BLOCK 3: HAZMAT Flashcards
OSHA document describing hazmat response competencies is called what
HAZWOPER
what is the EPA’s parallel to HAZWOPER
40 CFR 311
who decides how much hazmat response training will be required by EMS responders
AHJ - authority having jurisdiction
levels of hazmat training
awareness: recognize hazmat, isolate, call for assistance
operations: defensive, not direct contact
technician: directly involved
specialist: experts in handling specific substances
how paramedics protect themselves and others at hazmat scene
RAIN - recognize, avoid, isolate, notify
DOT class 1
explosives
DOT class 2
gases
DOT class 3
flammable/combustible liquids
DOT class 4
flammable solids, spontaneously combustible, water-reactive substances
DOT class 5
oxidizing materials or organic peroxides
DOT class 6
toxic and infectious substances
DOT class 7
radioactive materials
DOT class 8
corrosive materials
DOT class 9
misc. hazmat products
nine DOT chemical families acronym
Every (Explosives)
Girl (Gases)
Loves (flammable Liquids)
Some (flammable Solids)
Oral (Oxiziding)
Tongue (Toxic)
Right? (Radioactive)
C’ (Corrosive)
Mon (Miscellaneous)
what is yellow section of ERG for
to look up chemical by ID number
what is blue section of ERG for
look up chemical by alphabetical name
what is the white section of the ERG for
identify shape of vehicle for general information
what is the green section of the ERG for
evacuation and protective action distance
placard vs label
placard: 10.8 inches each side, for transportation carriers, identifies hazard class and 4-digit chemical ID number
label: 3.9 inches on each side, for smaller boxes, only labels potential hazard inside
bill of lading or freight bill
roadway transport
waybill or consist
rail transport
air bill
air transport
dangerous cargo manifest
water transport
what organization has a telephone line to assist responders with chemical info
CHEMTREC
NFPA 704 placards
red=fire
blue=health hazard
yellow=reactivity
white=special info
scale of 0 (no hazard) to 4 (severe risk)
what do permanent manufacturing or storage facilities contain to provide in-depth info about hazmat
safety data sheet (SDS)
bulk vs nonbulk storage containers
bulk: fixed tanks, cargo, railcars
nonbulk: anything not bulk, drums, cylinders
what is secondary containment
engineered method to control spilled or released product if main containment vessel fails
what is an intermodal tank
both a shipping and storage vessel
storage drums
barrel-like, can hold anything depending on barrel material
storage bags
store solids and powders
signal words to indicate relative toxicity of material
danger-poison:
danger:
warning:
caution:
danger-poison: highly toxic all routes of entry
danger: severe eye damage/skin irritation
warning: moderately toxic
caution: minor toxicity/eye damage/skin irritation
storage carboys
transport corrosives in glass surrounded by wood
storage cylinders
hold liquids and gases
3 zones on a hazmat scene
hot: contamination zone for properly trained rescuers
warm: decon
cold: another buffer zone “clean” for medics
difference between evac, rescue, and shelter in place
evacuation: removing/relocating people who may be affected
rescue: removing/relocating people already affected
shelter-in-place: keeping people inside
different levels of hazmat ensembles
Level A: fully encapsulating and SCBA (direct responders)
Level B: level B - for respiratory not skin protection, not fully-encapsulating but air supply (decon)
Level C: for known substance, minimal splash protection and air purifying respirator (receivers of exposed patients and officers providing perimeter control)
level D: dust mask (cold zone)
how harm caused by a hazmat is affected (4)
route of exposure
dose and concentration
how long toxin was in contact with body
if it exhibits delayed or acute toxicity
primary vs secondary contamination
primary: direct exposure of patient to hazmat
secondary: hazmat transferred person to person or object to person
4 primary methods of exposure
inhalation, ingestion, injection, absorption
local vs systemic effect of exposure
local: localized (redness, pain, blisters)
systemic: damage occuring inside body
what is the dose effect principle
the greater the length of time or the greater the concentration of the material, the greater the effect on the human body will probably be
will liquids with high vapor pressure evaporate slower or quicker than liquids with low vapor pressure
quicker
what is vapor pressure
liquids held inside a closed container will build pressure in the inner space above the liquid
what 5 things affect evaporation rate
temperature of air and pavement, wind speed, shade, humidity, surface area
what is vapor density
compares hazmat gas to air
what is air’s vapor density
1
examples of gases heavier than air
propane, butane, carbon dioxide
examples of gases lighter than air
ammonia, acetylene, methane, hydrogen
what is flash point
temperature at which a liquid fuel giving off vapors will ignite if an ignition source is present
flash point of gasoline vs diesel
gasoline: NEGATIVE 45 degrees
diesel: 100-160 degrees
liquids with low flash point have ___ vapor pressures
high
what is ignition temperature
when a liquid fuel is heated beyond its ignition temp, it will ignite without external ignition source
what is a flammable range and what are the two limits
fuel-air mixture necessary for chemical to burn properly must be within lower and upper flammable limit
what is specific gravity of a chemical
whether it will sink or float in water
threshold limit value
aka: permissible exposure limit
concentration of toxin a person can be exposed to for a 40 hour work week
short-term exposure limit
concentration of a toxin to which a person can be briefly exposed for a max of 15mins four times a day
lethal dose
single dose of toxin likely to be fatal
lethal concentration
concentration of a toxin likely to be fatal
immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
atmospheric concentration of toxin posing immediate danger
4 types of decontamination methods in the field
dilution, absorption, neutralization, disposal
type of decon method using fluid to flush skin and eyes
dilution
type of decon method using large pads to soak up liquid
absorption
type of decon method using chemical to neutralize other chemical
neutralization
which decon methods is almost always contraindicated and why
neutralization because the by-profduct reaction of acid-base produces heat
type of decon method where you remove as much of patient’s clothing as possible
disposal
what is considered the universal decontamination solution
water from whatever source is available
where does the triage process take place in mass decontamination
after the decontamination corridor
corrosives and their symptoms
acidic and basic chemicals
severe burns/irritation to skin, eyes, mucous membranes
skin reddening and blistering
solvents and their symptoms
substance that can dissolve another substance
symptoms: pulmonary edema, cardiac dysrhythmias, seizures, vomiting if ingested
what do pesticides interfere with in body
enzyme acetylcholinesterase
asphyxiants and their symptoms
any gas that displaces oxygen from atmosphere
symptoms: interferes with use of oxygen at cellular level
what is toxic products of combustion
hazardous chemical compounds released when a material decomposes under heat
what determines length of warm zone
length of decontamination corridor
