1- HazMat- Introduction to Hazardous Materials

Question 1

The following are the main routes of exposure through which hazardous materials can enter the body and cause harm:

*4 answers

Answer 1

-INHALATION (breathing in hazardous materials through your nose or mouth)
-INGESTION (eating or swallowing hazardous materials through your mouth i.e. chemical residue on your hands being transferred to food and then ingested when you eat, particles trapped in mucous membranes and ingested after being cleared from your respiratory tract, etc.)
-ABSORPTION (taking in material through your skin or eyes, usually where your skin is the thinnest- eyes, nose, mouth, wrists, neck, ears, hands, groin, underarms)
-INJECTION (taking in materials through a puncture of your skin)

Question 2

Some chemicals may have multiple routes of entry. _____ (a solvent) can cause moderate irritation to the skin through absorption and skin contact, but it can also cause dizziness, lack of coordination, coma, and even respiratory failure when inhaled.

Answer 2

Toluene

Question 3

Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), benzene, toluene, and other solvents all have __________.

Answer 3

Multiple routes of entry

Question 4

_______ is the transfer of a hazardous material to persons, equipment, and the environment in greater than acceptable quantities.

Answer 4

Contamination

Question 5

______ means that a hazardous material has entered or potentially entered your body via the routes of entry.

Answer 5

Exposure

Question 6

_____ does not necessarily result in ______.

Answer 6

Contamination does not necessarily result in exposure. Contamination increases the risk of exposure. You can be decontaminated, you cannot be de-exposed.

Question 7

____ ____ occurs when contaminants are moved from one location to another.

Answer 7

Cross Contamination (aka “secondary contamination”)

Question 8

Training is provided in accordance with the following THREE levels:

Answer 8

-Awareness Level Personnel (typically at incident when it occurs, perform limited defensive actions- calling for help, evacuating the area, securing the scene)
-First Responder Operations Level (dispatched to scene to protect the nearby area, persons, and property. Allowed to perform defensive actions, but not typically expected to come into direct contact with the hazardous material)
-First Responder with Operations Mission-Specific Level Training (perform additional defensive tasks and limited offensive actions)

Question 9

First responders use a risk-based response model known as APIE-T, which stands for:

Answer 9

Analyze, Plan, Implement, Evaluate, and Termination

Question 10

AWARENESS personnel are expected to do the following at hazmat incidents:

*3 answers

Answer 10

-Isolate the hazardous area and deny entry
-Initiate actions to protect themselves and others
-Communicate info to an appropriate authority and call for assistance

Question 11

In addition to the Awareness Level responsibilities, OPERATIONS FIRST RESPONDERS must be able to perform the following actions:

*4 answers

Answer 11

-Identify the potential hazards involved, if possible
-Identify response options
-Implement the planned response to mitigate or control a release from a safe distance by performing assigned takes to lessen the harmful incident and keep it from spreading
-Evaluate the progress of the actions taken to ensure response objectives are safely met

Question 12

A ____ is a document detailing procedures for implementing, complying with, and enforcing a law. They provide how compliance is achieved; essentially the “rules of the game.”

Answer 12

Regulation

Question 13

_____ are voluntary and applied at the national, state, regional, and even international levels. They are developed by committees with a range of interested parties.

Answer 13

Standards

Question 14

____ is an independent organization formed by standards writers and users that manages the voluntary standards system in the US. They approve standards but do NOT directly develop them. It is NOT a government agency, although it works closely with the government.

Answer 14

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Question 15

NFPA ____, “Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Standard for Responders,” applies to personnel who respond to hazmat emergencies. The job performance requirements (JPRs) in this standard are recommendations, NOT laws or regulations, unless the AHJ adopts them as such.

Answer 15

470

Question 16

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established the:

Answer 16

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Question 17

_____ are responsible for developing an emergency plan for disasters involving hazardous substances. They also collect and store information from hazmat facilities and makes that information available to the public.

Answer 17

Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs)