Hazmat Flashcards
Definition: ________ is a substance or material capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce.
“hazardous materials” or HAZMAT
The term includes ______ hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, marine pollutants, elevated temperature materials, and materials designated as hazardous in the Hazardous Materials Table.
“hazardous materials” or HAZMAT
Describe the differences between acute and chronic exposures.
- Acute- short term/high dose event with harmful consequences
- Chronic- long term/low dose exposure with harmful consequences
What are the common routes of exposure for CBRNE materials?
Inhalation
- Describe aerosols (dry and/or wet particles/droplets that behave like a gas)
Absorption
- Skin: vulnerable to many chemicals but not to many biological threats unless there is an open wound—see Injection
- Eyes
- Mucous Membranes: nostrils, lips, etc.
Ingestion
- Primary: Eating/drinking contaminated product
- Secondary: Transferring contaminated product to mouth, usually through an inanimate object. Example: ballpoint pen
Injection
- Puncture
- Cut/abrasion
- Insect/Pest: usually biological
Safeguarding Lives: What is the RAIN Principle Acronym stand for?
- R- Recognize the presence of a CBRNE threat
- A- Avoid contamination/exposure to the threat
- I- Isolate the threat and immediate area
- N- Notify the appropriate response agency
Potential health effects of a CBRNE incident
Health Impacts
- Death
- Temporary impairment
- Permanent disability
- Psychological stress
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Potential Property and Environment Impacts of a CBRNE incident
Property and Environment Impacts:
- Damage to potable water sources
- Loss of productive lands
- Loss/destruction of food products
- Inability to occupy or inhabit structures
Potential Infrastructure Impacts of a CBRNE incident.
Infrastructure Impacts:
- Disruption of traffic and other modes of transportation
- Budget and resource strains on government and commercial entities
- Reduction in available services
- Overwhelmed health care system
What are the basic procedures for the N in RAIN.
Notify the appropriate response agency
Notify the appropriate agency
- Stay outside of designated perimeter
- Remain upwind
- Wait for qualified assistance
What are the basic procedures for the A in RAIN.
Avoid contamination/exposure to the threat
Avoid exposure
- Stay uphill, upwind from the incident
- Use distance and physical barriers to protect yourself from exposure
- Remain alert for changes in wind direction or the behavior of the material
What are the basic procedures for the I in RAIN.
Isolate the threat and immediate area
Isolate
- Set a perimeter around the exposed area
- Be sure to communicate the location of the perimeter
- Establish safe travel routes for the public
- Enforce perimeter security
What are the Practical Guidelines for Law Enforcement First Responders?
- Limitations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) availability and safe use (LE Responders should not use any PPE above gloves and particulate/droplet mask except to escape from a hazardous situation or at the direction of Incident Command)
- Safe donning and doffing of Nitrile gloves and particulate/droplet mask Instructor Note: demonstrate.
- Practical decontamination (hand wipes, soap and water, antibacterial gels, antiviral wipes, etc.)
- Time, distance/direction, and shielding/barriers (Shorter times in a HAZMAT zone are ALWAYS better. Distance and upwind location from a HAZMAT zone are ALWAYS better. Shielding and barriers can be helpful.)
What are the basic procedures for the R in RAIN.
Recognize the presence of CBRNE threat
Recognize the presence of CBRNE threat
- Observations (Odors, noises, wind direction, placards, signs, etc.)
- Assessment (Hazard level, casualties, need for additional resources, etc.)
- Plan (Response, exit strategy, precautions, etc.)
- Communicate (Dispatch, casualties, good Samaritans, etc.)
- Respond (Establish perimeter, first aid, enable ICS, etc.)
What are some sources to obtain on-site information about hazardous materials being transported?
Warnings and Indicators
- Shipping manifests
- Placards
- Labels
Interviews
- Driver, others involved in transportation of materials
- Witnesses
- Victims
Communications
- Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (TLETS)
- Shipper at point-of-origin
Common Explosives include:
- Black Powder
- PETN
- TNT/Dynamite
- C4
- ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil)
Types of Hazardous Materials include:
- Toxic Industrial Materials/Toxic Industrial Chemicals (chlorine, acetone, benzene, mercury, etc.)
- Agricultural Chemicals (pesiticides, insecticides, amonia, etc.)
- Chemical Warfare Agents (nerve agents, vesicants)
- Other Chemical Agents (riot control, irritants, etc.)
- Some controlled substances (fentanyl, cocaine, anesthetics, etc.)
Definition: ______ is a document that contains information on the potential health effects of exposure to chemicals, or other potentially dangerous substances, and on safe working procedures when handling chemical products.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Terminology
Definition: _______ is the Level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects.
Threshold Limit Value (TLV)
How can professionals be ready to respond to external and internal HAZMAT incidents?
Well-designed plans and staff education will prepare officers to reduce the probability of such incidents and to be able to respond appropriately and quickly.
Definition: ______ materials that have a high hazard due to ease of ignition, high burning temperature, or difficulty in extinguishment. These materials exist as solids, liquids, or gasses.
Flammable Substances
Corrosives/Acid examples include:
- Sulfuric acid,
- nitric acid.
- acetic acid,
- ammonium hydroxide,
- sodium hydroxide
Definition: _______ naturally occurring living organisms that cause injury or death to other living organisms
Biological pathogens
Oxidizer examples include:
- Oxygen,
- hydrogen peroxide,
- and some halogens
Definition: _______ is the measure of a lethal dose or toxin, radiation, or pathogen. The value of LD50 for a substance is the dose required to kill half the members of a tested population after a specified test duration.
Lethal Concentration (LC50)
Personal Protection and Decontamination
Levels of Personal Protection
- Level D (uniform, gloves, mask, etc.)
- Level C (air-purifying respirator, chemical resistant clothing, double-layered gloves, etc.)
- Level B (SCBA + Level C)
- Level A (fully-encapsulated)
What are some reasons for Changing Level of Personal Protection
Moving Up (D to C, C to B, or B to A)
Moving Down (A to B, B to C, or C to D)
Definition: ______ chemical materials that may attack and destroy living tissue (such as skin), some of these materials may also attack and destroy through chemical reaction metals, glass, or plastics.
Corrosives/Acids
Definition: ______ manmade materials that may cause injury or death to living organisms. These may exist as solids, liquids, or gasses.
Toxic/Poisonous Substances
Definition: ________ a group of chemicals that do not burn on their own, but when in combination with other chemicals may cause them to burn or burn at a higher than normal temperature. These chemicals can cause materials that would not ordinarily catch fire to begin to burn readily.
Oxidizers
Definition: ______ is a group of hazardous materials that share dangerous characteristics.
hazard class
What are the decontamination concepts
- “End the Exposure!”
- Remove
- Dilute
- Absorb
- Neutralize
- Isolate
Definition: _______ Is the level of radiation flux to which material or living tissue is exposed.
Radioactive Exposure
Definition: ________ is generally a material that burns or decomposes quickly releasing a large amount of heat and gas in a short time resulting in a shock wave.
explosive material
Definition: _______ is an indication of the lethality of a given substance or type of radiation.
Lethal Dose (LD50)
Definition: _______ is the study of adverse effects of chemicals or physical agents on living organisms.
Toxicology
What are the radioactive materials/nuclear radiation types?
- Alpha
- Beta
- Gamma
- X-Ray
- Neutron
Biological pathogen examples include:
Examples include:
- Human Pathogens (define “pathogen” as a “disease-causing organi
- Bacteria (examples include anthrax [Bacillus anthracis], plague [Yersinia pestis], etc.)
- Viruses (Smallpox [Variola Major], Bird Flu [H5N1], etc.)
- Plant and Animal Pathogens (instructor should explain economic significance and need for avoiding the spread of plant and animal pathogens)
- Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
- Exotic Newcastle Disease (END)
- Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
- Boll Rot of Cotton
- Biological Toxins (Ricin, botulinum toxin, etc.)
List the hazardous threats caused by human actions.
- active threat/shooter,
- suicide bombing,
- or other mass casualty situations caused by human action
Flammable Substances Examples include:
Examples include:
- Liquids- gasoline, diesel fuel, alcohol
- Gasses- propane, butane, hydrogen
- Solids- magnesium, aluminum powder, zinc, sodium
* Note- some flammable solids react violently when in contact with water and may self-ignite if they become wet
Definition: _______ is the exposure to airborne contaminants that is “likely to cause death or immediate or delayed permanent adverse health effects or prevent escape from such an environment.”
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)
CBRNE, which breaks down the overall idea of hazardous materials to basic components. This term takes the nine hazard classes and breaks them into groupings that are more useful to the first responder. Those components are:
- Chemical
- Biological
- Radiation
- Nuclear
- Explosive
