Chapter 3 Hazardous Materials Identification

City of P igeon Forge F i re DepartmentD i v i s i o n o f Tr a i n i n g a n d C o n ti n u i n g E d u c a ti o n

Chapter 3

Hazardous Materials Identification

All presentation sources are used in accordance with the Multimedia Fair Use

Guidelines and are not for copying and pasting by other users.


Hazardous MaterialsIdentification

• 7 clues to the presence of hazardous materials– In addition to verbal reports– Order of identification

• The ones most easily identified from a distance– Order of risk

• The least amount of risk to the most amount of risk to the responder



• 7 clues to the presence of hazardous materials– 1. Occupancy types, locations, and pre-incident

surveys– 2. Container shapes– 3. Transportation placards, labels, and markings– 4. Other markings and colors (nontransportation) – 5. Written resources– 6. Senses– 7. Monitoring devices and detection devices



• Clue 1– Occupancy types, locations, and pre-incident

surveys• Local emergency response plans

– Required by federal law to be completed and reviewed annually by the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

– Increases decision making accuracy» Product identificiton

– Increases decision making time» Response route» Resources needed




surveys• Occupancy Types

– High probable locations for finding signification quantities of hazardous materials

» Fuel storage facilities » Paint supply stores» Photo processing laboratories » Feed / Farm stores» Print shops» Warehouses




surveys• Incident Locations

– Roadways – Railways– Waterways– Airways– Pipelines



• Clue 2– Container shapes

• Bulk / nonbulk packaging – Bulk

» Materials loaded with no intermediate form of containment

• Cargo tank, railcar, portable tank» Maximum capacity > 119 gallons» Maximum net mass > 882 pounds




• Bulk / nonbulk packaging – Non-Bulk

» Smaller than the minimum criteria established for bulk packaging

• Drums• Boxes• Bags

» May have a form of intermediate containment




• Bulk-capacity fixed-facility containers– Buildings– Aboveground storage tanks– Machinery– Underground storage tanks– Pipelines– Reactors– Upon piles or bins




• Aboveground storage tanks– 1. Atmospheric / Nonpressure

» <0.5 psi– 2. Pressure tanks

» Low pressure• 0.5 – 15 psi

» Pressure vessels• >15 psi




• Atmospheric / Nonpressure– Horizontal Tank




• Atmospheric / Nonpressure– Cone Roof Tank




• Atmospheric / Nonpressure– Open Top Floating Roof Tank




• Atmospheric / Nonpressure– Covered Top Floating Roof Tank




• Atmospheric / Nonpressure– Atmospheric Underground Storage Tank




• Pressure Storage Tanks (Low Pressure)– Dome Roof Tank




• Pressure Storage Tanks (Low Pressure)– Spheroid Tank




• Pressure Storage Tanks (High Pressure)– Horizontal Pressure Vessel




• Pressure Storage Tanks (High Pressure)– Spherical Pressure Vessel




• Pressure Storage Tanks (High Pressure)– Cryogenic – Liquid Storage Tank




• Rail Tank Cars– Carry capacities in excess of 30,000 gallons– Tank cars carry the bulk of the hazardous materials

transported by rail» Nonpressure tanks cars» Pressure tank cars» Cryogenic liquid tank cars» Hopper cars» Boxcars» Special service cars




• Rail Tank Cars– Nonpressure tank car

» Also known as “general service” or “low-pressure”» Vapor pressure <25 psi» Contain 4,000-45,000 gallons

• May be compartmentalized with up to 6 compartments

» Cylindrical with rounded ends (heads)• They have at least one manway access




• Rail Tank Cars– Nonpressure tank car without expansion dome




• Rail Tank Cars– Pressure tank car

» Pressures >25 psi» Contain 4,000-45,000 gallons

• Noncompartmentalized » Cylindrical with rounded ends (heads)» Typically top loading cars

• Valves located inside the protective housing• Used to distinguish between pressure and nonpressure tank cars




• Rail Tank Cars– Pressure tank car




• Rail Tank Cars– Cryogenic liquid tank car

» Low pressure• <25 psi

» Argon» Hydrogen» Nitrogen » Liquid oxygen (NOX)» Liquefied natural gas (LNG)




• Rail Tank Cars– Cryogenic liquid tank car




• Rail Tank Cars– Other railroad cars

» Pneumatically Unloaded Hopper Car




• Rail Tank Cars– Other railroad cars

» High Pressure Tube Car




• Cargo Tank Trucks – Most must meet governmental tank-safety

specifications » MC or DOT/TC followed by a three-digit number

• Ie – MC 306• Ie – DOT/TC 406

– Nonspec tanks» Tank must be designed for a specific purpose




• Cargo Tank Trucks – Nonpressure liquid tank

» Vapor pressure <3 psi» MC 306 or DOT/TC 406




• Cargo Tank Trucks – Low-pressure chemical tank

» Vapor pressure <40 psi» MC 307 or DOT/TC 407




• Cargo Tank Trucks – Corrosive liquid tank

» Vapor pressure <75 psi» MC 312




• Cargo Tank Trucks – Dry bulk cargo tank

» Vapor pressure < 22 psi



• Clue 2– Transportation Placards, Labels, and Markings

• UN Recommendations– Adopted by U.S., Canada, Mexico

» Hazard classes» Commodity identification numbers» Placards» Labels» Markings




• Hazard Classes– Class 1: Explosives– Class 2: Gases– Class 3: Flammable liquids– Class 4: Flammable solids – Class 5: Oxidizing substances– Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances– Class 7: Radioactive materials– Class 8: Corrosive substances – Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances




• UN Commodity Identification Numbers– Four-digit number that is used in conjunction with

illustrated placards




• DOT Placards– Diamond-shaped, colored coded sign– Used to identify the materials in transportation

containers

Background Color

Hazard Symbol

Diamond shaped

Hazard Class Number

4-Digit ID Number or Hazard Class Designation




• DOT Placards– Color coding

Explosive Oxidizer Flammable

Health Hazard Water Reactive Nonflammable Gas




• DOT Symbols

Explosive Oxidizer Radioactive

Poison Corrosive Nonflammable Gas

Flammable




• DOT Labels– Provide same information as vehicle placards– Found on packages– 3.9 inch square-on-point diamonds




• DOT Markings– By the DOT definition

» A descriptive name» A weight» A specification

– Includes» Instructions» Cautions» UN marks




• DOT Markings



• Clue 4– Other Markings and Colors

• NFPA 704 System– Found on fixed facilities

» Doesn’t tell you exactly what the chemical or chemicals are

• 0-4 rating

4

4 4




• NFPA 704 System

Health– 4 — Severe hazard– 3 — Serious hazard– 2 — Moderate hazard– 1 — Slight hazard– 0 — Minimal hazard

Flammability– 4 — Flammable gases, volatile liquids, pyrophoric materials– 3 — Ignites at ambient temperatures– 2 — Ignites when moderately heated– 1 — Must be preheated to burn– 0 — Will not burn

4

4 4




• NFPA 704 System

4

4 4

Instability– 4 — Capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at ambient conditions– 3 — Capable of detonation or explosive decomposition with strong initiating source– 2 — Violent chemical change possible at elevated temperature and pressure– 1 — Normally stable, but becomes unstable if heated– 0 — Normally stable

Special hazardsLocated at 6 o’clockHave no special background although white is most often usedMay contain one of two special symbols

W — Unusual reactivity with waterOX — Oxidizer




• Manufacturers’ Labels and Signal Words– Caution

» Product may have minor health effects– Warning

» Product had moderate hazards– Danger

» Highest degree of hazard– Poison

» Highly toxic materials » Must have “danger” label




• Military Markings– Division 1: Mass Explosion

» Equivalent to DOT/UN Class 1.1

– Division 2: Explosion with Fragment Hazard» Equivalent to DOT/UN Class 1.2




• Military Markings– Division 3: Mass Fire

» Equivalent to DOT/UN 1.3

– Division 4: Moderate Fire – No Blast» Equivalent to DOT/UN 1.4




• Military Markings– Chemical Hazards

» Wear full protective clothing• “Red you’re Dead”

• Highly toxic chemicals• May cause death or serious damage





» Wear full protective clothing• “Yellow you’re Mellow”

• Presence of harassing agents • Riot control agents and smokes





» Wear full protective clothing• “White is Bright”

• Presence of white phosphorus • Other spontaneously combustibles





» Wear breathing apparatus • Intense heat hazard





» Apply no water • Dangerous reaction with water




• Military Markings– Chemical Hazards (Supplemental)

» G-Type nerve agents

» VX nerve agents

» Incapacitating nerve agents




• Military Markings– Chemical Hazards (Supplemental)

» H-type mustard agent» Blister agent

» Lewisite blister agent



• Clue 5– Written Resources

• Shipping Papers– Must accompany the shipment of hazardous materials– Indicates origin, destination, route and product

» Bill of Lading• Used by the trucking industry

» Waybill• Used by the railroad industry

» Air Bill• Used by the air industry

» Dangerous Cargo Manifest• Used by water shipping industry




• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)– Detailed information bulletin– Prepared by the manufacturer

» Chemical identity» Manufacturer’s information» Hazardous ingredients » Physical and chemical characteristics » Fire and explosion data » Reactivity data» Health hazard» Precautions » Control measures




• Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)– Primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly

identifying the specific or generic hazards » Yellow Pages

• ID Number Index





identifying the specific or generic hazards » Blue Pages

• Material Name Index





identifying the specific or generic hazards » Orange Pages

• Initial Action Guides





identifying the specific or generic hazards » Green Pages

• Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances




• Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)– Small spill

» Involves a single small package» <53 gallons

– Large spill» Involves a spill from a large package» >53 gallons» Spill involving several small packages




• Inventory Records and Facility Documents– Shipping and receiving documents– Inventory records– Risk management and hazardous communication plans– Chemical inventory reports



• Clue 6– Senses

• Vision is definitely the safest of the five senses – Use binoculars from a safe distance

» Container deterioration» Containers bulging» Sick humans» Dead or dying birds, animals, insects or fish» Discoloration of valves or piping

• Statements from victims or witnesses– Smells– Tastes



• Clue 7– Monitoring and Detection Devices

• Combustible Gas Indicator– Detects the concentration of combustible gases and

vapors in the air• Two-, Three-, and Four-Gas Monitors

– Combustible gases– Oxygen concentrations– Carbon monoxide levels– Hydrogen sulfide levels




• Other Monitoring / Detection Devices– Photoionization detectors (PID)

» Used to detect the concentrations of many organic and some inorganic gases and vapors at the same time

– Specific chemical detectors» Devices used to sound an alarm when the

presence of a specific chemical is detected • Carbon monoxide detector • Chlorine detector• Hydrogen cyanide detector




• Other Monitoring / Detection Devices– Indicator papers and Ph meters

» Used to measure specific hazards– Detector tubes

» Detect a variety of gas vapors – Radiation monitors

» Detects alpha, beta, gamma radiation– Personal dosimeters

» Worn as badges


Hazardous Materials Identification

Works Cited“Hazardous Materials for First Responders” International Fire Service Training Association

3rd Edition 2004 Print