Hazmat Flashcards
Nine reactive hazard classes
Highly flammable
Explosive
Polymerizable (self reactions)
Strong oxidizing agent
Strong reducing agent(fuel)
Water-reactive
Air-reactive
Peroxidizable compound (spontaneous reaction with oxygen at room temp)
Radioactive material
Alpha radiation
Energetic, positively charged alpha particles (helium nuclei) emitted from nucleus during radio-active decay
Lose energy rapidly, don’t penetrate deeply usually harmful if ingested/inhaled, can be blocked by sheet of paper
Fast moving, positively charged protons or negatively charged electrons emitted from atom’s nucleus during radioactive decay
Penetrate further than alpha but cause less damage over same distance can penetrate skin generally more dangerous if inhaled/ingested travel through air some distance can be stopped by clothing, thin sheet metal, thick plexiglass shielding this type of radiation emitters with dense metals can result in release of x-rays
Beta radiation
High energy photons(weightless packets of energy like visible light or x-rays) often accompany emission of alpha and beta rays. They are penetrating
Easily pass through human body and absorbed by human tissue
Vary depending on isotope and activity can be shielded by earth, concrete and lead standard FF PPE provides no protection
Gamma radiation
Have physical mass but no electrical charge. Highly penetrating produced alongside gamma radiation in fission reactions can be measured in field using equipment
May be encountered in labs or nuclear power plants materials high in hydrogen, such as oil, water and concrete can block it
Neutron radiation
Chemical asphyxiant Byproduct of incomplete combustion of carbon containing materials, probably most common in structure fires frequently identified as cause of death for civilian and fire fighter deaths who run out of air
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Product of materials containing nitrogen combusting commonly encountered in smoke at lower concentrations than CO, it also acts as a chemical asphyxiant, byproduct of combustion in polyurethane foam
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
Product of complete combustion of organic materials, acts as simple asphyxiant and increases respiratory rate
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
What are seven clues to prescience of hazardous materials
1.occupancy types, locations,pre incident surveys
2.container shapes
3.transportation placards, labels, markings
4.other markings and colors (non transportation)
5.written resources
6.senses
7.monitoring and detection devices
What placard colour represents oxidizer/reactive?
Yellow
What placard colour represents explosive?
Orange
What placard colour represents flammable?
Red
What placard colour represents water reactive?
Blue
What placard colour represents
health hazard?
White
What placard colour represents nonflammable gas?
Green
Simplest type of microorganism
Doesn’t respond to antibiotics
Viral agents (viruses)
Microscopic, single cell organisms, most don’t cause disease in people but when they do they invade tissue or produce poisonous toxins
Bacterial agents (bacteria)
Specialized bacteria lives in gastrointestinal tracts of fleas/ticks
Susceptible to broad-spectrum antibiotics
Rickettsia
Poisons produced by living organisms
Can be manufactured or genetically altered, similar to chemical agents in way they are disseminated and in their effectiveness as biological weapons
Biological toxins
Level A EPA PPE protection
Greatest level of
Respiratory
Eye
Skin
Required
Level B EPA PPE protection
Greatest level of respiratory protection required
Lesser skin protection required
Level C EPA PPE protection
Airborne substance and concentration is known and criteria for using air purifying respirators is met
Level D EPA PPE protection
Minimum protection required
1072 awareness level responsibilities
-Identify and transmit potential hazards, request appropriate personnel to respond
-initiate protective actions for themselves and others from hazards
-isolate area and deny entry
1072 operations level personnel may perform offensive actions on following materials
-gasoline
-diesel
-natural gas
-liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
1072 operations level responsibilities
-able to identify hazard and how it may potentially behave
-how to avoid the hazard to complete their assignment
-perform emergency and technical decon
-identify and preserve evidence
-are expected to be able to evaluate their own progress
-may be required to control or stop leaks/spills
Three mechanisms of harm at hazmat incidents
-energy release
-corrosivity
-toxicity
TRACEM acronym for types of harm caused by hazmats
T-thermal
R-radiological
A-asphyxiation
C-chemical
E-etiological/biological
M-mechanical hazards
