3. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS REFRESHER
Purpose of the Refresher Course
To remind the responder of the hazardous
material classifications
Reinforce how to recognize, understand and
protect from hazardous materials on a scene
Cover the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
that a Towing/Recovery Operator would have an
use on a response
4. Accident Data
In 20061 a total of 23,337 traffic accidents were
reported involving trucks (Class 6 and larger) in
the State of Georgia
Nationally, 20,4322 transportation accidents
were reported which involved hazardous
materials for the same period.
5.
6. Spilled motor fluids
As a part of haz-mat awareness, responders
need to be aware of the dangers associated
with the motor fluids as well.
By definition, these products in the tanks of the
truck are exempt from the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR) for the purpose of transport
only. Once released and per 40 CFR regulations,
these products are hazardous materials.
8. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Identification
Placards (10” x 10”) are used on the outside of a
truck or bulk containers (totes)
A placard with the ID number is required if the
shipment is considered a bulk shipment or in
excess of 119 gallons per container.
For non-bulk shipments in a truck (i.e.
drums, boxes) a placard is required if the product
weight is over 1,001 lbs.
Labels (4” x 4”) are used on individual
boxes/containers/drums and are required on
any hazardous material shipment.
9. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Classes
There are 9 hazard classes used to provide a
warning regarding the package / vessel contents
Each of the 9 classes represent specific hazards
They are represented by color specific warning
“sign” and numbers
10. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Classes:
1 Explosives (1.1 – 1.6) 6.1 (Inhalation hazard Zone A
2 Compressed Gases or B) Poison Inhalation
2.1 Flammable Hazard
2.2 Non-Flammable 6.1 other than (inhalation
2.3 Poison hazard, Zone A or B, Poison
3 Flammable / Combustible Gas)
Liquids 6.2 Infectious Substance
4 Flammable / Combustible 7 Radioactive
Solids (Red and Black and Blue)
5.1 Oxidizers
9 Miscellaneous Dangerous
5.2 Organic Peroxides
Goods
13. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 2 – Compressed Gases
Division 2.2 – Oxygen
Oxygen is a non-flammable compressed gas
that will support combustion (like an
oxidizer), however, is still in commerce as a
compressed gas. Therefore, the product
carries a compressed gas label similar to the
oxidizer label (seen later).
14. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 3 – Flammable / Combustible
Liquid
Flammable liquids are liquids, or mixtures of
liquids containing solids in solution or suspension
that give off a flammable vapor at a
temperature not more than 141o F (60.5°C),
closed cup test, or not more than 150o F (65.6°C),
open cup test, normally referred to as the flash
point. Combustible liquids are greater than 141o
F but less than 200o F - Gasoline, hair spray,
ethanol, diesel fuel (combustible), alcohol
15. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 4 – Flammable Solids
Flammable solids; substances liable to
spontaneous combustion; and substances that in
contact with water emit flammable gases
This is broken down into 3 divisions:
4.1 Flammable Solids
4.2 Spontaneously Combustible
4.3 Dangerous When Wet
18. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 7 – Radioactive
Any material for which the specific activity is
greater than 70 kBq/kg.
Carbon-14, phosphorous-32, smoke detectors
19. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 8 – Corrosive
Substances that, by chemical action, will cause
severe damage when in contact with living
tissue, or, in the case of leakage, will materially
damage, or even destroy, other goods or the
means of transport; they may also cause other
hazards.
Car / truck batteries, sodium hydroxide, Draino, sodium
hypochlorite, detergents/soap concentrates
20. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Hazard Class 9 – Miscellaneous
substances and articles that during transport
present a danger not covered by other classes,
and include substances that are transported or
offered for transport at temperatures equal to
or exceeding 100°C in a liquid state or at
temperatures equal to or exceeding 240°C in the
solid state.
Dry Ice (carbon dioxide, solid), Air bag inflators, certain
polystyrene beads, self defense spray – non
pressurized, Lithium Batteries
21. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Additional Placards
When two or more hazardous materials are
being transported in which neither requires HC
specific placarding, a Dangerous Placard may be
displayed (when 2,205 lbs of the specific HC are
reached, the hazard specific placard must be
applied).
22. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Additional warnings
Certain materials, while not identified in a
hazard class, may pose a threat to marine life.
These materials are identified as a Marine
Pollutant. These items should never be allowed
to enter a waterway or drainage system.
24. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Basic Safety Guidelines
** MOST IMPORTANT PART **
If you don’t get in it, you don’t have to get out of
it!!!!!
Avoid contact with the hazardous material
26. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Basic Safety Guidelines
While on scene of a hazardous materials
incident accident, how can I be exposed to the
material?
Product residual on a portion of the truck
Product on the ground underneath the
truck/trailer that is inaccessible due to the
position of the truck
Products that may rupture during recovery of a
vehicle
Airborne hazards continually stirred by the
recovery efforts
27. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Basic Safety Guidelines
As a recovery operator, what can I use to
provide protection from chemical exposure?
Safety glasses
Rubber gloves
Leather gloves / shoes will retain liquids which can
cause immediate harm or cause a contact situation
later
Rain suit / poly coveralls
Rubber over boots / rubber boots
28. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Basic Safety Guidelines
Emergency Decon
In most cases, the best policy is to wash down
with clean water immediately!!!!
Fire department, bottled drinking water
Remove contaminated clothing / gloves, eyewear
– anything that has been impacted by the product
should be removed and disposed of – not reused!
If eye contact has occurred, flush for long periods
(15 minutes is recommended in many cases)
Seek medical attention immediately to prevent
long term exposure / contact issues
31. HAZ-MAT AWARENESS
Emergency Response Guidebook
This is a good initial response and information tool
to aid in the identification of and protection from a
hazardous material
The ERG provides basic information which includes
Potential hazards
Public safety
Protective clothing
Evacuation
Emergency response guidelines
Spills / Leaks
First Aid
Notes de l'éditeur
Hazard identification starts with the placard / label system and knowing what each hazard class represents.As a responder, we must protect ourselves first. Just like the job of recovery of an overturned vehicle has inherent dangers, the presence of hazardous materials on a scene adds another layer of danger that will significantly affect the outcome. The goal of the awareness training and refresher is to identify the hazardous materials, remind the responder of the dangers, and methods to prevent exposure.
1 – Statistics are from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, State of Georgia and reflect the last year statistics have been published.2 – Hazardous materials statistics are from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), part of the US DOT.
The breakdown shown covers calendar year 2009 in which 14,093 incidents involving hazardous materials were reported. As the results indicate, 81% of all reported incidents involved Flammable / Combustible or Corrosive products.
Motor fluids (oil, fuel – diesel primarily, antifreeze, hydraulic fluid) are all considered hazardous by definition under the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act (RCRA) standards established in 40 CFR. Therefore, these fluids need to be properly addressed on the accident scene from not only the traveling public’s safety but to the safety of the environment as well.
Placards and labels on containers are the outward identification system that can be used to determine what type of hazardous material may be in the load. Understanding what each hazard class represents and the dangers associated with them will aid in protecting you the responder on the scene.
Most operators / supervisors carry rain gear. Rain suits are typically made of impermeable fabrics and would provide moderate to excellent protection from all but the most aggressive chemicals. If rain suits are worn in a hazardous materials incident, they should be properly discarded to avoid additional contamination spread or personal injury at a later date.Because of the additional requirements, training, and medical needs for proper respirator usage, Towing / Recovery Operators are not advised to maintain respirators in excess of the readily available P100 rated mask. This do not address organic vapors, only particulate filtration.
