Developing Haz-Mat Training Programs
DEPARTMENTS
ON HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
One of the most frequently asked questions concerning hazardous materials is, “How many chemicals are there now?” My response to this usually is, “Hazardous by whose standards?”
One of the major difficulties in dealing with the training of hazardous materials response personnel is to define the problem. Even the federal government is not in agreement.
For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) defines about 3000 different products as subject to its regulations. In addition, DOT has rules that list hazard categories, and if a product has that hazard but is not specifically listed by name, it still must be shipped as specified by governmental regulations. You also need to understand that these regulations have many exceptions, particularly based upon quantity. So markings can vary from as little as an ounce to as much as 999 pounds.
Next comes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This federal agency regulates over 30,000 different chemicals, particularly pesticides. However, shipping still comes under the DOT, and so what one federal agency regulates may not apply to the other agency.
The U.S. Coast Guard gets into the act by regulating the water movement of hazardous materials. While the Coast Guard is part of the DOT, it is able to establish its own regulations. In addition, the Coast Guard controls port safety, so it regulates fixed shore facilities also.
What needs to be taught? Now, with each of these agencies defining a hazardous material somewhat differently, the hazardous material instructor has some difficulty in establishing just what needs to be taught.
The subject area is further complicated by the fact that we have not as yet discussed the chemical industry’s feelings in this area. CHEMTREC, sponsored by the chemical industry itself, currently has detailed information on about 40,000 different chemicals. This information is available to the fire service, without cost, by calling 800-424-9300. However, is that completely comprehensive? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is “no.”
Thomas Maugh, writing in Science magazine in April 1983 reports that there are an estimated 63,000 chemicals in common use. Note that he used the word “estimated” because there are no accurate figures available. Maugh also reports that the American Chemical Society’s Abstract Service (which provides each chemical with a registry number) just listed its 6-millionth chemical. This chemical was 2-cyclohexyl 3-methyl-4-pentylamino-1-one. How would you like to have to give that to your dispatcher and ask that some information about its hazards be determined?
Some further statistics from the Science article are also of interest to the fire service: “The registry identifies some 6000 chemicals each day, about 1000 of which are new. Most of them are synthesized to specific research purposes; fully 75 percent have been mentioned only once. About 97 percent contain carbon. The registry lists 9.2 million names for the 6 million chemicals; the greatest number occurs for polyethylene, with more than 1200 synonyms listed.”
Fire service difficulties; So, you can see the difficulties faced by the fire service in training personnel to handle hazardous materials incidents. It is almost impossible to learn how to handle every individual chemical, or even each group of chemicals. Training programs need to define broad categories and to provide information on where to get specific help once the chemical name has been determined.
With the many synonyms as well as the trade names for the various chemicals, single reference textbooks stating that they are all that is needed to learn about hazardous chemicals should be viewed skeptically. In addition, do not expect CHEMTREC to have all the answers immediately, as they face the same problem of obtaining information on many of the rarely used chemicals.
One particularly good source that is often overlooked is the local and state poison control centers. These agencies carry valuable resource manuals.
A further resource is the National Clearinghouse for Poison Control Centers. This agency produces a manual for use by the state affiliates, listing contacts for each chemical company so that detailed information can be obtained quickly. This is especially important for getting information about the correct medical treatment for exposure to the product.
As a result of the type of data that I have described, a fire department training program needs to be designed from two points of view. The first is to be broad enough to provide guidelines for handling the arrival, size-up, information gathering and decision making necessary in the first few months of the incident.
Second a resource manual must be developed so that accurate information on the various chemicals normally encountered in your community can be inventoried. In addition, this manual needs to contain the information sources available to the fire department. Sources should include the local industries, chemistry teachers, poison control center, as well as the national systems currently available.
Contents of course: Based upon this discussion, an introductory course for fire service supervisors should cover the following topics:
- Existence and intent of the DOT hazardous materials regulations.
- Application of the DOT regulations governing the shipment of hazardous materials.
- Existence and intent of the EPA regulations.
- Application of the EPA regulations governing hazardous materials incidents.
- Existence and intent of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations.
- Development of hazardous materials incident response plans.
- Development of a resource manual.
- Development of a reporting and recording procedure.
- Recognition and identification of the product from placards, labels and shipping documents.
- Establishment of operating procedures, including command post operations.
- Establishment of emergency medical procedures for handling fire fighter and civilian exposure to the product.
- Establishment of evacuation procedures for civilians.
