1. Introduction to Hazardous Materials
Firefighter II

2. Copyright and Terms of Service
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, These materials are copyrighted © and trademarked ™ as the property of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the following conditions:
1)  Texas public school districts, charter schools, and Education Service Centers may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for the districts’ and schools’ educational use without obtaining permission from TEA.
2)  Residents of the state of Texas may reproduce and use copies of the Materials and Related Materials for individual personal use only, without obtaining written permission of TEA.
3)  Any portion reproduced must be reproduced in its entirety and remain unedited, unaltered and unchanged in any way.
4)  No monetary charge can be made for the reproduced materials or any document containing them; however, a reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged.
Private entities or persons located in Texas that are not Texas public school districts, Texas Education Service Centers, or Texas charter schools or any entity, whether public or private, educational or non-educational, located outside the state of Texas MUST obtain written approval from TEA and will be required to enter into a license agreement that may involve the payment of a licensing fee or a royalty.
Contact TEA Copyrights with any questions you may have.

3. Distinguish Between Hazmat Incidents and Other Emergencies
Involve a substance that poses an unreasonable risk to people, the environment, and/or property
May involve a hazardous substance that has been or may be released from a container
May involve a hazardous substance that is on fire
Are more complex than a routine emergency incident
May be the result of a deliberate or accidental attack
Other emergencies – do not involve the release of a hazardous substance

4. Training Requirements for Awareness-Level (Hazmat) First Responders
The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require responders to meet specific training requirements
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) requires first responders to have training to prepare them for terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD)

5. Training Requirements for Awareness-Level (Hazmat) First Responders (continued)
National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standards
NFPA 471: Recommended Practice for Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents
NFPA 472: Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents
NFPA 473: Standard for Competencies for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents

6. Primary Responsibilities of an Awareness-Level Responder at a Hazmat Incident
Recognize the presence or potential presence of hazmat
Recognize the container type and identify the material in it, if possible
Transmit information to the appropriate authority and call for assistance
Identify actions to protect oneself and others from the hazards
Establish control of the scene by isolating the hazardous area and denying entry

7. Primary Agencies That Regulate Hazmat
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Issues transportation regulations for air space, highways, pipelines, railways, and waterways
Enforces regulations at the federal, state, and local levels
Defines when a material is considered hazardous
Requires the use of placards during the transportation of hazmat

8. Primary Agencies That Regulate Hazmat (continued)
Department of Transportation (DOT) (continued)
Placards – diamond-shaped signs attached to hazmat transportation vehicles that identify the following:
Explosive (orange)
Flammable or non-flammable gas (green or red)
Flammable combustible liquids (red)
Flammable solids (red candy-stripe or blue)
Oxidizers (yellow)
Poison (white)
Radioactive (yellow and white)
Corrosives (black and white)

9. Primary Agencies That Regulate Hazmat (continued)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Researches and sets national standards for environmental programs
Delegates the responsibility for issuing permits, monitoring, and enforcing the standards compliance of states and tribes
Works with industries and government agencies for pollution prevention and energy conservation

10. Primary Agencies That Regulate Hazmat (continued)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Includes OSHA
Is responsible for overseeing US labor laws
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Regulates US commercial nuclear power plants and the civilian use of nuclear materials
Regulates the possession, use, storage, and transfer of radioactive materials

11. Four Products Most Often Involved in Hazmat Incidents
Flammable/combustible liquids
Petroleum products
Paint products
Resins
Adhesives
Corrosives
Sulfuric Acid
Hydrochloric acid
Sodium hydroxide
Anhydrous ammonia
Chlorine

12. Hazard-Control Zones Provide scene control to
Protect first responders from interference by unauthorized persons
Help regulate the movement of first responders within the zones
Minimize contamination

13. Hazard-Control Zones (continued)
Primary zone designations
Hot zone
The area of greatest hazard at a hazmat incident site
No person should enter unless in approved PPE
Warm zone
The area between the hot zone and the cold zone where danger exists but risk is limited
Responders may put on PPE and clean materials, if needed, but civilians and media are not allowed in this zone
Cold zone
The outermost area of a hazmat incident site, which is considered uncontaminated
Special protective clothing measures are unnecessary in this zone

14. General Information about Hazmat
May be elements, compounds, or mixtures found in gaseous, liquid, or solid states, or a combination of these states
May present a direct threat to health or be considered dangerous because of their physical hazards
Range in severity from negligible to extremely dangerous
Non-flammable to extremely flammable
Non-reactive to highly reactive (i.e. detonate easily or unexpectedly)
Short-lived to multi-generational radioactive and biochemical effects

15. General Information about Hazmat (continued)
Types of exposures
Acute (single occurrence)
Chronic (reoccurring)
Types of health effects
Acute – short-term effects that appear within hours or days (e.g. vomiting or diarrhea)
Chronic – long-term effects that may take years to appear (e.g. cancer)

16. General Information about Hazmat (continued)
Behaviors of hazmat
Depend upon a material’s
Physical state
Flammability
Boiling point
Chemical reactivity
Other properties
Determine the type and amount of harm caused
Influence the effects it has on containers, people, living organisms, other chemicals/materials, and the environment

17. Potential Ignition Sources at a Hazmat Scene
Open flames
Static electricity
Pilot lights
Electrical sources
Internal combustion engines
Radiant heat
Cigarettes
Cameras
Road flares

18. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards
Thermal hazards
Are related to temperature extremes
Are caused by various factors such as
Hazmat (e.g. elevated-temperature materials or cryogenic liquids)
Conditions on the scene (e.g. extreme ambient air temperature)

19. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Radiological hazards
Exist in many forms, but ionizing radiation is the greatest concern for firefighters
Usually exist for firefighters during incidents at specific types of locations, but they might also be used in terrorist attacks
Medical centers
Industrial operations
Nuclear power plants
Research facilities
Usually pose minimal risks for firefighters if proper precautions, such as wearing PPE, are taken

20. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Asphyxiation hazards
Asphyxiants – substances that interfere with the oxygenation of the body and cause suffocation if untreated
Two classes of asphyxiants
Simple asphyxiant – gases that dilute or displace the oxygen needed for breathing
Chemical asphyxiant – substances that prohibit the body from using oxygen

21. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Chemical hazards
May produce a wide range of effects whose likelihood and severity are contingent on the following factors
Chemical’s toxicity
Route of exposure
Nature and extent of exposure
Susceptibility of the exposed person

22. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Chemical hazards (continued)
Are classified as follows
Poisons/Toxic chemicals
Corrosives
Irritants
Convulsants
Carcinogens
Sensitizers/Allergens

23. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Etiological/Biological hazards
Are microorganisms that may cause severe disabling disease or illness, including
Viral agents
Bacterial agents
Rickettsias
Biological toxins

24. Categories of Health and Physical Hazards (continued)
Mechanical hazards
Can cause trauma as a result of direct contact with an object, usually striking or friction
Can be mild, moderate, or severe
Can result from a single event

25. Routes of Entry for Human Exposure to Hazmat
Inhalation – breathing through the nose or mouth (e.g. smoke)
Ingestion – consuming through the mouth by a process other than inhalation (e.g. pill)
Injection – forcing through the skin by a puncture or break (e.g. syringe)
Absorption – assimilating through mucous membranes or areas of the body where skin is the thinnest (e.g. eyes)
Contact – occurs when a material touches skin or an exposed surface of the body (e.g. acid)

26. Resources
, Hazardous Materials for First Responders. Oklahoma State University Fire Protection Pub; 4th edition. 2010
, Awareness Level Training for Hazardous Materials. Intl Fire Service Training Assn; 2nd edition. 2005
, Essentials of Firefighting and Fire Department Operations (5th Edition), International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), 2008.