Hazardous Materials: Overview
Objectives (1 of 2) Define a hazardous material. Describe the different levels of hazardous materials training: awareness, operations, technician, and specialist. Understand the laws that govern hazardous material response activities.
Objectives (2 of 2) Explain the difference between hazardous materials incidents and other emergencies. Explain the need for a planned response to a hazardous materials incident.
Hazardous Materials Overview Fire fighters may be called to incidents involving chemical spills, emergencies at industrial plants, or railroad or truck crashes. These incidents threaten lives, property, and the environment.
What Is a Hazardous Material? (1 of 3) A material that poses an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of people and the environment if it is not properly controlled
What Is a Hazardous Material? (2 of 3) A hazardous material can be almost anything. Hazardous materials can be found anywhere.
What Is a Hazardous Material? (3 of 3) More than 80,000 chemicals are registered for use in commerce in the United States. An estimated 2000 new chemicals are introduced annually.
Hazardous Waste The material that remains after a process has used some of the material and it is no longer pure Can be just as dangerous as pure chemicals Can be mixtures of several chemicals, resulting in a hybrid substance
Regulations Regulations are issued and enforced by governmental bodies such as: OSHA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Standards Issued by nongovernmental entities and are generally consensus based NFPA issues consensus-based standards. NFPA 471 NFPA 472 NFPA 473
Levels of Training (1 of 2) The NFPA levels are awareness, operations, technician, and specialist. OSHA has issued the HAZWOPER regulations: HAZWOPER is codified at 29 CFR 1910.120. Fire departments are primarily concerned with subsection (q) Emergency Response.
Levels of Training (2 of 2) HAZWOPER identifies five levels of training: Awareness Operations Technician Specialist Incident commander
Awareness Level Awareness-level responders can: Recognize a potential hazardous materials incident. Protect themselves. Call for trained personnel. Secure the area Awareness-level responders take protective actions.
Operations Level Responders can: Recognize a potential incident. Isolate the area. Take defensive actions without touching the product. Act in a defensive fashion.
Technician Level Enter heavily contaminated areas using the highest levels of protection. Hazardous materials technicians take offensive actions.
Specialist Level Fire fighters at this level receive more specialized training than a hazardous materials technician. The technician and specialist levels are not very different. The majority of training relates to a specific product or mode of transportation.
Hazardous Materials Officer Assume command of a hazardous materials incident beyond the operations level Should have at least operations-level training as well as additional training specific to commanding a hazardous materials incident
Government Agencies DOT regulates the transportation of goods by highways, rail, air, and, in some cases, marine transport. EPA regulates environmental aspects of hazardous materials. OSHA also issues guidance on a multitude of other topics regarding worker safety.
Laws (1 of 2) Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Original driver for HAZWOPER regulations Laid the foundation that allowed fire departments and the community to obtain information about hazardous materials in the community
Laws (2 of 2) Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) EPCRA requires a business that handles EPCRA requires a business that handles chemicals to report storage type, quantity, and storage methods to the fire department and the local emergency planning committee.
Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) Gather and disseminate information about hazardous materials. Composed of members of industry, transportation, media, fire and police agencies, and the public at large LEPCs collect material safety data sheets. 27
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Profile of a chemical or mixture of chemicals Provided by the manufacturer and/or supplier of a chemical Chemical s properties and all pertinent information about it
State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) Each state has a SERC. The SERC is a liaison between local and state levels of authority. 27
Hazardous Materials Incidents Are Different (1 of 2) Fire fighters cannot approach a hazardous materials incident with the same mindset used for a structure fire. Suppressing a fire is usually more straightforward than handling a hazardous materials incident.
Hazardous Materials Incidents Are Different (2 of 2) At a hazardous materials incident, actions taken are largely dictated by the chemicals involved. Response objectives, the choice of personal protective equipment, and the type of decontamination are complicated decisions that depend on the chemical properties of the hazardous material.
Planning a Response (1 of 2) The response begins before the alarm. Agencies should conduct incident-planning activities at target hazards and other potential problem areas. Focus on the real threats that exist in the community. Once threats are identified, agencies must determine how they will respond.
Planning a Response (2 of 2) Established parameters guide response to incidents. These parameters are based on the nature of the chemical, the amount released and the type of occupancy involved.
Summary Hazardous materials can be found everywhere. Fire fighters must recognize the presence of a chemical incident and understand what actions can be taken. Incidents require slowing down and taking actions based on the materials involved.