Jackson County HMPC Chemical Hazards Presentation

Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 3rd Ed.

Strategic Goals and Tactical Objectives • Strategic goals — Broad statements of what actions to resolve the incident

• Tactical objectives — Specific operations to accomplish goals

Standard Strategic Goals • • • • • • • •

Isolation Notification Identification Protection Spill control/confinement Leak control/containment Fire control Recovery and termination

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Isolation perimeter — Outer boundary of an incident that is controlled to prevent entrance by the public or unauthorized persons

• Initial isolation distance — Distance within which all persons should be considered for evacuation in all directions from the actual spill/leak source (1 of 8)

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Initial-isolation zone — Circular zone (with a radius equivalent to the initial isolation distance) within which persons may be exposed to dangerous concentrations upwind of the source and may be exposed to life-threatening concentrations downwind of the source

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Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Protective action distance — Downwind distance for which protective actions should be considered

• Protective-action zone — Area immediately adjacent to and downwind from the initial isolation zone, which is in imminent danger of being contaminated by airborne vapors within 30 minutes of material release (3 of 8)

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones

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Operational

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Hazard control zones — Zones dividing the levels of hazard of an incident (hot, warm, or cold), with the hot zone representing the highest degree of hazard; also called site work zones or scenecontrol zones (5 of 8)

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Decontamination zone — Area located in the warm zone where contaminated clothing, people, and equipment can be cleaned or secured • Area of safe refuge — Primarily an area serving as a safe place to wait for evacuation assistance in the event of fire when building elevators are normally inaccessible; used in the haz mat world as a safe location (or locations) where evacuated persons are directed to gather while potential emergencies are assessed, decisions are made, and mitigating activities are begun

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Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Staging area — Area where personnel and equipment awaiting assignment to the incident are held (which keeps responders and equipment out of the way and safe until needed), minimizing confusion and freelancing at the scene; located at an isolated spot in the cold zone where occupants cannot interfere with ongoing operations (7 of 8)

Scene Perimeters and Hazard Control Zones • Rehabilitation area (rehab area) — Safe location where emergency personnel can rest, sit or lie down, have food and drink, and have medical conditions evaluated; located in the cold zone • Triage/treatment area — Area where victims of an incident are brought for medical assessment (triage) and stabilization (treatment); located in the cold zone unless a patient is contaminated, then it would have to be the warm zone (8 of 8)

Notifying Additional Help at a Haz Mat Incident

• Consult SOPs, SOGs, OIs, and LERPs for detailed information.

Factors Affecting the Ability of Personnel to Perform a Rescue • Nature of the hazardous material and incident • • • •

•

severity Availability of appropriate PPE Availability of monitoring equipment Number of victims and their condition Time needed (including a safety margin) to complete the rescue Tools, equipment, and other devices needed to achieve the rescue

Rescue Risks Associated with DOT Hazard Classes • Class 1 — Thermal injury, due to heat generated by the detonation; mechanical injury from the shock, blast overpressure, fragmentation, shrapnel, or structural damage; chemical injuries from associated contamination; etiological harm from contact with blood or other bodily fluids; asphyxiation due to depletion of oxygen (1 of 4)

Rescue Risks Associated with DOT Hazard Classes • Class 2 — Thermal, asphyxiant, chemical, or mechanical hazard due to violent rupture of pressurized containers; thermal harm due to extremely cold temperatures; asphyxiation due to chemical vapors in a confined space

• Class 3 — Thermal hazards from forceful explosions, heat, and fire; chemical and mechanical injuries from explosions (2 of 4)

Rescue Risks Associated with DOT Hazard Classes • Class 4 — Thermal harm from heat and flammability; mechanical harm from slip, trip, and fall hazards; chemical harm from water reactive, toxic, and/or corrosive materials • Class 5 — Thermal, chemical, and mechanical harm due to sensitivity to heat, shock, friction, and contamination • Class 6 — Chemical harm due to toxicity by inhalation, ingestion, and skin and eye contact; etiological harm from disease-causing organisms; thermal injuries due to flammability (3 of 4)

Rescue Risks Associated with DOT Hazard Classes • Class 7 — Thermal and radiological harm from alpha, beta, and neutron particles, and gamma rays • Class 8 — Chemical and thermal hazards associated with the disintegration of contacted tissues; mechanical harm from corrosive chemicals, which can weaken structural elements • Class 9 — Could encompass a multitude of potential hazards (4 of 4)

Operational-Level Rescue Actions • Conducting searches during reconnaissance or • • • • •

defensive activities Conducting searches on the edge of the hot zone Directing victims to the decontamination area Assisting with decontamination while not coming into contact with the hazardous material itself Assisting with the identification of victims Giving instructions to a large number of people for mass decontamination

Sizing Up a Haz Mat Incident • Estimate the number and type of exposures involved.

• Use the ERG and other sources to predict or attempt to predict where the hazardous material may be going.

• After predicting the size of the endangered area, predict the potential exposures.

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Sizing Up a Haz Mat Incident • Protect exposures. – People — Through evacuation or sheltering in place – Environment — Through confinement of released materials and runoff until environmental impact can be determined – Property — Action must be tailored to the material, its properties, and any reactions to the proposed protective medium Note: Lives must not be risked and the environment must not be unduly compromised to safe property! (2 of 2)

Evacuation • Definition — To move all people from a threatened area to a safer place • Factors — Must be enough time to warn people, for them to get ready, and for them to leave the area Note: Evacuation plans for likely terrorist targets should be made in advance as part of the LERP • Steps – Evacuate nearby, downwind, or crosswind within the distance recommended by the ERG. – Send evacuees upwind/uphill/upstream of the incident. – Assign enough personnel to conduct the evacuation.

Sheltering-In-Place Protection • To direct people to go quickly inside a building and remain inside until the danger passes • When to use – The population is unable to initiate evacuation because of health care, detention, or educational occupancies – The material is spreading too rapidly to allow time for evacuation – The material is too toxic to risk any exposure – Vapors are heavier than air, and people are in a high-rise structure

• Direct people to a building, instructing them to close all doors and windows and to shut off all HVAC systems

Confinement • Controlling the product that has already been released from its container • Function — Minimizes the amount of contact the product makes with people, property, and the environment • Tactics – – – – –

Absorption Adsorption Blanketing/covering Dam, dike, diversion, and retention Vapor suppression

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Confinement

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Absorption • A physical and/or chemical event occurring during contact between materials that have an attraction for each other • One material is retained in the other • Procedure — The absorbent is spread directly onto the hazardous material or in a location where the material is expected to flow • Refer to Skill Sheet 4–1. Note: After use, absorbents must be treated and disposed of as hazardous materials because they retain the properties of the materials they absorb

Adsorption and Blanketing/Covering • Adsorption — The molecules of the hazardous material physically adhere to the material

• Blanketing/covering — Covering the surface of the spill to prevent dispersion of materials

Damming, Diking, Diversion, and Retention • A way to control the flow of liquid hazardous materials away from the point of discharge • Can be made by using earthen materials or materials carried on response vehicles • Procedure — Construct curbs that direct or divert the flow away from gutters, drains, storm sewers, flood-control channels, and outfalls • Refer to Skill Sheets 4–2 through 4–5. Note: Any construction materials that contact the spilled material must be properly disposed of.

Vapor Suppression • The action taken to reduce the emission of vapors at a haz mat spill

• Spills of flammable and combustible liquids may require fire-fighting foams.

• Refer to Skill Sheet 4–6.

Using Foams • Application methods – All fire-fighting foams (except fluoroprotein types) should not be plunged directly into the spill, but applied onto the ground at the edge of the spill and rolled gently onto the material. – Rainfall method — Spraying foam into the air over the target area in a fog pattern • Considerations – Water destroys and washes away foam blankets; do not use water streams in conjunction with the application of foam. – A material must be below its boiling point; foam cannot seal vapors of boiling liquids.

Other Spill-Control Tactics • Ventilation — Controlling the movement of air by natural or mechanical means • Vapor dispersion – The action taken to direct or influence the course of airborne hazardous materials – Procedure: Using pressurized streams of water from handlines or unmanned master streams; streams create turbulence, which increases the rate of mixing with air and reduces the concentration of the hazardous material – Refer to Skill Sheet 4–7.

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Other Spill-Control Tactics

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Other Spill-Control Tactics • Dispersion — The breaking up or dispersing of a hazardous material that has spilled on a solid or liquid surface • Dilution – The application of water to a water-soluble material to reduce the hazard – Is not typically used for spill control, but during decontamination operations – May be used when very small amounts of corrosive materials are involved – Refer to Skill Sheet 4–8. (3 of 4)

Other Spill-Control Tactics • Dissolution — The process of dissolving a gas in water

• Neutralization — The process of raising or lowering the pH of corrosive materials to render them netural

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Leak Control/Containment Tactics • Remote shutoff activation – Cargo tank trucks — Locations vary depending on truck – Piping systems and pipelines – Uses — May be used to stop the flow of product to the incident area without entering into the hot zone – Locations — Contact onsite maintenance personnel or local utility workers (1 of 2)

Leak Control/Containment Tactics • • • •

Patching/plugging Overpacking Product transfer Crimping

• Valve actuation • Vacuuming • Pressure isolation and reduction • Solidification

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Typical Fire-Control Tactics • Controlled burn • Exposure protection

• Withdrawal • Extinguishment

Foam • All foams must be proportioned and aerated before they can be used. – Proportioned — Mixed with water – Aerated — Mixed with air

• Foam categories – For use on Class A fuels (ordinary combustibles) – For use on Class B fuels (flammable and combustible liquids)

Foam Methods • Separating — Creates a barrier between the fuel and burning vapors

• Cooling — Lowers the temperature of the fuel and adjacent surfaces

• Suppressing — Prevents the release of additional flammable vapors, access to oxygen in the atmosphere, and therefore reduces the possibility of ignition or reignition

Foam Terms • Foam concentrate — Liquid found in a foam storage container before the introduction of water, typically found as 1-, 3-, or 6-percent concentrates • Foam solution — Mixture in the proper ratio of foam concentrate and water before the introduction of air • Foam proportioner — Device that mixes foam concentrate in the proper ratio with water • Finished foam — Completed product after air is introduced into the foam solution and after it leaves the nozzle or aerator

Foam Proportioning • Class B foam concentrates are mixed in proportions from 1 to 6 percent (1:99 or 6:94 ratio of concentrate to water); proper proportion rates are listed on the outside of the foam concentrate container • Can be done via a fixed system, an apparatusmounted system, or portable foam proportioning equipment • Can be applied with either standard fog nozzles or air-aspirating foam nozzles

Foam-Making Process

Regular Protein Foam • Is virtually nonexistent in today’s fire service • Characteristics – – – –

Is available in 3- and 6-percent concentrations Has excellent water-retention capabilities Has high heat resistance Its performance can be affected by freezing and thawing. – Stores at temperatures ranging from 35º to 120ºF (2ºC to 49ºC) (1 of 2)

Regular Protein Foam • Characteristics – Can be compounded for freeze protection using a nonflammable antifreeze solution – Is not compatible with dry-chemical extinguishing agents – Is only used on hydrocarbon fuels

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Fluoroprotein Foam • Is available in 3- and 6-percent concentrations • Stores at temperatures ranging from 35º to 120ºF (2ºC to 49ºC); however, can be freezeprotected with nonflammable antifreeze solution • Its performance is not affected by freezing and thawing. • Is premixable for short periods of time (based on the manufacturer’s recommendations) (1 of 2)

Fluoroprotein Foam • Maintains rather low viscosity at low temperatures • Is compatible with simultaneous application of dry-chemical extinguishing agents • Is delivered through air-aspirating equipment • Is suitable for use on gasoline that has been blended with oxygen additives (2 of 2)

Fluoroprotein Foam for Subsurface Injection into Flammable Liquid Storage Tanks

Film Forming Fluoroprotein Foam • Is available in 3- and 6-percent concentrations • Stores at temperatures ranging from 35º to 120ºF • • • •

(2ºC to 49ºC) with fair low-temperature viscosity Stores premixed in portable fire extinguishers and fire apparatus water tanks Is compatible with simultaneous application of dry-chemical fire-fighting agents Its performance is not affected by freezing and thawing. Uses either freshwater or saltwater

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) • Is available in 1-, 3-, and 6-percent concentrations for use with either freshwater or saltwater • Is premixable in portable fire extinguishers and apparatus water tanks • Stores at temperatures ranging from 25º to 120ºF (-5ºC to 49ºC) (Freezing and thawing do not adversely affect AFFF concentrates, but consult the manufacturer for details.) • Can be freeze-protective with nonflammable antifreeze solution (1 of 3)

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) • Has good low-temperature viscosity • Is suitable for subsurface injection • Has fair penetrating capabilities in baled storage fuels or high surface-tension fuels such as treated wood • Is compatible with dry-chemical extinguishing agents • Is rather fast draining (2 of 3)

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) • Its film-forming characteristics are adversely affected by fuels in excess of 140ºF (60ºC). • Oxygen additives (mandated by EPA) in blended gasoline can adversely affect filmforming characteristics; solvent-based performance additives in reformulated gasoline can also hamper AFFF’s performance.

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Alcohol-Resistant AFFF • Is available in 3- or 6-percent concentrations • Stronger polar solvents require application rates that are higher than those required for weaker solvents or hydrocarbons. • Concentrates designed to be proportioned at 3 percent on hydrocarbon fuels and 6 percent on polar solvent fuels are called 3 by 6 concentrates. • Concentrates proportioned at 3 percent on both types of fuels are called 3 by 3 concentrates. (1 of 2)

Alcohol-Resistant AFFF • Creates a membrane rather than a film over the fuel, separating the water in the foam blanket from the attack of the solvent

• May be used in subsurface injection applications on certain light hydrocarbons such as gasoline, kerosene, and jet propulsion fuels

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High-Expansion Foam Applications • Concealed spaces such as shipboard compartments, basements, coal mines, and other subterranean spaces

• Fixed-extinguishing systems for specific industrial uses such as rolled or bulk paper storage

• Class A fire applications (slow draining)

High-Expansion Foam Characteristics • Stores at temperatures ranging from 35º to 120ºF (2ºC to 49ºC) • Is not affected by freezing and thawing • Has poor heat resistance because air-to-water ratio is very high • Has expansion ratios of 200:1 to 1,000:1 for highexpansion uses and 20:1 to 200:1 for mediumexpansion uses (Whether the finished foam is used in either a medium- or high-expansion capacity is determined by the type of application device.)

Major Goals of the Recovery Phase • Return the operational area to a safe condition. • Debrief personnel before they leave the scene.

• Return the equipment and personnel of all involved agencies to the condition they were in before the incident.

Termination Phase • Critiquing – Needs to occur as soon as possible after the incident – Needs to involve all responders, including law enforcement, public works, and EMS – Must be documented to identify those in attendance as well as any operational deficiencies that were identified

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Termination Phase • After-action analysis (following action reports) – Compiles the information obtained from debriefings and critiques – Recommendations for improvements can be made once trends have been identified.

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RESOURCES • TEMA – Hazardous Materials Training • FEMA – Chemical Threats • OSHA - Chemical Hazards Training

Jackson County HMPC Chemical Hazards Presentation Operational Level Training

Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 3rd Ed.