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Hazchem Guide

Emergency Action Codes (commonly called Hazchem Codes) are designed to assist the emergency services in theirst few minutes of dealing with a hazardous goods distribution incident. They are designed for responding to bulkroduct incidents. They are not intended for goods carried in smaller quantities, or for non-distribution incidents,lthough they are often used as an indicator of the measures that may be needed in such incidents.

The EAC provides information on:

the fire extinguishing media to be used; the level of PPE required; whether the spillage should be contained or may be diluted; whether there is a possibility of violent reaction; whether the substance poses a Public Safety Hazard.

The Hazard Warning Panel

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Emergency Action Codes

1  COURSE SPRAY  3  FOAM 

2  FINE SPRAY  4  DRY AGENT 

P  V 

LTS  DILUTESPILLAGE

R  

S  V BA & FIRE KIT 

T 

W  V LTS 

CONTAINSPILLAGE

X 

Y  V BA & FIRE KIT 

Z 

E  PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD 

KEY

V  Can be violently or even explosively reactive

LTS  Liquid tight chemical protective clothingconforming to BS 8428 used in combination withBA.

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More Advice

More detailed advice on interpreting the EAC is given in 'Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List005' (ISBN 0113413041) which is produced by HM Fire Inspectorate, Publications Section and available through

The Stationery Office.

International Operations (ADR)

The ADR Hazard Identification Number (HIN, also known as the Kemler Code) is usually found in the UK on

ehicles which are on international journeys. UK registered vehicles on domestic journeys should use the EAC. TheHIN differs in its approach from the EAC, giving advice on the nature of the hazard presented by the goods as

pposed to the actions to be taken when dealing with them.

Blank Plates

Orange plate without any numbers indicates vehicle carrying dangerous load (drums, packages, etc.) or multi-loadanker.

DILUTE  Spillages may be washed to drains with largequantities of water. However due care must betaken to avoid unnecessary pollution ofwatercourses. For further information contact theEnvironment Agency or Scottish EnvironmentalProtection Agency.

CONTAIN  Prevent the spillage from entering drains andwatercourses using any means available.

DRY

AGENT 

Water MUST NOT be allowed to come into

contact with the substance.

E  People should be warned to stay indoors with alldoors and windows closed but evacuation mayneed to be considered. Consult Control, Policeand product expert.

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Doubling of a figure indicates intensification of that particular hazard.

f the HIN is prefixed with an "X" this indicates the substance will react dangerously with water. For such substances,water may only be used by approval of experts.

Where the hazard associated with a substance can be adequately indicated by a single figure, this is followed by aero.

The following combinations have special meanings - refer to Hazchem List or control:

The hazard identification number consists of two or three figures. Ingeneral the figures indicate the following hazards:

 

2 Emission of gas due to pressure or to chemicalreaction

3 flammability of liquids

4 flammability of solids orself heating liquid

5 oxidising(fire-intensifying) effect

6 toxic or risk of infection

7 radioactivity

8 corrosivity

9 Risk of spontaneous violentreaction

22 refrigerated liquefiedgas, asphyxiant

  482 corrosive solid whichreacts with water,emitting flammable gases

323 flammable liquidwhich reactsdangerously with

water, emittingflammable gases

  539 flammable organic peroxide

333 pyrophoric liquid 606 infectious substance

362 flammable liquid,toxic, which reactswith water, emittingflammable gases

  623 toxic liquid which reactswith water, emittingflammable gases

382 flammable liquidcorrosive, whichreacts with water,

emitting flammablegases

  642 toxic solid, which reactswith water, emittingflammable gases

423 solid which reactswith water, emittingflammable gases

  823 corrosive liquid whichreacts with water,emitting flammable gases

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44 flammable solid, inthe molten state at anelevated temperature

  842 corrosive solid whichreacts with water,emitting flammable gases

446 flammable solid,toxic, in the moltenstate at an elevatedtemperature

  90 environmentallyhazardous substance;miscellaneous

462 toxic solid whichreacts with water,

emitting flammablegases

  99 miscellaneous dangeroussubstance carried at an

elevated temperature

Hazard Warning Diamonds

Class 1 Explosive substance or articles

Class 2Gases

Class 3 Flammable liquids

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 Class 4.1 Flammable solids, self-reactive and desensitised explosive

Class 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneously combust

Class 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water emit flammable gases

Class 5.1 Oxidizing substances

Class 5.2 Oxidizing peroxides

Class 6.1 Toxic substances

Class 6.2 Infectious substances

Class 7 Radioactive material

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Class 8 Corrosive substances

Elevated Temperature Substances

Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

Marine Pollutant

Supply Labelling

Explosive

Oxidising

Toxic / Very Toxic

Dangerous for the Environment

Highly / Extremely Flammable

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REACH

Corrosive

Harmful / Irritant

upply labelling uses the same, or similar symbols to those seen on the Hazard warning diamonds used for transportabelling. However, as well as being a different shape and colour, different criteria are used to assign the risks. So,omething classified as "Toxic" (Class 6.1) for transport may only be classified as "Harmful" for supply. Equally,omething classed as "Toxic" (skull and cross-bones) for supply, such as a carcinogenic substance, may not belassified as hazardous for transport at all.

Equally, a particular substance may have different classifications for each system. Solvents may be classed asFlammable" (Class 3) for transport, but "Harmful" or "Toxic" (equating to class 6.1) for supply. The reasons for this

re the different types of risk exhibited in different situations. The end user, dealing with small quantities on arequent basis over long time-periods, is at greater risk from any harmful/toxic effects due to contact with the producthan from its flammable characteristics. The Emergency Services, however, will be dealing with a "one-off" situation

which is not supposed to happen ever, involving several drums or tankerloads of the product, where the flammabilityazard far outweighs the effects of contact with the product.

Classification can therefore be more intricate than it first appears; if you need any advice or guidance, see theConsultancy pages on this website.

Hazchem Scale Cards

The NCEC offers a condensed version of this page on pocket-sized, durable,laminated cards or 'Hazchem Scalecards'.

To obtain copies of our scalecards, please contact one of our sales team

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