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Hazardous Materials

Section One:

Overview

Analyze

Plan

Implement

Evaluate

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Course Objectives

Provide information to develop street smart hazardous material incident problem solving skills

Assist those preparing for the Haz Mat Operations Level Responder Certification Process

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What Is a Hazardous Material?

Any material that poses an unreasonable risk of damage or injury to persons, property, or the environment

An estimated 2,000 new chemicals are introduced annually; mostly in 3 categories: Industrial chemicals Household cleaners Lawn care products

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What Is Hazardous Waste?

What 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

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DOT Hazard Classes(Department of Transportation)

Class 1 – Explosives Class 2 – Gases Class 3 – Flammable combustible liquids Class 4 – Flammable solids Class 5 – Oxidizers Class 6 – Poisons Class 7 – Radioactive materials Class 8 – Corrosives Class 9 – Other Regulated Materials (ORM)

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Regulations

Regulations are issued and enforced by governmental bodies such as: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

(OSHA) • HazWoper is codified at 29 CFR

1910.120 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)• Non OSHA states fall under 40 CFR 311

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OSHA 1910.120 Levels of Training

OSHA identifies five levels of training: Awareness Operations

• Defensive Technician Specialist Incident Commander

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Standards

Issued by nongovernmental entities and are generally consensus-based

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a body that issues consensus-based standards

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NFPA Standards

Two NFPA standards address hazardous materials response: NFPA 472- Competence of Responders

to HM/WMD NFPA 473- Competence of EMS

Personnel Responding to HM/WMD

WMD= Weapon of Mass Destruction

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NFPA 472 Levels of Training NFPA identifies nine levels of training:

Awareness Operations (Defensive) Operations (Mission Specific Roles) Technician Incident Commanders Specialists Employee Hazardous Materials Officer Hazardous Materials Safety Officer Technicians with Specialty

Tank Car, Cargo Tank, Intermodal, Marine Tank Vessels

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Operations Level Responders

Operations-level responders can: Recognize a potential hazardous

materials/WMD incident Isolate the area Take defensive actions without touching the

product Operations-level responders can take

defensive actions

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Technician Level

Hazardous materials technicians can: Enter heavily

contaminated areas using the highest levels of protection

Hazardous materials technicians take offensive actions

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Other Hazardous Materials Laws, Regulations, and

Regulatory Agencies

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates the transportation of goods by highways, rail, air, and, in some cases, marine transport

The U.S. EPA regulates worker safety as well as environmental aspects of hazardous materials

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Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act

(SARA)

Original driver for HAZWOPER regulations

Indicated that workers handling hazardous waste should have a minimum amount of training

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Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know

Act

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

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Why Are Hazardous Materials Incidents

Different?

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Summary

Hazardous materials are found everywhere Homes Businesses Manufacturing processes Transportation Illegal activities

(e.g., drug labs)

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Summary

It is imperative that firefighters recognize the presence of a hazardous materials incident and understand what actions can be taken

Hazardous materials incidents require slowing down and taking actions based on the properties of the hazardous materials involved