Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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Pre-Lecture
I. You Are the Fire Fighter
Time: 5 Minutes
Small Group Activity/Discussion
Use this activity to motivate students to learn the knowledge and skills needed to perform hazardous materials
decontamination.
Purpose
To allow students an opportunity to explore the significance and concerns associated with hazardous materials
decontamination.
Instructor Directions
1. Direct students to read the “You Are the Fire Fighter” scenario found in the beginning of Chapter 33.
2. You may assign students to a partner or a group. Direct them to review the discussion questions at the end of the scenario
and prepare a response to each question. Facilitate a class dialogue centered on the discussion questions.
3. You may also assign this as an individual activity and ask students to turn in their comments on a separate piece of
paper.
Lecture
I. Introduction
Time: 5 Minutes
Slides: 1-3
Lecture/Discussion
A. Introduction
1. The fire service responds to the release of hazardous chemicals and agents.
2. Some chemicals and agents can injure or kill.
3. Proper decontamination reduces the possibility of injury or death from exposure to these substances.
II. What is Decontamination?
Time: 15 Minutes
Slides: 4-8
Lecture/Discussion
A. Decontamination
1. The physical or chemical process of reducing and preventing the spread of hazardous materials by
persons and equipment
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B. Contamination
1. Process of transferring a hazardous material from its source to people, animals, the environment, or
equipment, which may act as carriers of the contaminant
C. Secondary Contamination
1. Occurs when a contaminated person or object comes into direct contact with another person or object.
2. Also known as cross contamination.
3. Secondary contamination may occur in several ways:
b. Contaminated victim comes into contact with a fire fighter.
c. Bystander or fire fighter comes into contact with a contaminated object from the hot zone.
d. Decontaminated fire fighter re-enters the decontamination area and comes into contact with
a contaminated fire fighter or object.
4. Control zones should be established, clearly marked, and enforced at hazardous materials incidents to
reduce the risk of secondary contamination.
III. Types of Decontamination
Time: 15 Minutes
Slides: 9-16
Lecture/Discussion
A. Decontamination
1. The physical or chemical process of reducing and preventing the spread of hazardous materials by
persons and equipment.
2. Government and industrial agencies are responsible for decontaminating the environment.
3. Specialists decontaminate tools.
4. Fire fighters are responsible for establishing a decontamination corridor.
a. Decontamination corridor is a controlled area, usually within the warm zone, where
decontamination procedures take place.
b. Everyone leaving the hot zone must pass through the decontamination corridor.
B. The major categories of decontamination are:
1. Emergency decontamination
2. Gross decontamination
3. Formal decontamination
4. Fine decontamination
C. Emergency Decontamination
1. Used in potentially life-threatening situations to rapidly remove most of the contaminants from an
individual, regardless of a formal decontamination corridor.
a. A more formal and detailed decontamination process may follow later.
2. Usually involves removing contaminated clothing and dousing the victim with water.
3. If a decontamination corridor has not been established, isolate the exposed victims in a contained area.
4. Do not allow water runoff to flow in drains, streams, or ponds.
5. Do not delay decontamination; human life always comes first.
D. Gross Decontamination
1. Reduces amount of surface contaminant by a continuous shower of water and removal of outer
clothing.
2. Gross decontamination is controlled through the decontamination corridor.
3. Shower System:
a. Fully clothed victim steps into a portable shower.
b. High-pressure, low-volume water flow is used to rinse off and dilute contaminants.
Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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i.
This step removes most solid or liquid contaminants from outer clothing.
c. Victim next removes outer clothing before proceeding to the next step, formal decontamination.
d. Fire fighters wearing fully encapsulated PPE should remove the suit but continue to use SCBA.
E. Formal Decontamination
1. Performed after gross decontamination and is a more thorough cleaning
2. May involve several stations or steps
3. Multiple decontamination team personnel use brushes and/or swabs to scrub and wash the person or
object.
4. Type of cleaning solution used will depend on the type of hazardous material.
a. Laundry detergent or soap flakes often used, but some situations may require special chemicals.
F. Fine Decontamination
1. Advanced decontamination process performed in isolated area of a hospital emergency department
after formal decontaminations have taken place in the field.
2. Fine decontamination includes:
a. Cleaning eyes, ears, and fingernails
b. Checking deep into the body’s orifices
c. Possibly swabbing the nasal passages and mouth area to remove hazardous particles
3. Always notify the hospital in advance when transporting decontaminated hazardous materials victims
to the emergency department.
a. Enables hospital personnel to prepare properly
G. Rapid Mass Decontamination
1. Used at incidents involving unknown agents and large groups of people
2. Way of quickly performing gross decontamination on a large number of victims
3. Washing off as much of the contaminant as possible with a massive water spray is the best and
quickest way to decontaminate a large group of people.
4. The primary concern in rapid mass decontamination is to remove a hazardous material from a large
number of victims.
a. Environmental concerns are secondary.
5. Victims will need further decontamination and medical monitoring.
IV. Methods of Decontamination
Time: 20 Minutes
Slides: 17-32
Lecture/Discussion
A. Some hazardous materials have chemical properties that may require different methods of decontamination.
B. Other decontamination procedures include:
1. Absorption
2. Adsorption
3. Dilution
4. Disinfection
5. Disposal
6. Solidification
7. Emulsification
8. Vapor dispersion
9. Removal
10. Vacuuming
C. Absorption
Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
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1. A spongy material is mixed with liquid hazardous material.
2. The contaminated mixture is collected for disposal.
3. Technique is primarily used for decontamination of equipment and property.
4. Effective only on flat surfaces
5. Most states have laws and regulations that dictate how to dispose of used absorbent materials.
Adsorption
1. Contaminant adheres to the surface of an added material rather than combines with it as in aborption.
Dilution
1. Uses plain water or a soap-and-water mixture to lower the concentration of a hazardous material while
flushing it off a contaminated person or object.
2. Fast and economical
3. Used in:
a. Gross decontamination
b. Formal decontamination
c. Mass rapid decontamination
4. Considerations before using water:
a. Will the contaminant react with water?
b. Is the contaminant soluble in water?
c. Will the contaminant spread to a larger area?
5. Water increases the hazardous waste generated, complicating safe disposal.
Disinfection
1. Destroys recognized disease-carrying (pathogenic) microorganisms
2. Commercial disinfectants are available.
a. Consult product information for capabilities and limitations
3. Familiarize yourself with facilities having possible biological hazards.
a. Medical research labs
b. Hospitals
c. Clinics
d. Mortuaries
e. Universities
f. Medical waste disposal facilities
4. Take precaution when responding to an emergency at a facility where bloodborne pathogens may be
involved in an accident or spill.
Disposal
1. Two-step removal process for items that cannot be properly decontaminated
a. First, contaminated item is removed and isolated in a designated area.
b. It is then packaged in a suitable container and transported to an approved facility where it is either
incinerated or buried in a hazardous waste landfill.
c. Contaminated items, such as disposable coveralls, should be collected, bagged, and tagged.
d. Contaminated tools and equipment should be placed in bags, barrels, or buckets.
Solidification
1. The chemical process of treating a hazardous liquid to turn it into a solid material
a. Makes the material easier to handle, but does not change its hazardous properties
Emulsification
1. Neutralizes or reduces the harmful effects of a hazardous material by changing its chemical properties
2. Can be used with petroleum-based products.
3. Use of emulsification products may be regulated by local regulations.
4. Limitations:
a. Product still requires proper disposal.
b. Chemicals used in emulsification may be harmful to the fire fighter.
c. It may take some time to determine which chemicals can be used and to check their availability.
Vapor Dispersion
1. Process of separating and diminishing harmful vapors
2. A water spray is commonly used.
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3.
Should be used with extreme caution
a. Rapid introduction of a large volume of air can have unexpected results.
K. Removal
1. Applies specifically to contaminated soil that can be taken away from the scene and disposed of
properly
2. Removal may be necessary when:
a. Toxic materials cannot be rendered harmless
b. On-site treatment poses high risk
c. Treatment costs exceed disposal costs
3. Removing contaminants reduces clean-up time and limits exposure risk to fire fighters.
L. Vacuuming
1. Removal of dusts, particles, and some liquids by sucking them up into a container
2. Filtering system prevents re-circulation of contaminated material.
3. High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner is used to remove contaminants that are 0.3
microns or larger.
4. Filters must be replaced regularly to maintain their effectiveness.
V. The Decontamination Process
Time: 15 Minutes
Slides: 33-42
Lecture/Discussion
A. The Decontamination Process
1. Takes place in decontamination corridor between the hot zone and the warm zone
2. A clearly marked entry point should be established.
3. If decontamination operations occur at night, the area should be well lit.
4. All personnel leaving the hot zone must be decontaminated.
B. The decontamination team members:
1. Must have SCBA
2. Must be wearing a level of PPE equal to those being decontaminated
3. Must undergo decontamination themselves before leaving the area
C. Steps in Decontamination
1. Tools are placed in a tool drop area. Can be a:
a. Container
b. Recovery drum
c. Special tarp
2. The fire fighter, still wearing full PPE and SCBA, enters the decontamination corridor for gross
decontamination.
a. High-pressure, low-volume water flow rinses off and dilutes contaminants.
3. The next step is formal decontamination.
a. The decontamination team:
i.
Scrubs and swabs PPE
ii.
Contains water run-off
b. Involves one to three wash-and-rinse stations
i.
One decontamination team member washes, and the second rinses.
ii.
Special attention is given to gloves, kneecaps, and boot bottoms.
iii.
Only one contaminated fire fighter is allowed in a station at a time.
4. Outerwear and chemical protective clothing is removed.
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a.
b.
c.
d.
SCBA remains in place during this process.
The decontamination team unzips PPE.
The suit is peeled back.
The contaminated side only contacts itself; contaminated parts of suit should never touch the
wearer.
e. Outer gloves can be removed now.
f. When removing PPE, turn as much of the PPE inside-out as possible; this keeps any remaining
contaminant inside the suit or glove.
5. Additional equipment is removed.
a. Remaining PPE
b. Helmet
c. Boots
d. Support equipment
e. SCBA
f. Face shield is the last item to be removed.
6. Inner gloves are removed.
7. Equipment is bagged.
a. Place equipment on the contaminated side of the decontamination corridor.
b. SCBA should be isolated until it can be thoroughly cleaned at a later time.
c. Tape all bags and place them in a recovery drum.
8. The fire fighter removes all personal clothing.
9. After personal clothing is removed, the fire fighter should wash the entire body.
a. An overhead shower is more effective than a hose line.
b. Use small brushes and sponges.
c. Liquid surgical soaps in plastic squeeze bottles give the best results.
d. Pay special attention to the head and groin areas.
10. The fire fighter should next dry off using towels or sheets.
a. Towels should be used only once.
b. Place dirty towels in bags on the contaminated side for disposal.
11. Decontaminated personnel now don clean clothes.
a. Disposable cotton coveralls or hospital gowns, hospital booties, slippers, or flip-flops are
inexpensive and easy to use.
D. Medical Follow-up
1. After personnel are decontaminated, they must receive a medical evaluation.
2. Medical personnel compare vital signs to baseline data.
a. Note and report any open wounds or breaks in skin surface.
i.
Unless advised otherwise by the medical command physician, open wounds should be
cleaned and treated appropriately.
VI. Summary
Time: 5 Minutes
Slides: 43-46
Lecture/Discussion
A. Proper decontamination reduces the possibility of injury or death from exposure to hazardous materials.
B. Decontamination is the physical or chemical process of reducing and preventing the spread of hazardous
materials by persons and equipment.
C. There are five types of decontamination:
Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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1. Emergency decontamination
2. Gross decontamination
3. Formal decontamination
4. Fine decontamination
5. Rapid mass decontamination
D. There are ten methods of decontamination:
1. Absorption
2. Adsorption
3. Dilution
4. Disinfection
5. Disposal
6. Solidification
7. Emulsification
8. Vapor dispersion
9. Removal
10. Vacuuming
E. The decontamination corridor is established between the hot zone and the warm zone.
1. All personnel leaving the hot zone must be decontaminated.
VII. Skill Drills
Time: 60 Minutes
Demonstration/Group Activity
Remember to maintain an adequate instructor to student ratio.
Purpose
Following instructor-facilitated demonstrations, this activity allows students to observe and demonstrate competency in
hazardous materials decontamination.
Materials Needed
1. Drum for tool drop
2. Salvage cover for use as ground cloth
3. Small inflatable pools or other containment device
4. Scrubbing brushes; small-diameter hoses; nozzles capable of delivering high-pressure, low-volume water flow; water
source
Instructor Directions
1. Demonstrate each skill, placing emphasis on describing to the students any critical points or procedures.
2. On the basis of the specific skill, assign each student to a partner or team. Provide each partner/team with equipment or
materials as needed.
3. Direct students to practice each skill. Closely monitor the practice sessions and provide constructive comments and
redirecting.
4. As individual students achieve success, track their skills and conduct skill proficiency exams using the Skill Drill
Evaluation Sheets located on the Instructor’s ToolKit CD-ROM. Students failing the exam should be given redirection
and an opportunity to practice before being retested.
Skills
Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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Skill Drill 33-1 (Decontamination)
Post-Lecture
I. Wrap-Up Activities
Time: 40 Minutes
Small Group Activity/Individual Activity/Discussion
A. Fire Fighter in Action
This activity is designed to assist the student in gaining a further understanding of hazardous materials decontamination. The
activity incorporates both critical thinking and the application of fire fighter knowledge.
Purpose
This activity allows students an opportunity to analyze a firefighting scenario and develop responses to critical thinking
questions.
Instructor Directions
1. Direct students to read the “Fire Fighter in Action” scenario located in the Wrap-Up section at the end of Chapter 33.
2. Direct students to read and individually answer the quiz questions at the end of the scenario. Allow approximately 10
minutes for this part of the activity. Facilitate a class review and dialogue of the answers, allowing students to correct
responses as needed. Use the answers noted below to assist in building this review. Allow approximately 10 minutes for
this part of the activity.
3. You may also assign these as individual activities and ask students to turn in their comments on a separate piece of
paper.
Answers to Multiple Choice Questions
1. Answer B: Gross decontamination aims to significantly reduce the amount of surface contaminant by a continuous
shower of water and removal of outer clothing. Formal decontamination is performed after gross decontamination and is
a more thorough cleaning process. Formal decontamination may involve several stations or steps. Multiple personnel
(the decontamination team) use brushes and/or swabs to scrub and wash the person or object to remove contaminants. To
clean a fire fighter’s PPE, for example, the decontamination team would use water spray, long-handled scrub brushes,
and a special cleaning solution.
2. Answer C: Dilution is both fast and economical. Water is a readily available solvent that usually generates no toxic
fumes. Gross decontamination and formal decontamination both use the dilution method. Fire fighters tend to use this
method first because water is readily available from the tank on any engine or from a hydrant.
3. Answer E: When removing protective clothing, turn as much of the PPE inside-out as possible. This keeps any
remaining trace contaminants inside the suit or glove. Removing outside clothing properly is especially important when a
fire fighter is wearing structural PPE because these clothes are porous and can absorb the hazardous material. Plastic
bags can be used to transport PPE because they usually provide sufficient temporary protection from most materials.
They should be sealed with tape and transported elsewhere for clean-up or disposal.
4. Answer A: The decontamination team must wear SCBA and a level of PPE equal to those being decontaminated.
B. Technology Resources
This activity requires students to have access to the Internet. This may be accomplished through personal access, employer
access, or through a local educational institution. Some community colleges, universities, or adult education centers may
have classrooms with Internet capability that will allow for this activity to be completed in class. Check out local access
points and encourage students to complete this activity as part of their ongoing reinforcement of firefighting knowledge and
skills.
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Purpose
To provide students an opportunity to reinforce chapter material through use of online Internet activities.
Instructor Directions
1. Use the Internet and go to www.FireFighter.jbpub.com. Follow the directions on the web site to access the exercises for
Chapter 33.
2. Review the chapter activities and take note of desired or correct student responses.
3. As time allows, conduct an in-class review of the Internet activities and provide feedback to students as needed.
4. Be sure to check the web site before assigning these activities, as specific chapter-related activities may change from
time to time.
II.
Lesson Review
Time: 15 Minutes
Discussion
Note: Facilitate the review of this lesson’s major topics using the review questions as direct questions or overhead transparencies.
Answers are found throughout this lesson plan.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
What is contamination?
What is secondary contamination?
What is decontamination?
Where is the decontamination corridor located?
Which type of decontamination is used in potentially life-threatening situations to rapidly remove most of the
contaminants from an individual?
F. Describe gross decontamination.
G. What type of decontamination is the more thorough cleaning that occurs after gross decontamination?
H. Is further decontamination necessary after using rapid mass decontamination?
I. Which method of decontamination neutralizes or reduces the harmful effects of a hazardous material by changing its
chemical properties?
J. Which method of decontamination uses plain water or a soap-and-water mixture to lower the concentration of a
hazardous material?
III. Assignments
Time: 5 Minutes
Lecture
A. Advise students to review materials for a quiz (determine date/time)
B. Direct students to read the next chapter in Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills as listed in your syllabus (or reading
assignment sheet) to prepare for the next class session.
Chapter 33: Hazardous Materials: Decontamination Techniques
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