Chapter 1 Flashcards
Substances that possess harmful characteristics are called hazardous materials in the U.S. and dangerous goods in Canada
hazardous materials, dangerous goods
When particularly dangerous hazardous materials, including CBRNE materials, are used as weapons, they are sometimes referred to as Weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A hazardous materials/wmd incident is an emergency involving a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to people, the environment, and property.
property
In addition to governmental regulations, the National Fire Protection Association has several consensus standards that apply to personnel who respond to hazmat emergencies.
National Fire Protection Association
Standard for Hazmat/ WMD emergency response personnel professional qualifications.
NFPA 1072
Standard for Competence of responders to hazmat/wmd incidents.
NFPA 472
Standard for competencies for EMS personnel responding to Hazmat/wmd incidents.
NFPA 473
Individuals who train to meet NFPA 1072 will meet or exceed OSHA requirements for awareness, operations, and technician.
NFPA 1072
Whether involved or not, the mere presence of hazardous materials may change the Incident’s dynamics.
Incident’s dynamics
If you are a first responder to hazmat incidents in the U.S., by law your employer must meet the requirements set forth in the HAZWOPER regulation 29 CFR 1910.120.
HAZWOPER
Awareness level personnel are typically at the incident when it occurs.
Awareness
Operations responders are dispatched to the scene in order to mitigate the incident.
Operations
Operations level responders may be trained beyond the set of core competencies to perform additional defensive tasks and limited offensive actions.
Operations Mission Specific
Performs offensive tasks, including controlling releases at hazmat incidents and may supervise the activities of Operations level responders performing Mission Specific tasks.
Hazardous Materials Technician
Provides additional expertise in areas, such as radiation, monitoring and detection equipment, or certain container types.
Hazmat Tech with Specialty
Manages the incident by making command decisions to utilize resources and determine strategies and tactics to mitigate the emergency.
Hazmat incident commander
Manages the hazmat personnel and operations under the direction of the IC.
Hazmat Officer
Ensures that recognized safe practices are followed at hazmat incidents.
Hazmat Safety Officer
Provide expertise in specialized areas, such as chemicals, processes, containers, and special operations, typically in an advisory capacity.
Specialists
NFPA 1072 and 472 identify three training levels —-
Awareness, Operations, and Operations Mission Specific
Known by the acronym APIE these steps form a consistent problem-solving process that can be used at any incident, regardless of size or complexity.
APIE
During this phase of the problem-solving process, personnel and responders attempt to understand the current situation.
Analyze the incident
During this phase, responders use the information gathered during the analysis phase to determine what actions need to be taken to mitigate the incident.
Plan the Initial response
During this phase, responders perform the tasks determined in the planning stage.
Implement the response
During this phase, which continues throughout the incident until termination, responders monitor progress to see whether the response plan is working.
Evaluate progress
Because Awareness level personnel and Operations level responders have limited responsibilities at hazmat incidents, not all aspects of APIE are addressed in the Awareness and Operations levels.
APIE
The acronym, APIE can help responders devise a 4 step response to any hazmat incident.
APIE
Personnel who are trained and certified to the Awareness level are individuals who, in the course of their normal duties, may be the first to arrive at or witness a hazmat incident.
Awareness
Awareness personnel must always exercise situational awareness.
situational awareness
Perception of the surrounding environment and the ability to anticipate future events.
Situational awareness
After arriving at a hazmat incident, Awareness personnel should transmit information and call for assistance, initiate protective actions, and isolate the hazardous area and deny entry.
Awareness
Responders trained and certified to the Operations level are individuals who respond to hazmat releases as part of their normal duties.
Operations
Operations responders are expected to protect individuals, the environment, and property from the effects of the release in a primarily defensive manner.
defensive manner
Operations responders are expected to analyze the surrounding conditions and determine the location and amount of any release, if possible.
release
In order to protect themselves, operations responders must be aware of safety precautions, the suitability of the personal protective equipment available, and emergency decontamination.
emergency decontamination
Operations responders are expected to establish the Incident Management system, establish scene control, and implement protective actions such as evacuation.
evacuation
To safely mitigate hazmat incidents, you must understand the variety of hazardous materials you may encounter, the potential health effects of the materials, and the Physical hazards associated with them.
Physical hazards
Acute health effects are short term effects that appear within hours or days, such as vomiting or diarrhea.
Acute health effects
Chronic health effects are long term effects that may take years to appear, such as cancer.
Chronic health effects.
Condition, substance or device that can directly cause injury or loss, the source of the risk.
Hazard
Inhalation, ingestion, absorption, and injection are the primary routes by which hazardous substances enter the body.
primary routes
Energy release, corrosivity, and toxicity are considered the primary mechanisms of harm that hazardous materials and hazmat incidents present.
toxicity
Energy release at hazmat incidents presents the greatest threat.
Energy release
Many hazardous materials will release energy due to their Chemical or physical properties and the way they are shipped and/or stored.
Chemical, physical
Mechanical Energy is possessed by objects due to their position or motion.
Mechanical Energy
When hazardous materials undergo chemical reactions, they release chemical energy.
chemical energy
Radiation is energy that is emitted as particles or waves.
radiation
Corrosives are chemicals that destroy or burn living tissues and have destructive effects by virtue of their corrosivity.
Corrosives
With the exception of liquid and gas fuels, corrosives comprise the largest usage class in industry.
usage class in industry.
Chemicals or biological substances that cause sickness, illness, or injury by doing damage on the molecular scale when in contact with the body are considered Toxic.
Toxic
Biological microorganisms, such as viruses or bacteria , may cause severe, disabling disease or illness
viruses, bacteria
Toxins can cause damage to organs or other parts of the body.
Toxins
The DOT issues transportation regulations in Title 49 CFR
Title 49
The resulting health problems from the Love Canal led to the eventual evacuation of the area and the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
U.S. Department of Transportation regulations regarding placards were changed after an unmarked trailer containing 50,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate exploded in Kansas City in 1988, killing six FFs.
50,000
The EPA issues legislation to protect the environment in title 40 CFR.
40 CFR
The OSHA, part of DOL, issues legislation relating to worker safety under Title 29 CFR.
29 CFR
The Hazard Communication Standard is designed to ensure that information about chemical hazards and associated protective measures is disseminated to workers and employers.
Hazard Communication Standard
The Process Safety Management of highly hazardous chemicals standard is intended to prevent or minimize the consequences of a catastrophic release of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive HHCs from a process.
Process Safety Management
The NRC regulates U.S. commercial nuclear power plants and the civilian use of nuclear materials as well as the possession, use, storage, and transfer of radioactive materials through title 10 CFR 20, standards for protection against radiation.
10 CFR 20
Manages the national nuclear research and defense programs, including the storage of high-level nuclear waste.
Department of Energy
Has three primary missions: prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters.
Department of Homeland Security
Oversees and enforces compliance with the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, which requires that certain hazardous household products carry cautionary labeling to alert consumers to the potential hazards that those products present and inform them of the measures needed to protect themselves form those hazards.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
If at any point xylene was accidentally discharged from its packaging into the environment, it would become a hazardous substance as regulated by the EPA.
xylene
When xylene completes its useful life in a plant or workplace and must be disposed of, it becomes a hazardous waste and would be subject to both the EPA and DOT regulations
EPA, DOT
Statistics indicate that most transportation incidents occur while the materials are being transported via highway rather than by air, rail, or water.
highway
