ha002 hazmat identification

HAZMAT AWARENESSHAZMAT AWARENESS

HAZMATHAZMATIdentificationIdentification

HAZMAT Awareness2- HAZMAT Identification© 2007 - 2008

Section 1Section 1

IntroductionIntroduction


Each day, thousands of shipments of chemicals and other hazardous substances are transported by ship, rail and truck from manufacturers to the point of use.


When fully contained, these products present no danger to people, animals or the environment.


If a hazardous material is released, emergency responders are often the first people called to identify the material.


Using a generic response to an unidentified substance is dangerous and could cause further harm.

Always take the time to “know before you go” whenever you suspect the presence of hazardous materials at a scene.


Learning Objectives:Learning Objectives:

1. Nine Hazard Classes Defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

2. DOT Marking Signs Used in Transporting HAZMATS

3. How to Use the Emergency Response Guidebook

4. The NFPA 704 Marking System


Section 2Section 2

DOT Hazard Classes: DOT Hazard Classes: Part 1Part 1


To make the transport of hazardous materials safer, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) created a system of identifying hazardous materials during their movement by air, rail, water, on roadways or through pipelines.

The DOT system established nine hazard classes, which identify what type of potential hazard the product presents in the event of a spill or release.


DOT Class 1:DOT Class 1:

Class 1 Explosives:

– Mass explosion hazards (dynamite)

– Minor explosion hazards (detonation cord)



Class 2 Gases:

–Flammable–Non-flammable–Poison–Oxidizer



Class 3 Flammable Liquids:

– Gasoline – Fuel oils



Class 4 Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible and Dangerous When Wet:

– Magnesium ribbons – Explosives that are

wetted with water or alcohol


Section 3Section 3

DOT Hazard Classes: DOT Hazard Classes: Part 2Part 2



Class 5 Oxidizers and Organic Peroxides:

– Produce oxygen– Dangerous in a fire



Class 6 Poisonous Materials:

–Arsenic –Biological toxins

•Anthrax•Botulism



Class 7 Radioactive Materials:

– Divided into 3 levels• I• II• III (the most hazardous)



Class 8 Corrosives(acids and bases):

– Destroy skin– Corrode steel – Corrode aluminum



Class 9 Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials:

– Hazardous waste – Catch-all category for

things that don’t fit into the other eight classes


Section 4Section 4

DOT Placards:DOT Placards:Part 1Part 1


“Extremely dangerous” materials, such as highly sensitive explosives or poisonous gases, require placarding to transport ANY amount.

Many “less hazardous classes” do not require a placard if the shipment contains LESS than 1,001 pounds (454 kilograms).


DOT placards are helpful because there are clues on each placard that you can use to recognize and identify the hazardous material.

You need to know the color and symbol clues for each class because you will probably be identifying placards from a distance and the wording and numbers may be difficult to see.


DOT Class 1 placards:DOT Class 1 placards:

Class 1 Explosives:

– Placards are orange with an explosion symbol at the top

– Some will not show the symbol but will have the hazard class, division and descriptive words



Class 2 Gases:

– Non-flammable gases are green with the cylinder symbol in the upper part of the placard

– Flammable gases are red with a flame symbol

– Toxic or poison gases are white with a skull and crossbones symbol

– Oxidizer gases are yellow with a flaming circle symbol



Class 3 Flammable Liquids:

– Red placard with a flame symbol and the words:• Flammable • Combustible• Flammable liquid or• Type of material



Class 4 Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible and Dangerous When Wet:

– Red– Red and white striped– Half-red, half-white– Blue



Class 5 Oxidizers:

– Yellow placards with the burning circle symbol

– Organic peroxides have a half-red, half-yellow placard


Section 5Section 5

DOT Placards:DOT Placards:Part 2Part 2



Class 6 Poisonous Materials:

– White placards – Skull and crossbones for

the most toxic or poisonous materials



Class 7 Radioactive Materials:

– “Tri-foil” symbol, small circle with three fan blades around it• White • Half-yellow, half-white



Class 8 Corrosives:

– Half-black, half-white – Symbol of test tubes

dripping on a bar and a hand



Class 9 Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials:

– White placard with the upper half showing a series of black vertical bars


Dangerous placard:Dangerous placard:

Dangerous:

– Transporting a MIXED load of hazardous materials of LESS than 5,000 pounds (2,270 kilograms) of any ONE type

– Primarily red, with a white stripe containing the word “Dangerous” in large letters across the middle


Placards are used to give you a clue that hazardous materials are present.

Be aware that an estimated 20% of trucks carrying hazardous materials do not have placards or are placarded incorrectly.


Section 6Section 6

Emergency Response Emergency Response GuidebookGuidebook


The Emergency Response Guidebook is a valuable tool for identifying the specific product involved.

Also referred to as the DOT book, the orange book, or the ERG.


The guidebook is published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Transportation Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico.


This book lists most of the commonly transported chemicals that are regulated by the DOT.

It is divided into sections to help you locate information quickly.


First section:First section:

Yellow-bordered pages:

– Chemicals by UN number, in numerical order

– Use if you have a placard or other identifying number

– Highlighted chemicals can become airborne and can be found in the green-bordered section

– All chemicals will be in the orange-bordered (guide) section


Second section:Second section:

Blue-bordered pages:

– Chemicals by name in alphabetical order

– Use if you know the name of the chemical

– Highlighted chemicals can become airborne and can be found in the green-bordered section

– All chemicals will be in the orange-bordered (guide) section


Third (Guide) section:Third (Guide) section:

Orange-bordered pages:

– Initial response activities are outlined

– All of the chemicals in the yellow- and blue-bordered sections will be listed here


Third (Guide) section (cont.):Third (Guide) section (cont.):

The “Public Safety” section of the orange-bordered section:

– What level of protective clothing is needed

– If evacuation may be necessary


Last section:Last section:

Green-bordered pages:

– Specific evacuation, isolation and protective actions for the highlighted chemicals in the yellow- and blue-bordered sections

– Distances for materials that require isolation and evacuation


Using the ERG:Using the ERG:

Let’s look at how you use the ERG at an emergency scene.


Using the ERG (cont.):Using the ERG (cont.):

From a safe distance, the responders can see the placard and the number on the placard to begin identifying the material.



What information do they use from the placards?

Where will they look in the ERG?



In this case the “Corrosive” placard and the number “1830” give them the information they need to use the ERG.

They use the yellow-bordered pages of the ERG to look up the chemical number, 1830.



The number 1830 is “sulfuric acid.”

Next to the chemical number, 1830, is guide number 137.

The guide number, 137, refers to the orange-bordered pages.



At guide 137, in the orange-bordered section, the responders find the potential hazards and the correct emergency response procedures to take for this chemical.


Section 7Section 7

NFPA 704NFPA 704Marking SystemMarking System


When hazardous materials are stored or used at an occupancy, one of the most common identification systems is the NFPA 704 Marking System.


The NFPA 704 placards are diamond shaped squares, similar to the DOT placard system, but within the square there are four smaller squares that indicate the level of four different types of hazards.


A level of hazard is indicated by the numbers “0 to 4,” with “4” being the most hazardous.

The top square is red, and indicates the degree of fire hazard.

A “0” means the material will not burn; a “4” means an extremely flammable product.


The right-hand square is yellow and indicates the reactivity hazard.

Reactivity is whether material is unstable when shocked or placed under pressure.

A “4” means the product can detonate easily; a “0” means it’s normally stable.


The left-hand square is blue and indicates the health hazard to people.

A “4” means if you are in standard firefighting PPE, it presents severe risk to health; a “0” means there is no known health hazard.


The bottom square is white and indicates any special hazard that the material may present, such as whether or not the material is explosive or reactive with water.

Sometimes a number is used and sometimes a short abbreviation is used, such as ”OX” for an oxidizing agent.


A slashed W indicates water reactivity and is especially important for firefighters because it indicates that the material is water reactive.


Because facilities often contain dozens, if not hundreds of hazardous materials, the NFPA 704 system is usually used to warn of the highest level of concern.

Always check with the occupant to determine exactly what is in the building—the system only gives you a first warning of the potential danger.


Section 8Section 8

Session SummarySession Summary


Session Summary:Session Summary:

1. Nine Hazard Classes Defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

2. DOT Marking Signs Used in Transporting HAZMATS

3. How to Use the Emergency Response Guidebook

4. The NFPA 704 Marking System


Remember that hazardous materials can explode, poison, corrode, ignite at room temperature or cause radiation exposure… to name just a few of the potential hazards.


The ability of the first response team to identify exactly what is involved in an incident is essential to protecting both the public and the environment in a hazardous materials emergency.


Use the resources at your disposal to “know before you go” and make every response a safe response.


The EndThe End

ha002 hazmat identification

Documents

hazmat identification

dot class

classes hazmat awarenessslide

aluminum hazmat awarenessslide

alcohol hazmat awarenessslide

dot placards

dot system

dot hazard classes