HazMat Technician 2 Training

• Problems:
• -speaking over hand held radios difficult
• -person to person communication impossible

• Solution:
• -throat or bone mike most effective in overcoming the problem
• -establish hand arm signals

• -mobility and dexterity
• -vision
• -communication capabilities
• -suit integrity

Same level protection suit as responders

Rehabilitation programs should be established prior to working in the hot zone.

• They allow for:
• -replenishment of fluids
• -allow for rest and recovery

• SOP - followed in order
• SOG - more of a guideline

• -loss of air supply
• -loss of suit integrity
• -loss of verbal communications
• -man down in hot zone

Manufacturer's guidlines

• -maintenance procedures
• -testing procedures
• -inspection procedures
• -storage procedures

• -fusible metal plugs and plug threads
• -side wall cylinders
• -valve (blowout, gland, inlet thread, seat, stem assembly blowout)

• -bung leak (on bungs)
• -chime leak (on chime ring)
• -fork lift puncture
• -nail puncture

(flammability should be considered for all)

Forklift puncture

• -Rollers (rolling slide-in)
• -V-shape (slide-in)
• -Upside down (slip over)

• -overpack / recovery drums must be compatible with the product
• -use proper lifting techniques to avoid strain
• -use caution when moving drums to reduce possibility of injuries to hands and feet
• -always use appropriate PPE and respiratory equipment

Specialty clamp

Used for 406, 407, 412

• -eliminate ignition source
• -must come from upwind
• -control and confine

Follow the procedures outlined by the manufacturer of the equipment provided by the AHJ

Follow the procedures outlined by the manufacturer of the equipment provided by the AHJ

Labs

GC/MS

• Oxygen-deficient (bellow 19.5%)
• Flammable or toxic atmosphere
• Engulfment hazard

• -bonding
• -grounding
• -elimination of ignition sources

(shock hazards)

The process of connecting two or more conductive objects together by means of a conductor; it is done to minimize potential differences between conductive objects, thereby minimizing or eliminating the chance of static pressure.

The process of connecting 1 or more conductive objects to the ground through a grounding rod. It is done to minimize or eliminate potential differences between objects and ground.

Use OHM meter

Dome cover leak: specially designed dome clamps

Irregular-shaped hole: use compatible patches

Puncture: use compatible patches

Split or tear: use compatible patches

• -inherent risk associated with such operations
• -procedures and safety precautions
• -equipment required (you must have appropriate equipment; more important than personnel)

• 406, 407, 412:
• -vacuum trucks
• -power take off (PTO) pumps
• -portable pumps (air, electrical gasoline, diesel)

• 331, 338:
• Pressure transfer including:
• -compressed air or inert gas
• -vapor pressure
• -vapor compressor
• -vapor compressor and a liquid pump

• -the effectiveness of how HazMat response personnel are being used
• -established control zones
• -containment or confinement operations
• -decontamination process
• -PPE

• -is the incident stabilizing?
• -is the incident increasing in intensity?
• -ongoing process by all personnel

When they have no reason to remain on the site, and nothing can be done to mitigate the situation

• -contamination levels are reduced as personnel move thru decontamination
• -contaminated items are controlled and collected for disposal

The process subsequent to gross decontamination designed to remove contaminants from responders, their equipment, and victims.

It is intended to minimize the spread of contamination and ensure responder safety along with verification that no HazMat enters the cold zone.

• -Emergency decon
• -Mass decon
• -Technical decon

It can occur at any point for rapid reduction of agent from skin. It does not eliminate secondary decontamination.

Rapid reduction of agent from skin of many contaminated victims. It is performed as quickly as possible while also practicing contamination avoidance.

Deliberate decontamination of responders, equipment, and evidence. 

It emphasizes neutralization of the agent. Speed is not a factor.

Positive pressure SCBA

High volume, low pressure (so contaminates do not permeate protective equipment and get on skin)

Bellow 36

• Physical
• Chemical
• Prevention

• After evacuating the upwind and uphill of a hazard...
• -separate the victims who are showing symptoms (symptomatic) from those not showing symptoms (asymptomatic)
• -collect personnel items
• -provide special consideration for families, small children, elderly, and special need persons

Involves the physical removal of contaminant from the contaminated person. Generally the chemical properties remain unchanged.

• -absorption
• -brushing and scraping
• -isolation and disposal
• -vacuuming
• -washing

PHYSICAL METHOD

• Advantages:
• -absorbents readily available
• -may be suitable to decontaminate equipment and surrounding area more than for decontaminating personnel

• Limitations:
• -absorbed contaminant remains hazardous
• -requires PPE when handling absorbed contaminant
• -limited application for decontaminating personnel

• Examples:
• Soil, sand, absorbent pillow / pads

• PHYSICAL METHOD
• Advantages:
• -can be used with wet and dry decon methods and performed on equipment, personnel, and PPE
• Limitations:
• -while this method can reduce contaminants concentration, contaminant remains unchanged
• -contaminant must be controlled to protect people, property, and environment

PHYSICAL METHOD (a form of dry decon, to remove contaminated items and transport them to a disposal facility)

• Advantages:
• -eliminates immediate threat to people, property, environment

• Limitations:
• -requires encapsuating item for transport
• -cross contamination risk

• Examples:
• removing contaminated cover from monitoring equipment and disposing of it in the waste

PHYSICAL METHOD (sucking contaminant from surface)

• Advantages:
• -effective for removing granular size particles from hard to reach surfaces
• -won't cause increase in volume of hazard

• Limitations:
• -static electricity and fine dust created in the process can cause an explosion
• -specialized equipment required

• Examples:
• -vacuuming up particles from an explosion that had created or contained radioactive particles

PHYSICAL METHOD (remove contaminant with water or soapy water)

• Advantage:
• -easiest way to decon since resources readily available
• -materials not soluble in water can be washed with detergents

• Limitations:
• -hazards not neutralized, just suspended in water
• -control of hazardous runoff

Using chemical methods to destroy or inactivate agent.

• -adsorption
• -chemical degradation
• -disinfection
• -neutralization
• -solidification
• -sterilization
• -dilution
• -evaporation

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (contaminant sticks to sorbent surface)

• ADVANTAGES:
• -if applied in correct quantity it can leave less residual contamination than absorption

• LIMITS:
• -creates heat that could cause spontaneous combustion
• -not normally readily available
• EXAMPLES:
• Activated charcoal, silica or aluminum gel, fuller's earth, other clays, porous clays

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (to let contaminant degrade itself over time by allowing it to age)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -inexpensive
• -reduces or eliminates resource requirements

• LIMITS: 
• -requires sufficient time for the material to degrade itself over time by allowing it to age
• -weather and location of the spill must be favorable

• EXAMPLES:
• -evaporation of a flammable liquid
• -chlorine based products lose potency in air over time
• -destruction of etiological contamination by UV light
• -declining levels of radioactivity

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (the process used to destroy the majority of recognized pathogenic material)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -increasing importance due to bio and chem threats

• LIMITS: 
• -does not cause complete destruction of microorganism

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (too add a chemical or contaminant, in order to change its chemical structure, with the goal of eliminating or rendering it harmless)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -eliminates contaminates toxicity and thereby eliminating secondary threats

• LIMITS: 
• -the neutralizing chemical may not be readily available, which could pose a problem if time is of the essence in controlling the spread of hazard

• EXAMPLES: 
• Neutralizing a corrosive with a weak product of the opposite power of hydrogen (pH)

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (to add a chemical to the contaminant that will convert its physical state from liquid to solid)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -makes confinement, containment quicker, and disposal easier
• -lowers or eliminates the containment's vapor hazard

• LIMITS: 
• -could pose additional problems when liquid contaminant increases in volume as it solidifies
• -the resulting solid must be disposed of properly when the incident is over

• EXAMPLES:
• Adding a catalyst to a liquid substance in order to harden it.

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (the process of destroying all microorganisms in or on object)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -preferred method of decontaminate medical equipment

• LIMITS: 
• -limited field application due to size of equipment
• -cannot be used to decontaminate personnel

• EXAMPLES: 
• Steam, concentrated chemical agents, or ultraviolet light radiation

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (to lower the concentration of a miscible liquid containment, by adding non-hazardous liquid solution)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -if the diluting solution is water, it is readily available in large quantities
• -especially effective on water-soluble items

• LIMITS: 
• -some containment require an inordinate amount of dilution solution
• -run-off must be collected and disposed of properly
• -could create large amounts of diluted waste

• EXAMPLES:
• Decontaminating a piece of equipment by flushing it with copious amounts of water.

CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION (to allow contaminant to evaporate)

• ADVANTAGES: 
• -no resources are required, no approach needed by people

• LIMITS: 
• -there must be sufficient time to evaporate
• -weather conditions must favor evaporation
• -not as effective as porous surfaces and could take a long

• EXAMPLES:
• Allowing a large a large amount of gasoline to to evaporate.

Miscellaneous (commercial, easily expended and not readily replaceable so responders must understand them)

Natural

Standard Military

• Soap and water
• Water
• Household bleach (full strength 5 but should be diluted to 0.5 or 1:10)

Biological agents (but NOT spores)

50% to 80% contamination

Away from the emergency decontamination corridor

False, it is gross decon only

• DOT
• EPA
• OSHA

• 1) best source is manufacturer of product
• 2) CHEMTREC / CANUTEC / SETIQ
• 3) local and regional poison control
• 4) national response center

Incident commander

The planned and systematic process of reducing contamination level that is as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA)

2-4

Incident Commander

• Visual observations (stains, corrosive effects)
• Monitoring devices
• Wipe sampling

• Primary (Gross contamination removal)
• Secondary (Residual contamination removal)
• Tertiary (PPE removal and personal shower)

• Ambulatory
• Non-ambulatory

• -separate ambulatory and non-ambulatory
• -select appropriate decon method based on contaminant
• -protect airways and injuries appropriately
• -collect and tag possessions, as appropriate (it becomes evidence)

The physical removal of the contaminant.

Liquid soap

• -Removing the agent from the victims skin, thus reducing agent exposure and physical effects
• -Protect emergency responders, medical personnel and others from secondary transfer exposure
• -Preventing victims from spreading contamination over additional areas

• 1) initial size-up
• 2) victim control and decontamination triage
• 3) decontamination setup
• 4) mass decontamination conduct
• 5) post decontamination

Rinse-wash-rinse procedure

• Direction
• Participation
• Solution

It should be identified in LERP or SOPs and as soon as practical so that responders have a fresh recall of the incident details.

It does not have to be conducted at same time with everyone.

Identified in LERPs and SOPs

Incident commander

A facilitator

Should involve all participants

• Direction
• Participation
• Solutions

Identified in LERP and SOPs

Representatives responding agencies or groups that were on the scene participating in the operations or command functions

Individuals responsible for training, revising SOP, and ERP

• -Identified in LERP and SOP
• -A written critique report
• -Site safety plan
• -Written elements of the plan of action
• -All hazardous materials teams can benefit from published / publishing critiques in any of the national emergency service magazines

Medical director

• -type of exposure people where subjected to
• -the exposure level and length (hot zone entry / exit logs)
• -type of PPE used
• -type of decon underwent by personnel
• -any on scene medical assistance received