Air Monitoring It’s Not Just For Hazardous Materials Anymore Captain Mark J. Schmitt, EFO Greensboro Fire Department

Please Leave The Following at The Door I don’t do HazMat. I’m not smart enough to use a monitor. Only the HazMat Team can do air monitoring. Monitors are too complicated for me to use. Structure fires are not hazmat incidents so we don’t need air monitoring.

Could They Be The Same? Hazardous Materials IncidentStructural Fire Attack

Common Products of Combustion Acetaldehyde Acrolein Benzaldehyde Benzene Carbon Dioxide Carbon Monoxide Formaldehyde Glutaraldehyde Hydrogen Chloride Hydrogen Cyanide Isovaleraldehyde Nitrogen Dioxide Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) Sulfur Dioxide

Why Air Monitoring? Protects responders against unidentified risks Minimizes risks while saving lives and property Properly defines when SCBA must be donned or can be doffed Much more effective than your nose Determines if an area is safe to enter Determines if an area is safe to remain in

Why Air Monitoring? Employees engaged in emergency response and exposed to substances presenting an inhalation hazard or potential inhalation hazard shall wear positive pressure SCBA while engaged in emergency response until such time as the Incident Commander determines through the use of air monitoring that a decreased level of respiratory protection will not result in hazardous exposures to employees.

If You Can Use These…

You Can Use These…

When Is Air Monitoring Necessary? Natural Disasters Brewing Industry Hospitals Universities Laboratories Confined Spaces Carbon Monoxide Alarms Steel Industry Semiconductor Industry Food Processing Confined Spaces Structure Fires Trench Rescues Suspicious Fires Chemical Suicides

What Do We Monitor For? Flammability Oxygen Carbon Monoxide Hydrogen Sulfide Hydrogen Cyanide Corrosiveness (pH) Radiation

Flammable Atmosphere Monitoring Monitor to determine the risk of fire or explosion Remember that readings are expressed as a percentage of the LEL Don’t forget about correction factors Any readings of flammable materials indicate high levels of potentially toxic materials Oxygen concentrations must be at least 10%- 16% to give accurate readings

Flammability Action Levels LEL < 10% - Monitor wearing SCBA 10% < LEL < 25% - Continue investigation with extreme caution LEL > 25% - Potential fire/explosion hazard, withdraw from area immediately

Oxygen Monitoring Existence of an oxygen deficient or oxygen enriched atmosphere Type of respirator needed Increase flammability risk Sufficient oxygen for proper operation of flammability sensors Presence of toxic contaminants Something else MUST lower oxygen concentration

Oxygen Action Levels Oxygen Deficient < 19.5% (Must use SCBA) Oxygen Enriched >23.5% (Explosion Hazard) Fluctuation is an indication that another hazard exists Decrease indicates that another gas is present

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring When a CO sensor fails, it reads “0” Never use vehicle exhaust to test sensor IDLH = 1200 ppm Low CO levels present a false sense of security REL = 35 ppm Action level is 35 ppm

Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Do not enter without SCBA Keep house closed up for accurate readings Evacuate structure

Hydrogen Cyanide Monitoring Exposure symptoms mimic CO and heat Exposure may present as a heart attack Lack of treatment and testing Lack of training Lack of statistical data

Hydrogen Cyanide Monitoring IDLH = 50 ppm REL = 4.7 ppm > 270 ppm = death in 6- 8 minutes >135 ppm = death in 30 minutes HCN action level is 4 ppm

HCN & CO Monitoring HCN Symptoms Weakness Headache Confusion Fatigue Anxiety Difficulty Breathing Nausea / Vomiting CO Symptoms Headache Nausea / Vomiting Dizziness / Confusion Irritability Vomiting Chest Pain Shortness of Breath

pH Paper (Corrosiveness) Can be used for liquids or gases Turns red with acidic substances (pH<7) Turns blue with caustic substances (pH>7) Can be attached to other instruments or PPE pH scale is logarithmic

Radiation Monitoring Explosions Potential WMD Events Known Radiation Hazards Incidents involving vehicles with unknown contents

Radiation Monitoring 1 mR/hr – Recommended exposure limit for normal activities 5000 mR – All Activities mR – Protecting Major Property mR – Lifesaving or Protection of Large Populations >25000 mR – Volunteer Basis ONLY

Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring 200 ppm = Rapid Onset of Effects, Possible Death in 4-8 Hours 300 ppm = Unconsciousness and Respiratory Failure in 5-60 Minutes >500 ppm = Rapid Onset of Severe Toxicity, Respiratory Paralysis and Death >700 ppm = May be Immediately Fatal After one or More Breaths IDLH = 100 ppm

What You Need To Know About Your Meter Response & Recovery Times Correction Factors Sensor Poisons

Air Monitoring Techniques Structure Fires Measure high, middle and low Give monitor time to respond Monitor rooms using a “Z” pattern Monitor continuously throughout the incident Check low lying areas and attics Front Door Fire Room Full PPE & SCBA

Air Monitoring Techniques Structure Fires Room farthest from the fire Outside the structure Staging Area Pump Panel / Turntable Command Post Before / After Ventilation After knockdown EVERY FIRE!!!

Air Monitoring Techniques Trench & Confined Space Rescue Have a meter on at least one entry person Monitor before, during and after rescue Record all meter readings Have one person designated for monitoring at entry point Allow 1 second per foot of depth Monitor for O 2, CO, LEL & H 2 S

Air Monitoring Techniques Sick Buildings Building Furnishings Occupants Processes Outside Factors Neighboring Facilities Friday 1500

Air Monitoring Techniques Sick Buildings Start at the fresh air intake / return air duct Check HVAC system filters Chillers Ask about new carpets, tiles, wall coverings or furniture Storage areas Recently cleaned areas Location of most affected people

Air Monitoring Techniques Sick Buildings Freon in summer / CO in winter PID is most useful Nothing found – Did not have proper detection device – Not enough material in air – Building was ventilated prior to arrival

General Operating Guidelines When to monitor Who is responsible for monitoring When to calibrate Who is responsible for calibration Documentation of results Operational Checks Selection of calibration gas Training and practice

Calibration Methods Bump Test Field Verification Field Calibration Factory Calibration

Things To Remember A reading of “0” on a meter simply means “no instrument response”. It does not necessarily mean the atmosphere is “contaminant free” Never perform a fresh air zero in the presence of contaminants Never zero the monitor before the sensors have fully warmed up Calibration MUST be documented

Things To Remember Ensure that all personnel are trained in the operation of meter Identify a person or persons responsible for calibration, care and maintenance Age, usage and exposure to high concentrations can all affect sensors Meters provide numbers not actions Meters do not detect mists or dusts

Things To Remember DO NOT recharge non-rechargeable batteries Keep extra batteries on hand No one meter detects everything Low humidity and wide temperature variations can affect sensor performance

Purchasing Considerations Reliability Portability Easily Maintained Calibration Gas Location Accuracy Durability User Friendly Intrinsic Safety Ease of Operation Vendor Relationship Easy to Read & Interpret Quick Response Cost Battery Life

Purchasing Considerations Type of Charger Sensors Included Battery Power Sensor Replacement Calibration Frequency Alarm Type / Types Training Additional Equipment Service Intervals Materials Encountered Cross Sensitivities Data Logging Decontamination

Photoionization Detectors (PID’s) Detect gases that four gas meters miss Can detect hundreds of chemicals Detects concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm Fast response May be a stand alone unit or grouped with other sensors Sick building responses

PID Readings <100 – Toxic, probably combustible <400 – Toxic, probably flammable >400 – Toxic and flammable

PID Limitations Do not measure radiation, carbon dioxide, air, acids, freon or natural gas Dust and humidity affect the UV lamp Correction Factors must be considered Radio frequencies may cause interference with instrument readings The monitor can’t identify chemicals Must know IP of meter and chemicals Cannot separate mixtures

Tubes Advantages – Fast – Low Tech – Low Cost Disadvantages – Higher Inaccuracies – No Automatic Alarm – Hand Operated – Shelf Life – Not Continuous

Single Gas Monitors Advantages – Easy to read – Easy to use – Small – Inexpensive Disadvantages – Only measure one gas – No other hazards – Must be used with other meters

Four Gas Monitors Advantages – Easy to read – Easy to use – Small – Sensor package can be customized – May be grouped with a PID Disadvantages – Only measure four gases – Will not detect radiation – More expensive

SpilFyter Chemical Classifier Strips pH Paper Oxidizer Paper Iodine Chlorine Fluorine Petroleum Distillates

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Everybody Goes Home! Captain Mark J. Schmitt Greensboro Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team