Hazardous Materials for First Responders - Notes

Preparation Checklist & Incident Examples

  • Preparation checklist is crucial for hazardous materials response.
  • Examples of incidents:
    • Sunrise Propane explosion in Toronto.
    • Mississauga train derailment.
    • Ohio derailment.
    • Bhopal, India: Union Carbide gas release.
    • Beirut explosion.
    • West Texas incident.
    • Lac Megantic rail disaster (July 2013): 47 deaths with 5 never found.

Introduction to Hazardous Materials

  • Hazardous materials possess harmful characteristics.
  • United States terminology: Hazardous Materials (Hazmat).
  • Canada terminology: Dangerous Goods.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

  • WMDs have the potential to cause mass casualties and damage.
  • WMD defined: Weapons of Mass Destruction.
  • CBRNE: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive.

Hazmat/WMD Incident Definition

  • A hazardous materials/WMD incident is an emergency involving substances that pose unreasonable risk to people, the environment, and property.

Potential Causes of Hazmat Incidents

  • Human error.
  • Mechanical breakdowns or malfunctions.
  • Container failures.
  • Transportation accidents.
  • Deliberate acts (terrorism).
  • Chemical suicides.
  • WMD incidents.

Complexities of Hazmat Incidents

  • Hazmat incidents present a variety of dangers, sometimes in small quantities.
  • They can be extremely difficult to contain and/or control.
  • Require specialized equipment, procedures, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
  • Can be difficult to detect, requiring sophisticated monitoring equipment.

Responder Awareness

  • Hazardous materials incidents are not always clearly defined upon arrival.
  • First responders must be constantly alert to the presence of hazardous materials and their possible effects.
  • The mere presence of hazardous materials may change an incident’s dynamics.

First Responder Roles and Responsibilities

  • Hazmat first responders must safely respond to hazmat incidents.
  • Understanding personal limitations is critical.
  • Knowing when you cannot proceed any further is essential.

NFPA Standards for Hazmat Responders

  • First responder roles are established by law and NFPA standards.
  • NFPA 1072: Standard for Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Emergency Response Personnel Professional Qualifications.
  • NFPA 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents.
  • NFPA 473: Standard for Competencies for EMS Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents.
  • Individuals trained to meet NFPA 1072 will meet or exceed OSHA requirements for Awareness, Operations, and Technician levels.

Hazmat Training Levels

  • Three training levels:
    • Awareness: Perform limited defensive actions.
    • Operations: Perform defensive actions.
    • Mission-Specific: May be trained to perform additional defensive and limited offensive actions.

Specialized Response Personnel

  • Hazardous Materials Technician.
  • Hazardous Materials Technician Specialist.
  • Hazardous Materials Incident Commander.
  • Hazardous Materials Officer.
  • Hazardous Materials Safety Officer.

APIE Incident Model

  • APIE (Analyze, Plan, Implement, Evaluate) helps responders devise a 4-step response to any hazmat incident.
  • Not all aspects of APIE are addressed at the Awareness level.
  • As responsibilities increase, components of APIE also increase.

Organizational Procedures

  • Each fire and emergency services organization should have written procedures describing appropriate actions consistent with the level of training.

Awareness Level Personnel

  • Might be first to arrive at a hazmat incident.
  • Responsibilities: Transmit, Protect, Isolate.
  • Expected to transmit information to appropriate authorities and call for appropriate assistance.
  • Initiate protective actions.
  • Isolate hazardous area and deny entry.

Operations Level Responders

  • Respond to hazmat releases as part of their normal duties.
  • Must be able to:
    • ID potential hazards.
    • ID response options.
    • Implement planned response to mitigate or control release.
    • Evaluate progress of actions taken.

Identifying Potential Hazards

  • Type of container involved.
  • Hazardous material involved.
  • Hazards presented by the material.
  • Potential behavior of material.

Operations Level Actions

  • Understand tasks they may be assigned.
  • Protect themselves.
  • Safety precautions and suitability of PPE.
  • Emergency decon needs.

Implementing the Response

  • Establish Incident Management System.
  • Establish scene control.
  • Implement protective actions such as evacuation.
  • Follow safety procedures.
  • Use PPE in a proper manner.
  • Avoid hazards and complete assignments.
  • Perform emergency decontamination.
  • ID and preserve potential evidence if a crime is suspected.

Mission-Specific Competencies

  • PPE.
  • Mass decon.
  • Technical decon.
  • Evidence preservation and sampling.
  • Product control.
  • Air monitoring and sampling.
  • Victim rescue and recovery.
  • Response to illicit laboratory incidents.

Exception to The Rule

  • First responders trained to Operations Level may perform offensive tactics when properly trained and equipped at incidents involving Gasoline, Diesel, Natural Gas, LPG.

Health and Safety

  • Hazmat incidents are characterized by work environment hazards, which may pose an Immediate Danger to Life and Health (IDLH).
  • These may not be immediately obvious or identifiable.
  • Protecting the health and safety of emergency response support personnel, and the general public, must always be the Incident Commander’s (IC's) primary concern.
  • The Health And Safety Of All Emergency Responders Is A Critical Issue.
  • Preventing Exposures To Hazardous Materials Is Always A Primary Concern.
  • Command Personnel Must Also Evaluate The Physical Working Conditions, Work Intervals, And The Stress Of Working In Personal Protective Clothing And Equipment.
  • It Is Everyone’s Goal to Have Responders Come Home Safe

Routes of Entry

  • Hazardous materials can enter the body in multiple ways:
    • Inhalation.
    • Ingestion.
    • Absorption.
    • Injection.

Potential Health Effects

  • Health effects may be:
    • Acute.
    • Chronic.
    • Delayed.

Toxicology

  • Toxicology is the study of chemical or physical agents that produce adverse responses in the biologic systems with which they interact.
  • Toxicity is defined as the ability of a substance to cause injury to a biological tissue.
  • Exposure + Toxicity = Health Hazard
  • “All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison.” - Paracelsus.
  • A Number Of Factors Determine The Toxicity Of A Chemical:
    • Concentration of material (dose)
    • Duration of exposure
    • Routes of exposure
    • Physiological factors
  • Exposure + Toxicity = Health Hazard

Dose/Response Relationship

  • 1 oz. of Bourbon Consumed in 60 mins. results in a Minimal Acute Effect and None Chronic Effect
  • 1 qt. of Bourbon Consumed in 60 mins. results in Illness or Death Acute Effect and Minimal Chronic Effect
  • 1 oz. of Bourbon Consumed every 60 mins. for 12 hrs. Each day, 365 days a year results in a Minimal Acute Effect and Brain / Liver Damage Chronic Effect
  • 1 qt. of Bourbon Consumed over a year results in None Acute Effect and None Chronic Effect

Inhalation

  • The lungs are the transfer point in the human body and absorbs the toxic materials into the bloodstream and deposited into target organs
  • The most common route of entry for firefighters
  • WEAR YOUR SCBA

Respiratory Tract

  • The lungs have a surface area of 70-100 square metres (i.e. Skin has 2 square metres)
  • 90% of injuries/ deaths are from inhalation
  • Very vascular and quickly absorbs chemicals

Absorption

  • Taking in materials through your skin or eyes
  • Toxic Materials can be absorbed directly through the skin or they may enter the bloodstream through broken skin

Ingestion

  • Eating or swallowing hazardous materials through your mouth
  • Toxic materials swallowed can affect other organs as well as the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Always complete decon before eating or drinking

Injection

  • Taking in materials through a puncture in your skin

Effects of Hazardous Materials Exposures

  • A Local Effect Implies An Effect At The Point Of Contact.
  • A Systemic Effect Occurs When A Chemical Enters The Bloodstream And Attacks Target Organs And Internal Areas Of The Human Body.
  • Eyes, Skin, Liver and Blood

Target Organs and Examples:

  • Hepatotoxins target: Liver
  • Examples: Alcohol, Vinyl chloride, Halogentated hydrocarbons
  • Nephrotoxins target: Kidneys
    • Examples: Mercury
  • Neurotoxins target: CNS
    • Examples: Organophosphates, Carbon monoxide, Sarin, Hydrogen sulfide
  • Respiratory Toxins target: Lungs
    • Examples: Ammonia, chlorine
  • Hematotoxins target: Blood
    • Examples: Carbon monoxide, Benzene, cyanides
  • Dermatoxins (cutaneous) target: System, Skin
    • Examples: KETONES, XYLENE, GASOLINE
  • Teratogens target: Fetus
    • Examples: Lead, benzene
  • Mutagens target: Cells (DNA)
    • Examples: Aluminium chloride, beryllium
  • Carcinogens target: all bones
    • Examples: Vinyl chloride, Benzene, Tobacco smoke
  • musculoskelatal target:
    • Examples: Sulphuric acid, phosphine
  • Immunotoxins target: Endocrine system
    • Examples: Benzene, Parathion, ethanol

Ways and Types of Harm

  • Mechanical
  • Thermal
  • Poisonous
    • Toxic
  • Corrosive
  • Asphyxiation
  • Radiological
  • Etiological
  • Corrosive
  • Etiologic
  • Radioactive
  • Asphyxiating
  • Oxidizing
  • Reactive
  • Unstable
  • Explosive
  • Cryogenic
  • Flammable

TRACEM

  • THERMAL
  • RADIOLOGICAL
  • ASPHYXIATION
  • CHEMICAL (corrosives/toxics)
  • ETIOLOGICAL/BIOLOGICAL
  • MECHANICAL

Mechanisms of Harm

  • Energy Release
  • Corrosivity
  • Toxicity

Types of Energy Release

  • Heat
  • Mechanical
  • Pressure
  • Electricity
  • Chemical
  • Radiation

Heat (thermal) hazards:

  • Hazardous material can cause temperature extremes
  • Fires, explosions, burns
  • Environmental factors can cause heat illness, complicate hazmat operations
  • Lack of heat can also cause harm
  • Thermal Elevated temperature materials
  • Energy Hazards
  • Exothermal reactions
  • Fires and explosions
  • Hot weather
  • Cryogenic liquids and gases
  • Cold temperatures

Mechanical Energy

  • Responders can be injured by flying or falling objects
  • Friction injuries may occur - abrasions, blisters, burns

Pressurized Materials

  • Can release violently
  • Materials may expand rapidly
  • Spread hazards quickly over potentially large areas

Electrical Hazards

  • Electrical Utilities
  • Energized containers
  • Electrical equipment Portable generators
  • Power tools

Chemical Energy

  • Flames or explosion
  • Release heat
  • Use heat
  • Create new hazardous materials with new/different hazards

Radiation Exposure

  • Medical centers
  • Industrial operations
  • Nuclear power plants
  • Research facilities
  • Terrorist attacks

Corrosives

  • Chemicals that destroy or burn living tissues.
  • Can hurt if they contact skin or body
  • May damage tools and equipment

Toxic Substances

  • Cause damage on the molecular scale.
  • Effects may be:
    • Fast-acting, acute
    • Chronic, not manifested for many years

Types of Chemical Hazards

  • POISONS/TOXINS
  • CORROSIVES
  • IRRITANTS
  • CONVULSANTS
  • CARCINOGEN
  • SENSITIZERS/ALLERGENS

Chemical Asphyxiants

  • Carbon monoxide and cyanide
  • TYPES OF CHEMICAL HAZARDS
  • Chemical asphyxiants deprive the body of oxygen; interrupting the transfer and use of oxygen by the bloodstream
  • Eg: carbon monoxide
  • Simple asphyxiants
    • Displace oxygen in the ambient atmosphere causing oxygen deprivation which leads to unconsciousness and death.
    • Eg: carbon dioxide, nitrogen

Chemical Corrosives

  • cause visible and/or irreversible changes to the composition of a material due to direct contact.
  • Similarly, these can also cause a localized reaction in the human body at the point of contact.
  • Eg: Sulphuric acid and Hydrochloric acid

Irritants

  • cause harm to the eyes, skin, or respiratory tract of a person.
  • The hazards can manifest as redness, rashes, inflammation, coughing, or hemorrhaging.
  • Irritants are mostly short-term severe illnesses but can also have long-lasting side effects in some people.
  • People can also have an allergic reaction to some of these chemical materials with long-lasting health impacts or even be fatal.

Sensitizers & Allergens

  • cause an allergic reaction in people who face repeated exposure over time to certain chemicals.
  • Reactions to chemicals deemed as sensitizers vary from person to person and can be either acute or chronic.
  • Chemical exposure can manifest as swelling of the airway or develop into dangerous illnesses such as lung disease.
  • Some diseases such as asthma and contact dermatitis become common among people due to over-exposure to chemicals.

Convulsants

  • cause involuntary muscle contractions (convulsions).
  • These convulsions can result in death.
  • Common examples of these are nerve agents used in chemical warfare, organophosphates used in pesticides.

Carcinogens

  • cancer-causing chemical substances, and a small amount of such a chemical is enough to severely harm human health.
  • The hazards of such chemical substances will only appear many years after exposure.
  • There are over 200 known human carcinogens.
  • Eg; Benzene and Vinyl chloride

Mutagens & Teratogens

  • Chemicals classified as mutagens cause genetic changes to a cell’s DNA and RNA.
  • Genetic changes can cause cancer, prevent normal biological functions, or may result in the malfunction of a particular organ.
  • Benzene, ionizing radiation, and hydrogen peroxide.

Teratogens

  • can disrupt the normal development of a fetus causing birth defects and even the healthy advancement of pregnancy.
  • Chemical Teratogen Examples: Thalidomide, ionizing radiation, and organic mercury compounds.

Biological Hazards

  • Virusus:
    • simplest of microorganisms that can only live and replicate in the living cells of its host.
    • Do not respond to antibiotics.(small pox, ebola)
  • Bacteria:
    • single cell organisims that can cause disease in people by invading the tissues. (anthrax, e coli, salmonella
    • Rickettsia: Bacteria found in ticks, spiders,lice, rats,mosquitoes. The bacteria is transmitted via a bite.(lyme disease, typhus, )

Canadian Regulatory Agencies

  • Transport Canada (TC): Transportation safety and Transportation of Dangerous goods Act.
  • Environment Canada: Public health and the Environment, Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
  • Health Canada: Worker safety, Hazardous products act, WHMIS, Pesticides.
  • Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC): Nuclear material Production/transportation/

Common Hazmat Incidents

  • Most involve:
    • Flammable/combustible liquids
    • Corrosives
    • Anhydrous ammonia
    • Chlorine

Transportation Incidents

  • Statistics indicate that most transportation incidents occur while materials are being transported by highway rather than air, rail, or water.