Hazardous Materials Incidents
by Chris Hawley
CHAPTER 3: Information Resources
Chapter 3: Overview
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Introduction
Technical reference texts
Material Safety Data Sheets
Shipping papers
Facility documents
Computer resources
Chemtrec
Reference and information texts
Industrial technical assistance
Summary
Technical Reference Texts
• Two common texts
– DOT Emergency
Response
Guidebook
– NIOSH Pocket
Guide to Chemical
Hazards
DOT Emergency Response Guidebook
• Printed every 3-5 years by DOT
• Provided to each emergency response
vehicle nationwide
• Covers commonly transported materials
• General guide for first 30 minutes of
incident
ERG Major Sections
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Introduction
Placard, truck, rail guides
Listing by DOT Identification number
Alphabetical listing by shipping name
Response guides
Table of initial isolation and evacuation
List of dangerous water reactive materials
Common Abbreviations in the ERG
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N.O.S. – Not otherwise specified
P.I.H. – Poison by inhalation
T.I.H. – Toxic by inhalation
P – Polymerization hazard
SCA – Surface contaminated articles (radiation)
LSA – Low specific activity (radiation)
PG I, II, or III – Packing group I, II or III
O.R.M. – Other regulated Material (listed as ORM A-E)
LC50 – Lethal concentration to 50% of the population
LD50 - Lethal dose to 50% of the population
First Page of ERG
Classes of Hazardous Materials
Placards
Truck Styles
Rail Styles
Hazard Identification Codes
Yellow Pages (1 of 2)
Yellow Pages (2 of 2)
Blue Pages
Response Guide
Isolation/Protective Actions (1 of 2)
Isolation/Protective Actions (2 of 2)
Water-Reactive Listings
Chemical Names
• Chemicals have many different names.
– Variation on chemical names
– Trade names
– Foreign names
– Synonyms
• Chlordane has more than 48 different
names.
CAS Numbers
• Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) registry
service
– Service registers chemicals with a specific
number that can be equated to a social
security number.
– No matter the number of names, if they
represent the same chemical, they will have
one CAS number.
– Numbers are in XXX-XX-XXXX format.
NIOSH Pocket Guide
• National Institute Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH)
– Research arm of OSHA
• Provides exposure levels and chemical
information
• Provides specific chemical and physical
properties
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• Required by Hazard Communication
Standard (HCS)
– OSHA regulation
– Commonly referred to as “Right to Know”
• Required for chemicals above “household
commodity” amounts
• Employer required to keep MSDS on hand
MSDS
• Employers must keep MSDS accessible for
employees and emergency responders.
• Annual training is required for MSDS,
chemical listing, and emergency plan.
• Information is for employee safety and
handling.
• There is no standard format.
Elements of an MSDS
• Chemical
identification
• Chemical composition
• Hazard identification
• Physical and
chemical properties
• Stability and reactivity
• Toxicology
• Ecological information
• Disposal
considerations
• Transportation
information
• Regulatory
information
Shipping Papers
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Who is shipping the material
Who is receiving the material
Emergency contact information
Number and weight of packages
Hazard or hazard class of material
Special notations
Shipping Paper Names
• Airplane – Air bill
• Highway- Bill of lading
• Water (Ship) - Dangerous Cargo Manifest
(DCM)
• Railroad - Waybill and Consist
Computer Resources
• Computer Aided Management
for Emergency Operations
(CAMEO)
– Hazard information
– Plume modeling
– Facility and planning information
• Chemical information databases
– NIOSH Pocket Guide
– Many others
Chemtrec
• Sponsored by American Chemistry
Council (ACC)
• Maintains emergency response
information provided by member
companies
• Maintains large stockpile of MSDSs
• Great resource for emergency contacts
– Transportation or facilities
Reference Texts
• DOT ERG
• NIOSH Pocket Guide
• Chemical Hazards Risk
Information System
(CHRIS) Book
• Dangerous Properties
Industrial Materials
(DPIM)
• AAR Railroad Hazardous
Materials Action Guides
• Farm Chemicals
Handbook
• Gardners Synonym and
Trade Name Index
• NFPA Hazardous
Materials Guide
• Merck Index
Industrial Assistance
• Technical assistance
– Chemists
– Chemical engineers
– Industrial hygienist
– Responders
• Specialized equipment
• Mutual aid groups