Over time, and after numerous hazardous materials emergencies, methods of response and ways of doing things have evolved. Responders have gained insights in how to do things better, faster, more efficiently, and safer by reflecting on incidents. The school of hard knocks is a great impetus toward improving the way things are done. Additionally, when responders talk to other responders, networks develop and ideas are shared.
Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention and nowhere is this sentiment truer than with hazardous materials response. Great innovations and even practical ideas have been spun from "doing" the hazmat thing over the last 30 years. This installment will list several ideas and their reason for existence to enable other responders in being better, faster, smoother hazmat responders. See if you agree.
Scene Safety
Many teams have used traffic cones, banner tape, and signage to help control hazard sectors for years. Coupled with law enforcement, weather stations, and plume modeling software for hot, warm, and cold zone set-up and monitoring these methods have proven to be effective. Consider the following to augment current scene safety devices;
- Portable air horn devices, police whistles, or megaphones can serve as warning devices for entry personnel if safety may be compromised.
Weather stations can be set-up to transmit local weather conditions to on-scene software systems.
Mini-wind indicators can be utilized at hazmat scenes to indicate wind shifts especially at remote work sites such as train derailments. Entry personnel can set them up near their work area for periodic checks of the wind direction.
Consider line-of-site safety spotters at hazmat emergencies to watch for on-coming traffic concerns (highway and railway). Alerting responders well ahead of the danger would be their sole concern.
Utilize the "blue flag" rail industry system of signage to indicate work conducted on a rail line or spur line. Contact your local railroad provider for more information.
Utilize wheel chocks anytime entry personnel work with vehicles that have wheels. This includes all vehicles, trailers, and even rail cars, which have their own special type of wheel chock.
Ground and bond all containers that are leaking and may need to be off-loaded. This needs to be completed sooner rather than later and with the proper equipment and procedures.
Transfer of product must only be completed if all personnel are properly trained and equipped for the procedure. It is more than merely moving a product from one vessel to another vessel. Again, equipment should be grounded and bonded to prevent static electricity discharges.
If liquids are to be pumped product compatibility needs to be checked and discharge of the product should be under the liquid level in the receiving vessel. This reduces the production of mists or airborne materials that can increase the risk of an ignitable mixture.
Hot Zone Work
- Some teams have invested in personnel carrying vehicles to get to the area of remote train derailments or other obscure areas. Vehicles such as ATV's with trailers, small flat bed 6-wheel transporters (Gators), or even the fairly new 2-wheel Segway Human Transporter that uses gyroscopic technology.
For entry into highway trailers or to get to the top of a rail car, teams should use their own ladders. Ramps for unloading drums from the back of an over-the-road trailer can also be considered. Also consider one or two drum dollies to remove drums.
For work on top of rail cars consider having one properly attired entry team member to stay on the ground in order to load tools in a container for the personnel above. A small bucket or sturdy container on a rope works well for this purpose.
For the personnel on top of the car, wristlets with a small hasp or even a small carabiner on the outside of protective suits can be used to secure tools and other small items to avoid being dropped.
Tools with small handles can have the handle size increased for ease of use for personnel in protective clothing.
Consider also using a small positive pressure blower to assist in directing vapors away from personnel but only after considering any ignition chance.
For entry into buildings with complicated or difficult floor plans consider using glow sticks or Cyalume sticks to mark the path in to the release area. These markers also assist with exit of the area and if back-up teams are needed to make a quick rescue.
Some teams utilize a small container or bucket to carry their environmental sampling equipment rather than use their hands to carry everything. A bucket large enough for the equipment with a handle or even a Tupperware container with a shoulder strap has been used. Additionally, some teams have laminated their sampling procedures on the side of the container to remind entry personnel of the order of sampling.
In consideration of entry personnel becoming injured or incapacitated some teams have assembled small EMS kits with cervical devices, scissors, knife, and bandages. SKED devices, backboards with straps, and wheeled patient cots have been implemented.
Personal Protective Equipment
- Some teams have streamlined their dressing procedures by packing most of the needed equipment in one container for each entry person. This idea saves time and energy by reducing the number of trips to retrieve all entry equipment at an emergency. These can be large Tupperware type containers with covers and can be supplied at the beginning of each shift for a specific person or they can be stocked for a certain size person. At an emergency, personnel would only need to retrieve their PPE container, a SCBA (and facepiece), chemical boots, and a radio.
Items to consider in each container are;
- Dressing procedure in laminated form
- Chemical suit, Level A or B, NFPA compliant, in appropriate size
- Coveralls, Nomex or winter weight for cold months
- Cool vest for warmer months
- Inner gloves, surgical or cotton for cold months
- Assorted chemical gloves in appropriate sizes
- Anti-slip footwear for outside of chemical boots for cold months
- Hard hat or equivalent
- Towel, wet wipes, anti-fog for facepiece
- Flashlight for inside suit
- Pocket knife for inside suit
- Small recording clipboard for inside suit
To further streamline the dressing sequence personnel can have their pre-entry medical checks conducted in the morning at shift change. This greatly speeds things up at the emergency. All personnel should address their hydration needs at shift change also.
Some teams have also specified new SCBA's without the PASS alarm only for hazmat operations. Their reasoning is that the still alarm feature is un-needed and bothersome for hazmat operations.
Part 2 of this article will soon follow with tactical approaches and innovations. Stay tuned and stay safe!
As usual, please forward any feedback or input to the author at [email protected]
