exclusively on containers and tanks transported in interstate commerce. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for this system.

Most Transportation Accidents

involve flammable or combustible liquids (hazard class 3). These materials are also the most transported by volume. They are substances that have low flash points, and include the frequently transported fuel, gasoline.

five phases of a hazardous material's "life"

production, transportation, storage, use, and disposal

Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)

regulate pesticides. For pesticides used on food crops, EPA establishes an upper limit on the amount of residue that can remain on food based on human tolerance levels. The FFDCA requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce these residue limits by monitoring and seizing foods whose residues are in excess of these standards.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

the maximum legal limits established by OSHA for regulated substances. These are based on employee exposure that is time weighted over an 8 hour work shift. When these limits are exceeded, employers must take proper steps to reduce employee exposure. For formaldehyde, the PEL is .75 ppm. Low = bad

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 704 System

which is used on storage tanks and smaller containers (fixed facilities). a voluntary marking system to alert firefighters to the characteristics of hazardous materials stored in stationary tanks and facilities. devised to provide at-a-glance information to response personnel on how a substance could be expected to react in the event of an emergency.

Transport

Hydrological, atmospheric, or other physical processes that convey pollutants through and across media from source to receptor.

Epidemiology Studies

Investigation of factors contributing to disease or toxic effects in the general population

2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004)

It is primarily a guide to aid "first responders" in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material(s) involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident.

Workers Right-to-Know

Legislation mandating communicating of chemical information to employees. A regulatory initiative by OSHA, and an antecedent to Community Right-to-Know

LEPC

Local Emergency Planning Committee

LOAEL

Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level i.e. the lowest dose which produces an observable adverse effect

Leachate

Material that pollutes water as it seeps through solid waste

Mg

Milligram, a metric unit or mass, one thousandth of a gram: 1mg

MM3

Milligrams per cubic meter. The mass of a substance contained within a cubic meter of another substance or vacuum. This is the standard unit of measure for the mass density (concentration) of particles suspended in air: also sometimes used for the concentration of gasses in air

DOT requires highway cargo tanks and railroad tank cars with regulated hazardous contents to bear a four-digit number identifying the load if they are:

Moving in interstate commerce

NOAEL

No Observable Adverse Effect Level

NECP Suit

Non-encapsulating chemical protective suit. Not gas or vapor tight

PEL

Permissible Exposure Limits set by OSHA as a guide to acceptable levels of chemical exposure

Chronic Exposure

Process by which small amounts of toxic substances are taken into the body over an extended period

Cyanides

AC (hydrocyanic acid) and CK (cyanogen chloride) - interfering with oxygen utilization at the cellular level.

ACGIH

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist

Inversion

An atmospheric condition caused by a layer of warm air preventing cool air trapped beneath it from rising, thus holding down pollutants that could otherwise be dispersed

Acute Exposure

An exposure to a toxic substance which occurs in a short or single time period

Solubility in water

An indicator of the amount of a chemical that can be dissolved in water, shown as a percentage or as a description. A low percent of solubility (or a description of "slight" solubility or "low" solubility) means that only a small amount will dissolve in water. Knowing this may help firefighters or personnel cleaning a spill

Aquifer

An underground bed, or layer, of earth, gravel, or porous storage that contains water

Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS)

Any one of more than 300 hazardous chemicals on a list compiled by EPA to provide a focus for State and local emergency planning activities

Acute Toxicity

Any poisonous effect produced by a single short-term exposure. The LD50 of a substance (The lethal dose at which 50 percent of test animals succumb to the toxicity of the chemicals) is typically used as a measure of its acute toxicity

Runoff

Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the ground surface and returns to streams

Risk Assessment

Broadly defined as the scientific activity of evaluating the toxic properties of a chemical and the conditions of human exposure to it, which the objective of determining the probability that exposed humans will be adversely affected. Its four main components are: 1. hazard Identification - Does the agent cause the effect? 2. Dose-Response Assessment - What is the relationship between the does and its incidence in human beings? 3. Exposure Assessment - What exposures are experienced or anticipated, and under what conditions? 4. Risk Characterization - The total analysis producing an estimate of the incidence of the adverse effect in a given population

Biodegradeable

Capable of decomposing quickly through the action of microorganisms

System Toxicants

Chemical compounds that affect entire organ systems, often operating far from the original site of entry.

Organic Compound

Chemicals that contain carbon. Volatile organic compounds vaporize at room temperature and pressure. They are found in many indoor sources, including common household products and building materials

Asphyxiants

Chemicals that starve the cells of an individual from the life-giving oxygen needed to sustain metabolism

Irritant

Chemicals which inflame living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact, causing pain or swelling

DOD (Department of Defense)

DOD is responsible for maintaining manpower, equipment, and other resources for potential use in military conflict. DOD manufactures, stores, and discards the full range of hazardous materials, and is also one of the Nation's largest shippers of such materials.

DOE - Department of Energy

DOE provides the framework for a comprehensive and balanced National energy plan through the coordination and administration of the energy functions of the Federal government. DOE provides assistance in the removal and disposal of radioactive contamination, as well as in identifying the source and extent of radioactive releases.

Volatilization

Entry of contaminants into the atmosphere by evaporation from soil or water

Dermal Exposure

Exposure to toxic substances by entry through the skin

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA is responsible for coordinating all civil emergency planning, management, mitigation, and assistance functions of the Federal Government. responsible for planning and related training for hazardous materials emergency management.

CERCLA

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 - The Federal statute that authorized "superfund". administered by EPA, the law provides funding for cleanups and emergency response actions for hazardous substances at the worst hazardous waste sites in the US. CERCLA is also significant because it set the first criteria for notification of emergencies involving hazardous substances. Superfund regulates abandoned waste disposal sites; for active disposal site regulation, see RCRA

Where would you logically look for a Commodity Flow Survey of your area to identify what materials are being shipped?

The Local Emergency Planning Committee in your city or jurisdiction.

OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the Department of Labor

RCRA

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (of 1976). A Federal statute which establishes a framework for proper management and disposal of all wastes. Generation, transportation, storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous wastes are all regulated under this Act.

Adsorption

The bonding of chemicals to soil particles or other surfaces

LD50

The calculated dosage of a material that would be fatal to 50% of an exposed population (Lethal Dose 50%)

Transformation

The chemical alteration of a chemical by processes such as reactions with other compounds or breakdown into component elements

Toxicity

The degree of danger posed by a substance to animal or plant life

Medium

The environmental vehicle by which a pollutant is carried to the receptor (air, surface water, soil, groundwater)

HazMat ID Systems

The first system is the NFPA's 704 System, which provides immediate information on chemical hazards during a response to fixed facilities by indicating the product's health, fire, reactivity, and special hazards. This information is necessary for firefighters and HazMat responders to quickly assess the hazards posed by the materials so as to properly protect themselves from health and physical hazards. The second system is the DOT's System for identifying, marking, labeling, and placarding HazMat during the transportation of these materials.

DOT (Department of Transportation)

The government agency that governs economic concerns of the transportation industry. It bears the primary responsibility for issuing standards and regulations relating to the transportation of hazardous materials from State to State nationwide

The Clean Water Act (CWA) 1974

The law continues to promote clean water by supporting construction of sewage treatment facilities (which are currently bearing a heavy burden in processing pollutants); supporting the preparation of water quality plans encompassing the entire Nation; and setting up a permit system restricting the amount and type of pollutants that can be discharged into the Nation's waterways.

Threshold

The lowest dose of a chemical at which a specific measurable effect is observed. Below this dose, the effect is not observed

Vapor Pressure

The measure of how quickly a chemical liquid will evaporate. Chemicals with low boiling points have high vapor pressures. If a chemical with a high vapor pressure spills, there is an increased risk of explosion and a greater risk that workers will inhale toxic fumes

Antagonism

The situation in which two chemicals interfere with each other's actions, or one chemical interferes with the action of another

Toxicology

The study of adverse effects or chemicals on biological systems, and the assessment of the probability of their occurrence

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a liquid will start to become a gas, and boil. A chemical with a low boiling point can boil and evaporate quickly. if a material that is flammable also has a low boiling point, a special fire hazard exists

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid material changes to a liquid. Solid materials which low melting points should not be stored in hot areas

Biomagnifacion

The tendency of certain chemicals to become concentrated as they move into an up the food chain

THE EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT (TITLE III)

The third part of SARA, also known as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. Prior to this law, citizens had little or no legal backing in their attempts to obtain information about toxic releases from facilities in their own communities. Title III of SARA provides a framework for Federal, State, and local governments to work with industry to reduce hazardous materials risks and to develop comprehensive emergency response plans.

The Clean Air Act (CAA)

This Act is the basic Federal law for controlling toxic air pollution. It requires EPA to keep an up-to-date list of industrial pollutants that are hazardous to human health, and set an emission standard for each "with an ample margin of safety."

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

This legislation was passed in 1976 to reduce the threat from new chemicals that "present or will present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment." As a result, chemical producers are required to research the effects of new chemicals and notify EPA before they are manufactured. EPA has the authority to ban or restrict chemical uses if there is sufficient evidence that the substance poses an "unreasonable risk."

Threshold Limit Values TLVs

Threshold Limit Values of a chemical substance is believed to be a level to which a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse effects. Low = bad

TLV

Threshold limit values, which are the calculated airborne concentrations of a substance to which all workers could be repeatedly exposed to 8 hours a day without adverse effects

TECP Suit

Totally Encapsulating Chemical Protective Suit. Special protective suits made of material that prevents toxic or corrosive substances or vapors from coming in contact with the body. Gas and Vapor tight suit

TICs

Toxic industry chemicals- TICs have low TLVs or PELs which means they are toxic in very low levels.

Central Nervous System Depressants

Toxicants that deaden the central nervous system (CNS), diminishing sensation

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) 1970

an independent federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment