Have you ever had a moment when an idea just came out of nowhere? I would call it being slapped upside of the head with an idea. Merriam-Webster would call it an epiphany. My epiphany was the idea of hazmat being a science, with perhaps the most appropriate name for this being hazmatology.
Hazmatology defined
Hazmatology—why not? There are many “-ologies” out there, most associated with education and the furtherance of studies in a particular subject matter, and that’s what we are trying to do here—further our knowledge of hazmat operations. So let’s define our new term. In its simplest form, hazmatology is the scientific study of hazardous materials. And because science is “the state of knowing” and “knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding,” perhaps thinking of hazmatology as a science will help us dispel myths and misconceptions related to hazardous materials. Further, if we have a science of hazardous materials, then those who study this science could be called hazmatologists.
Hazmatology syllabus
If we think of hazmatology as an advanced study of hazardous materials and the mitigation of releases of those materials into the environment, then it should build upon what has already been taught during Awareness, Operations and Technician courses. That is not to say that hazmatology would not study some of the same subjects of the abovementioned “prerequisites”; it would, however, be a little more in depth and based upon realistic scenarios. Thinking of the terminology is the easy part; the hard part is determining what specific type of content would constitute the study material. I would argue that studying past hazmat incidents is paramount in lessons learned and preventing unfavorable outcomes from occurring again and, therefore, this should be one of the first subjects to prepare future hazmatologists. Let’s review some other fields of study.
Material identification
I believe that one of the most important aspects of hazmat response is being able to identify a material. This can be particularly difficult with unknown hazardous materials. Knowledge of the materials identification or, at the very least, knowing the family to which it belongs will expedite incident mitigation.
Reno, NV, Hazmat’s focus for years has been on identification, and they have cut the time spent at hazmat scenes in half. I am sure there are other organizations that also focus on identification. With technological advances and the miniaturization of monitoring instruments, it has become much easier to identify unknown hazardous materials in the field. Further, drones and robots have made it much safer to monitor, take samples and conduct on-scene surveillance without placing personnel in harm’s way. Studying hazmatology can only enhance these advances and make the identification process more manageable.
Placards + chemistry and physics
Department of Transportation (DOT) placards and labels are covered in Hazardous Materials Awareness courses; however, the focus is often on simply what the colors mean in relation to the hazard. Most hazardous materials have more than one associated hazard. Further, DOT placards are only required for the most severe hazard of a material.
About 15 years ago, because of what I perceived to be shortcomings in the identification of hazards, I employed chemistry to develop a Placard Hazard Chart. By applying information from chemistry to the DOT’s most significant hazard of a given material as represented by the placard, most materials’ other hazards can be preliminarily identified until more specific identification information becomes available.
Because hazardous materials are usually chemicals or mixtures, chemistry would certainly be one of the areas of study. And I’m not talking about college chemistry, but rather something I like to call "Street Chemistry”—using chemistry to help in the identification process of hazardous materials. Chemicals also have characteristics and behaviors, which I refer to as the “physics of hazardous materials.” Some of these include flashpoint, ignition temperature, ignition source temperature and flammable range, which are some of the components to consider if a flammable liquid is going to burn. So too “Street Physics” would be a part of hazmatology.
Containerology
Hazardous materials are shipped and stored in containers, so let’s call the next subject “containerology.” Containers have design standards so that they will hold the hazardous materials under normal conditions. Because most hazmat containers are made of metal, we need to know how metals behave under emergency conditions.
Hazmatologists certainly need to understand the relationships between hazardous materials and the containers within which they are shipped and stored. Key factors in this relationship include temperature and weather conditions coupled with the physical characteristics of the hazardous material.
Non-hazardous substances can affect the behavior of the hazardous material in a container. Hazardous substances can also be used to keep a hazardous material from auto-igniting. This includes substances that will react with moisture in the air and those that are air-reactive. These materials are stored and shipped covered in a flammable liquid to prevent the reaction with moisture. Some materials, such as phosphorous, are shipped and stored under water to prevent them from reacting with air and igniting.
Hazmatologists must also understand the effects of damage to a container during a hazmat incident. Further, container failure can create significant hazards for responders if they do not have a thorough understanding of container types and how they will behave during a hazmat incident.
Containers may also provide clues as to the types of hazardous materials that are in the container.
Dispelling myths
Several myths have developed over the years, fueled by a lack of understanding of hazardous materials.
Ignition temperature vs. flashpoint
Gasoline is thought by some to be more dangerous than diesel fuel. It is all about perspective. Yes, gasoline is easier to ignite because it has a lower flashpoint than diesel fuel. However, diesel fuel has a lower ignition temperature than gasoline (about 400 degrees F compared to 800 degrees F, respectively). Once ignited, diesel fuel has more heat output than gasoline, so it is harder to extinguish than gasoline.
Another myth that exists about hydrocarbons like gasoline and diesel fuel is that improperly disposed rags can spontaneously combust. Because of the structures of hydrocarbons, this is not possible. But animal/vegetable oils like linseed oil can spontaneously combust because of the structures of the materials.
When dealing with flammable liquids, it is important to know all the parameters of combustion: flashpoint, ignition temperatures, flammable range, vapor pressure, vapor content, vapor density, specific gravity, ignition sources, heat output, physical relationships and effects of temperature. Each has an effect on a flammable liquid when it has been released from its container or when it catches fire.
BLEVE vs tank rupture
The term BLEVE, which stands for boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, applies to specific hazardous materials and specific containers. Liquefied petroleum gases, like propane and butane, are compressed gases that have been liquefied so that more product can be shipped at one time than if they were just shipped as compressed gases. So that part has nothing to do with science; it’s just economics. The scientific part involves the fact that the materials in the tank are above their boiling points and stay liquids because of the pressure in the container. Tanks that contain these materials are pressure containers. If the tank fails for any reason, all the liquid in the container will turn into a vapor or gas all at once. This can cause the tank to shatter into pieces that can become projectiles. If there is an ignition source, a flammable vapor or gas can ignite—explosively.
I have heard or read the term BLEVE used for the rupture of ethanol or crude oil containers. These are liquid containers, not pressure containers. The liquids inside are not boiling. When the tanks rupture from pressure buildup caused by fire, the liquid does not turn into vapor. The tank ruptures from over-pressurization. When an opening occurs in the tank, the excess pressure is released, but the tank does not come apart. Liquid left in the tank will likely continue to burn until the supply is exhausted. Because the tank has vented, it is unlikely that any further ruptures will take place, and the excess pressure will now be relieved through the opening in the tank.
Additional information
It is important to study the types of materials used to make up protective equipment and their effectiveness. Most hazmat releases do not require Level A PPE. Cartridge respirators provide adequate protection against military nerve agents. Exposure to gases does not require extensive decontamination. Further, chemicals should not be used to decontaminate victims or personnel.
Liquid oxygen that comes into contact with asphalt forms a contact explosive. Driving fire apparatus over this type of mixture can cause an explosion. You will notice that wherever there are storage tanks of liquid oxygen or fill sites, concrete is used in the filling and off-loading area.
Other facts to study: Hydrogen burns with an almost invisible flame; ethanol burns without smoke; increases in ambient temperature can cause some hazardous materials to increase pressure inside a container; cigarettes that are not being drawn upon can ignite diesel fuel.
Organic peroxides in Houston during Hurricane Harvey, after refrigeration equipment in trucks ran out of fuel and quit, spontaneously exploded and caught fire. Organic peroxides must be kept under constant refrigeration.
Though they do not have a DOT placard of their own, cryogenic liquids are very dangerous materials in terms of exposure to emergency responders. Cryogenic liquids are very cold liquids, by definition, below –150 degrees F. Liquid helium is the coldest material known, and the only element that does not exist as a solid at some point.
There are many other subjects, including the aging of hazardous materials, confined spaces, lessons learned from previous hazardous materials incidents, organic peroxides, and even oxygen, which is one of the most dangerous hazardous materials, even though it makes up 20.95 percent of the air we breathe.
In sum
Because this science is in the very early stages of thought, I am sure additional subject matter will need to be included. The goal of hazmatology is to present the relevant information in a way that emergency responders will understand and accept, and develop the subject of hazardous materials into a science—all the while expediting operations, protecting personnel and completing on scene tasks efficiently.
