1. Hazardous Material Training
Mike Berendsohn FF/Paramedic
Leelanau Township Emergency Services

2. Introduction
Before starting this training you will need a copy of the 2012 DOT Emergency Response Guide to complete this module. An electronic copy of the ERG is provided for you here.
Click on image for digital copy of the 2012 ERG

3. Introduction
Each day in the United States there are over 1.2 million shipments of hazardous materials or “Hazmat “. A wide variety of flammables, corrosives, and toxic materials are packaged and transported by trucks, tank trucks, railcar, aircraft, and cargo containers. Hazardous materials accounts for approximately 28% of all cargo shipped on our waterways. There are over 2.3 million miles of gas and liquid pipe lines the run through metropolitan, urban, and rural areas.

4. Introduction
According to the U.S. Department of transportation 3.1 billion tons of hazardous materials are shipped through densely populated areas every year. Most of the materials arrive at there final destination safely and with out incident. However there will be accidents. How and when there accident will occur will be unknown. Also it will be unlikely that the materials involved will be known to you. Because of the vast array of materials are being transported it would be difficult for you to remember the chemical properties of each. Acting quickly to identify the materials involved and establish evacuation zones could help to prevent loss of life, property, and mitigate the problem sooner.

5. Introduction to the ERG
The ERG, or Emergency Response Guide is your key resource for guidance for a safest approach and response in the initial phases of an incident. This portion of the course will familiarize you will the basics of how to use the ERG and what vital information can be gathered from this guide. (Note: 2012 is the most current edition of ERG available) This course meets the requirements of OHSA 29 CFR

6. The Emergency Response Guide
The Emergency Response Guide is designed to interpret information about an unknown material, its behavior, and the appropriate actions to take in an emergency. It is your responsibility as a first responder to protect yourself and the public during an incident. The ERG encapsulates all the hazardous identification communications links that are required by law.

7. The Manufactures responsibility
It is the responsibility of the manufactures, shippers, and transporters to use a system of labels, placards, markings, and shipping papers on all materials and transport vehicles.

8. The Manufactures Responsibility
OSHA standards state that the first line of hazard communications begins with the producer of the product. All manufactures must communicate the hazards of the product they create. Most often, This information come in the form of a “Material Safety Data Sheet”.

9. The Manufactures Responsibility
The manufacture of the product is obligated to ensure the safe management of the product for the duration of its existence.

10. The Shippers Responsibility
The shipper of the product is required to provide a shipping document based on the department of transportation Regulations. Included in the document will be:
An emergency response telephone number that is monitored 24/7
Hazard class or division number
A four digit ID number
Shipping name
The transporter is the Stuart of the product and is required to provide you with the proper shipping documents in the event of an incident and to display the proper placards during transport.

11. The Shippers Responsibility
In some cases involving international intermodal containers, an orange panel for material identification maybe present with or without a US Identification placard.

12. Before the ERG
Hazardous material containers can be “stressed” in three ways:
Thermally
Chemically
Mechanically
When stressed beyond its capabilities containers can rupture releasing its contents. It is important not to overestimate the integrity of a weakened or damaged container. it is also important not to underestimate the potential of a hazardous materials release.

13. Before the ERG
Risk assessment must start at a distance. When arriving at a hazardous materials incident your first responsibility is to keep yourself and he public safe. It cannot be emphasized enough, resist the urge to rush in. Position yourself, uphill, Up wind, and upstream of the hazard. Stay clear of any vapors, smoke, fumes, and spills.

14. Understanding the ERG
The ERG is broken down into 6 sections that will be covered in detail in the slides to follow. The six sections that make up this guide include:
The first white section – Is a “How to use this book” instruction
The yellow section – Is a guide organized by Product ID numbers
The blue section is an alphabetical list of material names
The Orange section is a list of guides for General hazard mitigation guidelines and emergency response.
The green section contains isolation distances for products that pose risk of toxicity by inhalation or TIH.
The second white section lists additional “how to material” as well as additional glossaries and tables.

15. The white pages
The white pages provide a step by step guide on how to use the ERG and how to identify a material. The first step in using this guide is identifying the material. To identify a material in the field you can use any of the following:
Identification numbers (4 digit number). Can be obtained from:
- a placard
- an orange panel (international)
- shipping papers or packaging
Name of the material. Can be obtained from:

16. The White Pages
The second step in using the guide is to determine a guide number. This can be accomplished one of two ways:
The ID number index. (the yellow pages)
The name of materials index (the blue pages)
Guide numbers supplemented with the letter (P) indicates that the material may violently polymerize if subject to heat or contamination.
Index entries highlighted in green are a Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH). These chemicals are chemical warfare agents, or dangerous water reactive materials .

17. The White Pages
The third step in using the guide is to turn to the guide number (orange pages) that you are directed to using the yellow or blue pages.
If a placard is the only source of identification, proceed to pages 6-7 and use the 3-digit guide number next to the placard.
If only the container or tank is available for product identification proceed to pages 8-9 (Rail car and road trailer identification chart)and use the corresponding guide number.
For emergency response telephone numbers, First consult the product shipping papers. If shipping papers are not available consult the back inside cover of the EGR for emergency response telephone numbers.

18. The White Pages
When contacting outside agencies for assistance it is important to provide as much of the following information as possible:
Your name and call-back telephone number
Location and nature of the problem
Name and identification number of material involved
Shipper/consignee/point-of-origin
Carrier name, rail car or truck number
Container type and size
Quantity of material transported/released
Local conditions (weather/terrain)
Proximity to school, hospital, or waterway
Injuries and exposures
Local emergency services that have been notified.

19. The White Pages
The hazard class of any given material is classified by its class number or name. Placards are used to identify the class of the material. The hazard class or division must be displayed in the lower corner of the placard. The only hazard classification that is not required to display a hazard number on its placard is class 7 materials and OXYGEN.

20. The White Pages
The hazard identification numbers utilized by European and South American regulations can be found in the top half of the orange panel displayed on the exterior of the container. The Untied Nations 4-digit number is located in the bottom half of the of the orange panel.

21. The White Pages In General the digits indicate the following hazards:
2 – Emission of gasses due to pressure or a chemical reaction
3 - Flammability of the liquid and gasses or self heating liquids
4- Flammability of solids or self heating solid
5 – Oxidizing effects
6 – Toxicity or risk of infection
7 – Radioactivity
8 – Corrosivity
9 – Risk of spontaneous violent reactions
If the number is listed as a double or a triple (i.e. 33 or 888) The risk factor for that particular hazard is intensified.
A list of hazard identification numbers for Intermodal containers are listed on pages 11-13

22. The White Pages
Gas pipe lines are generally underground pipe line that deliver gas using materials such as Steel, plastic, or cast iron. These pipes deliver gasses at a high pressure and then are reduced to lower pressure at the point end user. Theses lines are often marked with above signs. Signs are typically posted along roads, railroads, and water crossings. Incident management for gas line emergencies can be found on page

23. The White Pages
Liquid pipelines often carry products like crude oil or gasoline. Theses pipe like can be above or below ground. Markers for this style of pipeline generally appear in the same type of locations as gas pipelines. Incident management guidelines for liquid pipe line can be found on pages

24. The Yellow Pages
The yellow pages is were you will want to begin if you are able to obtain the four digit number off of the placard or the shipping paper for the material you are dealing with. The yellow pages lists product ID numbers in numerical order. Once you have located the product ID number the corresponding guide number will be located just to the right of the product ID Number. Use that number to look up the correct guide number in the orange pages.

27. The Yellow Pages
In the yellow section there are entries that are highlighted in green. These entries have a different guide that you will use to setup initial isolation distance. If the product IS NOT ON FIRE you will proceed directly to the green pages, using the product ID number to identify the material you are looking for. In other word you will not use the orange guide to direct your actions. You will proceeded directly to the green pages. If the product IS ON FIRE Consult the assigned orange guide, and apply the evacuation information shown under PUBLIC SAFTEY. We will cover the green pages more in-depth in the slides to follow.

29. The Blue Pages
The blue pages is were you will want to begin if you are able to obtain the product name off of the shipping papers or elsewhere. The blue pages list the product names alphabetically. Once you have located the product name the corresponding guide number will be located just to the right of the product name. use that number to look up the correct guide in the orange pages.

32. The Blue Pages
In the blue section there are also entries that are highlighted in green. These are the same entries as found in the yellow section, they are just in a different order. These entries have a different guide that you will use to setup initial isolation distance. If the product IS NOT ON FIRE you will proceed directly to the green pages, using the product name to identify the material you are looking for. In other words you will not use the orange guide to direct your actions. You will proceeded directly to the green pages. If the product IS ON FIRE consult the assigned orange guide, and apply the evacuation information shown under PUBLIC SAFTEY.

34. The Orange Pages
The orange pages are the core of the ERG. In the orange pages you will find information on three major categories:
Potential Hazards
Public safety
Emergency response
Guide numbers in this section are grouped accordingly because materials in these groups have similar chemical and toxicological characteristics

35. The Orange Pages
The First paragraph that you will encounter in an orange guide is the POTENTIAL HAZARDS section. The potential hazards section is broken down into two sections. They include FIRE OR EXPLOSION and HEALTH. These two sections are listed on each guide by which one has the greatest risk. Meaning that if HEALTH is listed first, the health hazard to the public and first responders is greater than that of a fire or explosion. Under each of the sections whether it be FIRE OR EXPLOSION or HEALTH there is additional information under that section that will guide your response. For example under the section HEALTH it may say: Inhalation, ingestion, or contact with substance may cause severe injury, infection, disease, or death.

37. The Orange Pages
The second paragraph that you will encounter in the orange guide section is the PUBLIC SAFETY section. This section is broken down into three sections. The first section is a general statement about any public safety information. Importantly is has an immediate precautionary isolation distance for spills or leaks. The second section in this part of the guide is the personal protection statement. This section has important information regarding the use and limitations of PPE. Most notably they measure the PPE requirements against structural firefighting gear and an SCBA. The last section in this paragraph is the evacuation distances. It list the recommended evacuation distances for spills and materials that are not on fire.

39. The Orange Pages
The last paragraph that you will encounter in the orange guide section is the EMERGENCY RESPONSE section. The emergency response section is broken down into three sections. The first section is titled FIRE. This section will guide the actions to taken if the product is on fire. It has guidance for large and small fires as well and for a fire involving tanks. The next section is titled SPILLS OR LEAKS. This section will give the appropriate actions to take to contain or mitigate a leak. The guide breaks down the spill sizes by a large or a small spill. What constitutes a large spill? A large spill is defined as a liquid that exceeds 55 gallons or a solid that is greater that 660 pounds. The last section covered in this paragraph is the FIRST AID section. This will guide you on actions to take for the initial care of someone that has potentially been exposed to the material. Remember: Follow your local protocols.

41. The Green Pages
The green pages contains information on initial isolation and protective action distances. These distances are useful in protecting people from vapors resulting from spill of material that are considered toxic by inhalation. The list of materials consist of chemical warfare agents and material that produce toxic gasses upon contact with water. These distances are useful to first responders to setup initial isolation until more highly training personnel arrive. This guide uses a few different terms to describe differing protection area. Lets define these term now:
The initial isolation zone – An area surrounding the incident in which persons may be exposed to dangerous (upwind) and life threatening (downwind) concentrations of materials.
The protective action zone – Defines an area downwind from the incident in which a person may become incapacitated and unable to take protective actions and incur serious or irreversible health effects.

42. The Green Pages
Initial isolation zones are area that that people should be kept out of that are not directly involved in the emergency response. Likewise unprotected emergency responders should not be allowed to enter this zone. Initial isolation should be carried out first to establish control over the hazard area.

43. The Green Pages
Protective actions are those steps taken to preserve health and protect life of the emergency responders and the public. Some of the protective actions include evacuation or sheltering in-place. Evacuation involves moving all people in the effected area to a safe area. For an evacuation to be affective there has to be enough time for safely move people to the safe area. If there is enough time, evacuation is the best protective action. Sheltering in-place is used when evacuation is not possible or when it would put the public at greater risk than staying where they are. Direct people indoors and to close all windows and door and to turn off all ventilation systems. The initial isolation distance and the protective action distances found in table 1 of the green pages predicts the size of a downwind area that could be effected by a cloud of toxic gas. People in these areas should be evacuated or sheltered-in place.

44. The Green Pages To use the green pages follow these steps:
Identify the material
Note the wind direction
Look for the material in table 1 using the guide number or material name if it is highlighted green in either the yellow or blue sections.
Determine if the spill is small or large and if it is a day or night time spill
Determine the isolation distance and establish that
Determine protective action distances and implement that.
Full instructions for “how to use the green pages” can be found on page in the ERG

45. We will skip the first two steps because you should know how to do those.
Step 3 – Locating the guide number or product name. Note that the products are listed numerically by product ID number. Product names are not alphabetical.

46. Step 4 – Determine if the spill is larger or small.

47. Step 5 –Determine the initial isolation distance and establish that.

48. Step 6 –Determine the protective action distance and establish that

49. The Green pages
The shape of the protective action area should resemble something like this.

50. The Green pages
Table-2 in the green pages is used for products that when spilled into water create a toxic inhalation hazard. These products can be easily identified in table-1 because the material name is immediately followed by (when spilled in water). Listed in the table is the toxic gas that is produce when the material is spilled in water.

51. The Green Pages
Table-3 in the Green pages lists isolation distances and protective action distances for 6 common gasses. All of the gasses listed in this chart are Toxic inhalation hazards. The six common gasses found in this chart include:
Ammonia
Chlorine
Ethylene Oxide
Hydrogen Chloride
Hydrogen Fluoride
Sulfur dioxide/sulphur dioxide
This chart list the gasses in alphabetical order. It also has estimated isolation distances for common transportation containers and there volumes.

52. The 2nd White Pages
In order to ensure the appropriate isolation and protective action distances use the following:
If you are dealing with a TIH/WRM/Chemical Warfare material (Highlighted green entries) The isolation distances and protective action distances can be found directly in the green pages. The orange pages for the specified material will also direct you to reference the green pages.
If you are dealing with a material that is a NON-TIH material but list both TIH and NON-TIH materials, an immediate isolation distance is listed in the PUBLIC SAFTEY section as a precautionary measure.
IF you are dealing with a material that is a NON-TIH material and the guide only refers to ONLY NON-TIH materials use the orange pages.

53. The 2nd White Pages
Street clothes and work uniforms – These garments provide virtually no protection from hazardous materials. Examples of these garments would be EMS uniforms, Station Wear, Police Uniforms.
Structural firefighting gear- This level of protection commonly referred to as turnouts or bunker gear. This type of PPE may provide limited protection from hazardous materials. To be affective turnout gear must be used in conjunction with an SCBA. Each guide has a statement on whether turn outs will provide limited or no protection for the wearer. This type of PPE dose not include wild land coverall type garments.
Self contained breathing apparatus- For an SCBA to be compliant it must be of the constant positive pressure style. Must be certified by NIOSH. Chemical cartridge filters are not an adequate substitute.
Chemical protective clothing- Use of this type of garment requires training and skill to use. The limitations of the particular garment must be known prior to using the equipment. This type of PPE should not be used unless it provides protection against the released material.

54. The 2nd White Pages
Fire control- Water is the most common extinguishing agent available. However water may not be effective against all materials. The effectiveness of the extinguishing agent will depend greatly on the method of application. Fires involving flammable liquids can generally be extinguished by applying foam to the surface of the liquid. Flammable liquid fires can be controlled using two different types of foam, regular and alcohol resistant foam. Some flammable liquids fire can be controlled by using regular foam. Other flammable liquids including polar solvents can be difficult to control with regular foam. Alcohol resistant foam will be required for certain flammable liquids fires. Refer to the specific guide to determine which type of foam is required. The emergency response telephone number listed on the shipping papers should be called for guidance on the proper extinguishing agent.

55. The 2nd White Pages
Spill control/water reactive agents- Water is sometimes used to clean up after spills. Some material can react violently when put in contact with water. If you are dealing with a material that react with water consider letting the material burn until additional technical advice can be obtained.
When making the decision to use water on a water reactive material information should be used from an authoritative source.
Boiling Liquids Expanding Vapors Explosion (BLEVE)- The main hazards associated with a BLEVE are: fire, thermal radiation, blast, and projectiles. As your distance from the BLEVE increases your danger for these hazards decrease. Water can be used to cool tanks that are impinged with heat or flames. The following chart has recommended fire flows based on tank sizes.

57. The 2nd White Pages New content for 2012 ERG
This section is intended to provide first responders with information on how to make a preliminary assessment of a situation suspected of involving chemical, biological, and radioactive agents or CBRN. Method of dispersal for CBRN are airborne, ingestion, or by physical contact. The difference between the agents are as follows:
Chemical agents: Chemical agents typically have an onset of symptoms of minutes to hours. Chemical agents have easily observed signatures (colored residue, pungent odor).
Biological Agents: Has an onset of symptoms of hours to days. Biological agents are odorless and colorless.
Radiologic Agents: Has an onset of symptoms of days to weeks. Radiological agents are colorless and odorless. Specialized equipment is needed to detect levels of radiation and if they are levels high enough effect the health of humans.

58. The 2nd White Pages Indicators of possible chemical attack:
Dead animals/birds/fish
Lack of insects
Unexplained odors
Blisters/rashes
Pattern of casualty
Indicators of a possible biological attack:
Unusual number of sick or dying people
Unscheduled unusual spay being disseminated
Abandoned spray devices

59. The 2nd White Pages Indicators of a possible radiological agent:
Radiation symbols on a container
Heat emitting material
Glowing material
Sick people/animals
Approach and response strategies: Approach the scene cautiously. First and foremost protect yourself. Try and identify the hazard in question. Isolate the affected area if possible. Anyone who has been potentially contaminated should be quarantined as soon as possible. Try to confine the spread of the contaminating material, If training to do so.

60. The 2nd White Pages
Decontamination: For any of the CBRN agents standard decontamination procedures should be followed. People that are contaminated should be flushed with water, stripped of there clothes, then flushed with water again. For most situations soap and water maybe used for decontamination. If a biological agent is suspected a soft bristle brush should be utilized for more effective decontamination. If additional decontamination is required a bleach solution should be utilized. One part bleach to nine parts water. If a biological agent is suspected a contact time of minutes should be used before rising. For people contaminated with radiological agents, First remove the person to a lower radiological environment. Next remove there clothing and store it in a plastic bag or receptacle if possible. Utilize standard decontamination procedures. People with external radiological contamination usually do not have a high enough exposure to be a hazard to themselves let alone the first responders.

61. Course Conclusion
Please complete the corresponding work sheet to receive credit for the class. Return completed worksheet to Mike Berendsohn or to: