US&R Rescuer Safety

General Hazards

• Structural Instability• Overhead Hazards• Surface Hazards• Water Hazards• Ground Disruptions• Heavy Equipment • Below Grade Hazards

Utility Hazards

• Natural Gas or Propane• Electricity• Water• Steam• Sewage

Hazardous Materials

• Reference – Ca. Health and Safety Code• Residential Hazardous Materials

– Kitchen, Laundry, Garages/Storage Sheds

• Commercial Hazardous Materials– Supermarkets, Hardware, Schools, Hospitals,

Laboratories

Other Hazards

• Fire• Explosion• Vibrations• Particulate Matter• Confined Space Issues – Tool Use• Loud Noise• Uncoordinated Rescue Operations

General Types of Building Construction Hazards

• Light Frame• Heavy Wall Construction• Heavy Floor Construction• Precast Construction

Light Frame Hazards

• Weakened wall and connections• Broken utilities• Combustible materials• Cracked or leaning walls• Separation from foundations• Cracked or leaning chimneys or veneer walls• Separated porch or upper story connections• Loose roof tiles or roof equipment• Broken glass and damaged door frames

BRICK PATTERN THATIDENTIFIES UNREINFORCEDMASONRY. HAS BOND(HEADER) ROW ATABOUT EVERY SIXROWS. AT FRONTSOF BUILDINGS, THEPATTERN MAY BEHIDDEN BY FANCYMASONRY VENEER

Heavy Wall Hazards

• Weakened perimeter load bearing walls and connection to floor and roofs

• Broken utilities• Broken parapets, chimneys, ornamental masonry• Broken walls and columns• Broken structural connections• Cracked wall corners, windows, door frames• Unsupported collapsed floors• Loose HVAC or roof equipment

Heavy Floor Hazards

• Weakened columns and poor connections between floors and columns

• Broken utilities• “Empty cage” – concrete column failure• Broken structural connections • Diagonal shear cracking in support beams• Broken infill or shear walls• Loose HVAC or roof equipment

Precast Construction Hazards

• Weakened interconnection of structural components – floors, wall panels and beams

• Broken utilities• Broken walls, cracked corbels at beam-to-

column connections• Cracked columns at top and bottom joints• Broken wall panels• Loose HVAC or roof equipment

Collapse Patterns

Lean-To V-Shape

Pancake Cantilever

Collapse Patterns

• Lean-to collapse• V-shape collapse• Pancake collapse• Cantilever collapse

Personal Protective Equipment

• Helmets or hard hats, gloves, safety boots• Eye protection-goggles or glasses• Hearing protection• Respiratory protection

– Dust masks, APRs, B/As• Flashlights or head lamps• Flash protection-brush gear, coveralls• Knee pads• Communications gear• Personal alarm device

Safety Considerations

• Lookouts, communications, escape routes, safe zones

• Safety Officer duties – 1 per incident– Watch for hazards– Scene safety– No active participation with rescue – hands on– Utilize a safety check list– Use buddy system – teams of 2 that stay together

Communications

• Communications plan – part of IAP• Portable radio and PAD for each rescuer• Maintain continuous voice or radio contact• Constant progress reports to leader• Coordinate with other rescue teams• Prearrange emergency evacuation signal• Communications with entrapped rescuers

Escape Routes

• Pre-established paths to safe zones• Considerations

– Direct path may not be the best option– Remain in place may be good option– Constant updating of egress pathways

Safe Zones

• Pre-established area of safe refuse from hazards

• Can be in or out of “hot zone” area• Personnel accountability procedure must be

used– Immediate relay of information must be relayed

to operations

Personnel Accountability System

• Keeps track of all members at all times• Assign officer to keep track• Conduct checks after any emergency

evacuations, periodically throughout incident and when leaving work area

Other Considerations

• Rescuer hydration– 8 to 12 oz water every 30 minutes during heavy work

• Team Rotations– Rotate on regular basis– Consider 15 to 30 minutes for heavy work

• Personal hygiene– Wash hands and face prior to eating, leaving work area– Eat or drink only properly prepared and stored foods

• Stress factors– Prolonged rescue operations– Fatigue and psychological