IFSTA Hazmat 6th Edition Chapters 1-3 Study Pack
Hazmat incident - An emergency involving a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to
people, the environment, and/or property
- Possible causes include:
- Human error
- Transportation accidents
- Mechanical breakdowns/malfunctions
- Container failures
- Deliberate acts (criminal intent/WMD/suicides)
- Not always clearly defined before responders arrive
- Occur frequently
- US government agencies maintain databases to track hazmat incidents
The most common hazmat incidents involve - Flammable gases
- Flammable and combustible liquids
- Corrosives
- Anhydrous ammonia
- Chlorine
Seven mechanisms of harm/TRACEM-P - Understanding injury mechanisms is a key component of preventing injuries at
a hazmat incident
- Thermal
- Radiological
- Asphyxiating (simple or chemical)
- Chemical (poisoning from pesticides and biological toxins, respiratory system
injury from inhalation hazards, corrosive damage)
- Etiological/Biological
- Mechanical
- Psychological
Routes of exposure - Inhalation is most common exposure route
- Objects that may cut the skin and cause injection of hazardous materials
include:
- Sharp edges
- Tools with sharp edges or moving parts
- Needles
- Leak in a high pressure source
- Stinging, biting, or poking by insects, animals, or plants
Contamination vs exposure - Contamination is the transfer of a hazmat to person, equipment, and the
environment in greater than acceptable quantities (the hazmat has to be
touched by another object)
- Contamination does not necessarily result in exposure
- Exposure means that a hazmat has entered or potentially entered the body
via the routes of entry
- Cross contamination (secondary contamination) occurs when contaminants
are moved from one location to another
- Most hazmat responses will include contamination
, IFSTA Hazmat 6th Edition Chapters 1-3 Study Pack
Acute vs chronic exposure and health effects - Delayed effects can occur hours or days later
- Phosgene can cause serious health effects that may not become evident
many hours or days after exposure
- In some cases it may take many years for a substance to cause a disease such
as cancer
- This delay is called a latency period
- In the US, the National Toxicology Program prepares a Report on
Carcinogens, which is a congressionally mandated, science-based, public
health document that is prepared for the US Department of Health and Human
Services
- The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, and exposure
circumstances that are known or reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens
- These substances include acetaldehyde, chloroform, progesterone, and PCB's
Roles and responsibilities - Personnel involved in a hazmat incident must be mindful or risk and use a
slow and methodical approach
- These responses usually require a well thought-out action plan and are
usually not an emergency by nature
- Awareness level: Typically at the incident when it occurs; for example,
industrial personnel or utility workers who witness an accident. They perform
limited defensive actions, such as calling for help, evacuating the hazard area,
and securing the scene
- Operations level: May include FF's, PD, industrial response personnel.
Allowed to perform defensive actions, but are not expected to come into
direct contact with the hazmat
- Operations level with mission specific training: Perform additional defensive
tasks and limited offensive tasks
APIE-T awareness level - Analyze the incident, plan, the initial response, implement the response,
evaluate progress, and terminate the incident
- Awareness level personnel can be involved in the analysis and
implementation phases
APIE-T operations level A: Identify potential hazards such as type of container, hazardous material
involved, hazards presented, potential behavior of the material
- Once operations level have an understanding of the material/hazards
involved, they can plan an appropriate response based on their training and
SOP's
P: Must be able to identify response options but may not be responsible for
planning the actual response
I: Expected to establish the IMS, scene control, and implement protective
actions such as evacuation. They must be able to:
- Follow safety procedures
- Use assigned PPE
- Complete assignments
- Perform emergency decontamination
- Identify and preserve potential evidence
Federal laws that regulate hazmat - A law is a statute written by a legislative body
- A law is a specific statement of what is to be done, not necessarily how it will
be accomplished
- Regulations are rules made by executive departments and agencies, and are
arranged by subject in the Code of Federal Regulations
- A regulation is a document detailing procedures for implementing, complying
with, and enforcing a law
Hazmat incident - An emergency involving a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to
people, the environment, and/or property
- Possible causes include:
- Human error
- Transportation accidents
- Mechanical breakdowns/malfunctions
- Container failures
- Deliberate acts (criminal intent/WMD/suicides)
- Not always clearly defined before responders arrive
- Occur frequently
- US government agencies maintain databases to track hazmat incidents
The most common hazmat incidents involve - Flammable gases
- Flammable and combustible liquids
- Corrosives
- Anhydrous ammonia
- Chlorine
Seven mechanisms of harm/TRACEM-P - Understanding injury mechanisms is a key component of preventing injuries at
a hazmat incident
- Thermal
- Radiological
- Asphyxiating (simple or chemical)
- Chemical (poisoning from pesticides and biological toxins, respiratory system
injury from inhalation hazards, corrosive damage)
- Etiological/Biological
- Mechanical
- Psychological
Routes of exposure - Inhalation is most common exposure route
- Objects that may cut the skin and cause injection of hazardous materials
include:
- Sharp edges
- Tools with sharp edges or moving parts
- Needles
- Leak in a high pressure source
- Stinging, biting, or poking by insects, animals, or plants
Contamination vs exposure - Contamination is the transfer of a hazmat to person, equipment, and the
environment in greater than acceptable quantities (the hazmat has to be
touched by another object)
- Contamination does not necessarily result in exposure
- Exposure means that a hazmat has entered or potentially entered the body
via the routes of entry
- Cross contamination (secondary contamination) occurs when contaminants
are moved from one location to another
- Most hazmat responses will include contamination
, IFSTA Hazmat 6th Edition Chapters 1-3 Study Pack
Acute vs chronic exposure and health effects - Delayed effects can occur hours or days later
- Phosgene can cause serious health effects that may not become evident
many hours or days after exposure
- In some cases it may take many years for a substance to cause a disease such
as cancer
- This delay is called a latency period
- In the US, the National Toxicology Program prepares a Report on
Carcinogens, which is a congressionally mandated, science-based, public
health document that is prepared for the US Department of Health and Human
Services
- The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, and exposure
circumstances that are known or reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens
- These substances include acetaldehyde, chloroform, progesterone, and PCB's
Roles and responsibilities - Personnel involved in a hazmat incident must be mindful or risk and use a
slow and methodical approach
- These responses usually require a well thought-out action plan and are
usually not an emergency by nature
- Awareness level: Typically at the incident when it occurs; for example,
industrial personnel or utility workers who witness an accident. They perform
limited defensive actions, such as calling for help, evacuating the hazard area,
and securing the scene
- Operations level: May include FF's, PD, industrial response personnel.
Allowed to perform defensive actions, but are not expected to come into
direct contact with the hazmat
- Operations level with mission specific training: Perform additional defensive
tasks and limited offensive tasks
APIE-T awareness level - Analyze the incident, plan, the initial response, implement the response,
evaluate progress, and terminate the incident
- Awareness level personnel can be involved in the analysis and
implementation phases
APIE-T operations level A: Identify potential hazards such as type of container, hazardous material
involved, hazards presented, potential behavior of the material
- Once operations level have an understanding of the material/hazards
involved, they can plan an appropriate response based on their training and
SOP's
P: Must be able to identify response options but may not be responsible for
planning the actual response
I: Expected to establish the IMS, scene control, and implement protective
actions such as evacuation. They must be able to:
- Follow safety procedures
- Use assigned PPE
- Complete assignments
- Perform emergency decontamination
- Identify and preserve potential evidence
Federal laws that regulate hazmat - A law is a statute written by a legislative body
- A law is a specific statement of what is to be done, not necessarily how it will
be accomplished
- Regulations are rules made by executive departments and agencies, and are
arranged by subject in the Code of Federal Regulations
- A regulation is a document detailing procedures for implementing, complying
with, and enforcing a law
