HazMat and community right to know

[mitunnelrat]

I just completed an excellent 40 hour course on hazardous materials. Much of it was job specific for me as a first responder and tailored toward our risks at work, but there are some resources I believe would be beneficial for the colony to know and have. The main one being DOT's 2012 Emergency Response Guide. It is available as a free app for smart phones. It pertains to the response needed, per chemical in the first 30 minutes of a hazmat incident. It also has info on placards so you can identify what you see around you.

Next. 302 sites. They have federally mandated requirements to report their chemicals. You have a right to know this. Look them up.

More later.

[Fidel MD]

http://phmsa.dot.gov/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_7410989F4294AE44A2EBF6A80ADB640BCA8E4200/filename/ERG2012.pdf

[jamesneuen]

Hazwoper training? Or however you spell it. I had to take it during the BP oil spill.

[mitunnelrat]

Yep. Hazwoper was a big part of it. Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response.

Lots of lecture. Tons of learning. And practicals. I suited up in a Class A suit, with SCBA, as part of an exercise to contain a chlorine leak (primary threat at work), and buddy carried a dummy "victim" for a number of yards. The instructor took pity on us though and had us drop it at the half way point. They just moved to a new facility, and couldn't refill their air tanks. We'd both run out of air and were sucking wind in the suits. Was interesting, good stuff.

We worked with A, B, and C kits to seal leaks on 150 pound cylinders, 1 ton cylinders, and 90 ton rail cars.

As I said before, 302 sites are required by law to report what chemicals they have, and in what quantity. I'll be looking to see whats in my area. I'll also be recording what the rail cars are hauling through. Lots of nasty stuff, and it could BLEVE (boiling liquid evaporated vapor explosion), causing a huge issue. Here's a video on that, with a propane tank as an example. Imagine a rail car.

https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=bleve&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

We discussed terrorism, and right wing extremist groups. Some of that I took with a grain of salt, but much of it was legit.

I still think the resources are the best part, overall, for us. Thanks Fidel, for the link. That works too. There's a NIOSH companion guide to the ERG. The NIOSH pocket guide to hazardous chemicals. The associated app cost me $1, but only appeared to be a link to their site, so just go there. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/

In 40 hours we satisfied the 24 hour legal requirements for taking an offensive approach against hazmat incidents. the additional hours were geared toward our departments particular needs. I will say this class, rather than scare me, has re-ignited the passion I have for working in disaster response. I plan on moving to a different county in one week anyway, and it has its own hazmat team. I believe I will be pursuing a position there.

[jamesneuen]

For you guys with chlorine gas could you use a filtered unit that creates positive air pressure inside your suit instead of the scbas? We have suits at work that are completely self contained with dual batteries that are supposed to be good for anything and everything except acidic vapors which would eat through the suits.

I love the NIOSH handbooks. The pocket guides are fantastic once you get used to looking in the right way. They are pretty confusing if you don't have a little knowledge base to base it off of though.

[mitunnelrat]

That would depend on how much it cost and if I could sell it to my boss. Unlikely since I stepped on her toes this week...

[realist]

For you guys with chlorine gas could you use a filtered unit that creates positive air pressure inside your suit instead of the scbas? We have suits at work that are completely self contained with dual batteries that are supposed to be good for anything and everything except acidic vapors which would eat through the suits.

I love the NIOSH handbooks. The pocket guides are fantastic once you get used to looking in the right way. They are pretty confusing if you don't have a little knowledge base to base it off of though.

If you wanted to have something other than the SCBA it would have to be something like a PAPR. The problem with this is it would require another hole in the suit other than the exhaust valve. The SCBA already puts positive pressure in the suit and does not run on batteries. The PAPRs on the other hand do last for up to eight hours but then again you can also have a a cart with several tanks which can extend your work time.

There are suits which will allow you to work in an acid environment.

[realist]

MT since you got bit by the bug you might look into becoming a specialist, it is long but rewarding. If nothing else it gives you a vast quantity of information to allow you to evaluate information which may be based up rumor. I find there are times when the news reports stuff and you wonder who is the moron advising them...............then again I would guess you would say that about other things too beside hazardous materials.

[mitunnelrat]

That is currently my plan. I'm moving at the end of this week. Once I get settled in I'll get the full dope on what the new county offers and volunteer to get involved.

[realist]

Are you still going to continue living in the same state. If so most of the training is taught by our state when it is going to be used by our first responders. There is some private training out there but it is expensive. Most people who take the private schools mostly need it for say a promotion or it is needed to gain employment. For those who have time and are sponsored the training in most cases is covered by grants and is free. So check with your state first before putting out any money.

[mitunnelrat]

Same state. And as I recall its a volunteer hazmat team. I don't know how training is provided, but so know its an 80 hour course. Thanks for the heads up.