1. Street Smart Haz-Mat Response
Chad Ponder
Mississippi Fire Academy

2. Basic Principles Surveying The Incident
The Identification Process Starts With A Survey Of The Incident Site And Surrounding Conditions.
The Identification Process Is Built Upon The Following Basic Elements:
Recognition — recognize The Presence Of Hazardous Materials.
Identification — identify The Hazardous Materials Involved And The Nature Of The Problem.
Classification — determine The General Hazard Class Or Chemical Family Of The Hazardous Materials Involved.

3. Occupancy And Location
Hazardous Materials Surround Us Every Day—potential Locations Can Be Categorized Into Four Basic Areas
Production
Transportation
Storage
Use
The Key For Determining These Potential Sites Is Through The Hazard Analysis Process.
Information Should Include A List Of The Hazmats On-site, Their Quantity And Location, And Hazards.

4. Container Shapes
All Hazardous Materials Are Controlled As Long As They Remain Within Their Container.
The Size, Shape, And Construction Features Of A Container/Packaging Are The Second Clue To The Standard Hazmat Identification Process,
Packaging Used For Transporting Hazardous Materials Is Regulated By DOT.

5. Haz Mat Recognition Clues
Markings and Colors
Placards and Labels
I. How do you know about chemicals, if they pose a hazard or not.
II. Markings and Colors
Skulls and Crossbones. Yellow nuclear trefoil signs.
III. Placards and Labels
This type of placarding is the NFPA (National Fire
Protection Association) 704 system. 1 4

6. Hazard Classes and things that act like them
I. These Placards are required by the U.S. Department of
Transportation and are displayed on vehicles used in
transportation.
II. Similar labels may be found on chemicals brought into your
facilities.

7. Explosives (Class 1) Powder Actuated Cartridges Commercial explosives
Fireworks
Ammunition
Fertilizer bombs (Ammonium nitrate & fuel oil)
Hydrazine (A flammable liquid. Forms explosive mixtures [hypergolic] - a high energy rocket fuel, corrosive and poisonous)
Powder Actuated Cartridges
[don’t spend too much time in this section]
I. Internal - are hazards that are present in our hospitals.
External - hazards that are present in the community.
II. Even if your facility does not have any chemicals that are
“technically” classified as EXPLOSIVE, there may be
situations that cause an EXPLOSIVE atmosphere.
III. Two chemicals may not be classified as an explosive, but
the combination of the two can create an explosive
atmosphere.

8. Compressed Gases (Class 2)
Acetylene
Propane
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide
Anesthetic Gases
Medical Air
Argon
Hydrogen Sulfide
Phosgene
Methyl Bromide
Ammonia
I. With compressed gases: a BLEVE (blev-ee) can occur -
BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion).
This occurs when the container holding the gas ruptures,
releasing the liquefied gas. The liquefied gas quickly
expands resulting in a fireball.

9. Flammable/Combustible Liquids (Class 3)
Diesel
Alcohols
Xylene
Methyl Methacrylate
Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Gasoline
Hydrazine
Methanol
Diesel
Acetone
I. Flammable Liquids:
Have a flash point below 100 degrees F.
The vapors of flammable liquids are generally heavier
than air and will not dissipate rapidly.
Gasoline is one of the most common products involved in
HazMat incidents.
II. Combustible Liquids:
Combustible liquids differ from flammable liquids in that
they are not easily ignited at ambient temperatures.
Combustible liquids will be much easier to ignite in hot
environments.
Oxygen enriched atmospheres (23.5% oxygen) will cause
combustible liquids to ignite more easily and burn more
intensely.

10. Flammable Solids (Class 4)
Barium
Aluminum phosphide
Naphthalene
Sodium
Carbon
I. Flammable solids:
Flammable solids burn vigorously and persistently once ignited.
Small fires involving combustible metals require the use of
special Class D extinguishing agents.
Burning metals produce hazardous gases that may be toxic,
corrosive or asphyxiating.

11. Oxidizers & Organic Peroxides (Class 5)
Red Fuming Nitric Acid (a corrosive)
Nitrogen Tetroxide
Ammonium Nitrate
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide
Fluorine, Chlorine (also poison, compressed gas, corrosive)
Oxygen (actually a compressed gas or cryogenic liquid)
Peroxyacetic Acid
I. Oxidizers:
Oxidizers are materials that may cause or enhance the
combustion of other products, generally by yielding
oxygen or other oxidizing agents.
II. Organic peroxides:
Organic peroxides may be flammable and unstable. Their
explosive and unstable nature is a more serious hazard
than their character as oxidizers.

12. Poisonous & Infectious Materials (Class 6)
Phenol (Carbolic Acid)
Chemotherapy drugs
Biohazardous Waste
Blood Borne Pathogens
Solvents
Sewage
Vesicants (blistering agent, Doxorubicine, Vincristine)
Mercury
ETO (ethylene oxide)
Glutaraldehyde & Formaldehyde
Pesticides
WMD (Sarin, VX)
Solvents
Bioterrorism
Tear Gas
Vesicants (mustard gas, Lewisite)
I. Poisons and Infectious materials:
Avoid contact with any poisonous or infectious substance.
Sometimes it is best to allow fires involving these
materials to burn. Fire can destroy the toxic properties of
some poisons.
II. Pesticide container labels must include additional signal
words: danger (highly toxic), warning (moderately toxic),
or caution (relatively low toxicity).

13. Radioactive Materials (Class 7)
Terrorist use
Military Facilities
Nuclear Reactors
Commercial/Rese arch facilities
Industrial x-ray material
Nuclear Medicine
I. Radioactive materials:
Radiation can only be detected with special instruments.
It cannot be seen or smelled.
Protect yourself as much as possible using time, distance
and shielding.
Radiation exposures should be maintained as low as is
reasonably achievable.

14. Corrosive Materials (Class 8)
Lab acids (e.g., Hydrochloric Acid)
Boiler treatment caustics
Pool chemicals
Sulfuric acid
Nitric acid
Muriatic acid
Sodium Hydroxide
Chlorine, Fluorine
I. Corrosives:
The strength of a corrosive is measured by pH. The pH
scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral on the
pH scale are acidic (acids) are alkaline (bases).
Corrosives are also measured in terms of their
concentration, which refers to the percentage of acid or
base in water.
Acids and Bases are not compatible with each other.

15. Miscellaneous. Hazardous Materials (Class 9)
Hazardous waste
Asbestos
Anesthetics
Pepper spray/mace
Molten Sulphur
I. If it doesn’t fit somewhere else, it goes into the miscellaneous
category.

16. Not Always Reported as Haz-mat Incidents
Spilled liquids
Traffic accident
Medical aid
Fire, person down, etc.
I. Haz Mat Incidents Not Always Reported as Haz Mat Incidents.
Be careful or something may sneak up on you. Be a little
paranoid.
Initial report may not indicate presence of hazardous materials!

17. Markings & Colors NFPA 704 Suggested method for identifying hazardous
materials
Scale of 0-4 (4 being the worst hazard)
Used only for facilities when mandated by local ordinances
I. Health, Flammability, Reactivity hazard ratings:
0=Minimal 1=Slight 2=Moderate 3=Serious 4=Severe

18. Hazardous Materials Incident Cargo Tank Containers
Identify examples of cargo tanks, by type.

22. Fiberboard, wooden boxes
Non-bulk containers are in wide use across the U.S. and may be found in any transportation port or location.
Drums
Cylinders
Dewars
Carboys
Bottles
Bags
Aerosol cans
Fiberboard, wooden boxes

23. Intermediate bulk containers are based on UN Recommendations and can transport a wide variety of materials.
Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs)
Rigid intermediate bulk containers (RIBCs)
Photos courtesy of Rich Mahaney

24. What is safe PEL REL TLV-STEL,TWA,C IDLH HARM=C3 UNSAFE Chemical
Container
Coordinates
UNSAFE
H=C+T

25. What is UNSAFE IDLH HARM=C3 UNSAFE Energy and Matter Chemical
Container
Coordinates
UNSAFE
H=C+T
Energy and Matter