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61 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Define "hazardous material."
Any substance or material in a form which poses an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce.
What hazards are posed by benzene?
These toxic vapors can be absorbed through the skin and can destroy bone marrow
What hazards are posed by benzoyl peroxide?
Fire and explosion
What hazards are posed by carbon tetrachloride (AKA Freon, Carbon Tet, and Halon)?
Damage to internal organs, specifically the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. At high temperatures, it creates phosgene, which causes suffocation by damaging alveoli.
What hazards are posed by cyclohexane (an industrial solvent and chemical used in production of nylon) -- created by reacting benzene with hydrogen?
Explosions, fire, and irritation to eyes and throat. Smells "detergent-like." Famous case of cyclohexane explosion is the Flixborough Disaster.
What hazards are posed by diethyl ether (found in laboratories, meth labs, used as prep for cocaine freebase)?
Fire, explosion, irritation to eyes and respiratory tract, unconsciousness. Autoignites at just 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
What hazards are posed by ethyl acetate (used in glues, mail polish remover, and cigarettes)?
Eye and respiratory irritation
What hazards are posed by ethylene chloride (used to create vinyl chloride)?
Eye damage
What hazards are posed by ethylene dichloride?
Irritation to tissues
What hazards are posed by heptane?
Respiratory irritation
What hazards are posed by hydrochloric acid?
Respiratory irritation, high vapor exposure can cause pulmonary edema, skin and eye damage
What hazards are posed by hydrogen cyanide?
Fire, poisoning by inhalation or absorption
What hazards are posed by methyl isobutyl ketone?
Eye and mucous membrane irritation
What hazards are posed by nitric acid?
production of nitrogen dioxide (poisonous), skin irritation, can cause self-ignition of cellulose products (sawdust)
What hazards are posed by organochloride (chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, lindane, methoxyclor)?
Toxic fumes and smoke, eye and skin irritation
What hazards are posed by perchloroethylene?
Poisoning by inhalation or swallowing
What hazards are posed by silicon tetrachloride?
Reaction with water to form toxic hydrogen chloride fumes
What hazards are posed by tetrahydrofuran (THF)?
Eye and mucous membrane damage
What hazards are posed by toluol (toluene)?
Toxic vapors, organ damage
What hazards are posed by vinyl chloride?
Fire, explosion, carcinogenic action
What two federal agencies have developed regulations to deal with the increasing frequency of hazmat emergencies?
EPA and OSHA
What OSHA publication outlines hazmat hazards and response?
29 CFR 1910.129 - Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard
Who is responsible for determining, providing, and documenting appropriate levels of hazmat training for each employee?
The employer.
What four levels of hazmat training exist, listed from least advanced to most advanced?
First responder awareness

First responder operations

Hazardous materials technician

Hazardous materials specialist
Most training levels outlined by OSHA have a ___ ____ focus.
Fire service
What hazmat level should an EMT be trained to?
Awareness at the minimum. Some are trained for operations.
What is standard #473?
This is a National Fire Protection Association standard which deals with competencies for EMS personnel at hazardous materials incidents.
Where are hazmat incidents likely to occur?
Highways, trucking terminals, chemical plants, places where chemicals are used, delivery trucks, agriculture and garden centers, railways, laboratories
Who are the most likely to be harmed at hazmat incidents?
EMTs, because they're often first on the scene and the quickest to act
Never assume that the ____ is ____.
Never assume that the scene is safe!
Once a hazmat incident is recognized, what level of hazmat training is the minimum in order to enter the immediate site?
Hazardous materials technician
All victims leaving the site of a hazmat incident should be considered _________ until proven otherwise.
Contaminated
When there are multiple medical victims reported, what should you be thinking?
Hazmat!
What are your primary concerns at the scene of a hazmat incident?
Your safety

The safety of your crew

The safety of the patient

The safety of the public
Where should the safe zone be positioned?
Uphill and upwind of the hazmat incident site.
What type of special help might you call for when you recognize a hazmat incident?
Hazmat team

Fire services

Rescue personnel

Law enforcement for crowd control

Railway company expert in hazmat
When you recognize a hazmat incident, you should implement your agency's _____ ______ ______, and establish and remain in command until relieved by somebody higher in the chain of command
Incident management system
What is the hot zone?
it's the area immediately surrounding a hazmat incident. It extends far enough to prevent adverse effects outside the zone.
Define "warm zone."
The area where personnel and equipment decontamination and hot zone support take place. It includes control points for the access corridor and thus assists in reducing the spread of contamination.
Define "cold zone."
Area where the incident command post and support functions are located.
What is secondary contamination?
Contamination caused when a contaminated person makes contact with somebody who was previously "clean."
What are some methods an EMT can use to identify a hazardous material?
Use binoculars to look for identifying signs, labels, or placards

Check invoices, bills of lading (trucks), shipping manifests (trains)

Check material safety data sheets (MSDS)

Interview workers and others leaving the hot zone

use the emergency response guidebook

Call CHEMTREC

Call CHEM-TEL

Call poison control
Where should EMS personnel and equipment be staged during a hazmat incident?
In the cold zone
What must hazmat team members wear in order to safely enter the hot zone?
Chemical-protective clothing and breathing apparatus
What characteristics must the rehab area include?
Located in the cold zone

Protected from weather

Large enough to accommodate multiple rescue crews

Easily accessible to EMS units

Free from exhaust fumes

Allows for rapid re-entry into the emergency operation
To reiterate -- where must the rehab area be located?
In the cold zone
What is the rehab area?
An area set aside to monitor and rehabilitate team members so that they don't deteriorate to a point at which they jeopardize the operation
What should be taken as a team member suits up in protective gear?
His vitals
When is a team member sent to rehab?
After 45 minutes, or after signs of fatigue become apparent
If a team member's heart rate exceeds 110 BPM in rehab, what do you do?
Take an oral temperature
If a team member's oral temperature exceeds 100.6ºF, what do you do?
Keep the team member in rehab until his pulse slows and temperature returns to normal. Always follow local protocols and don't be afraid to consult medical direction. Track all vitals on a flow sheet.
Besides assessment, what other functions does the rehab area carry out?
Prehydration

Rehydration

Rest

Nourishment
Define "decontamination."
A chemical and/or physical process that reduces or prevents the spread of contamination from persons or equipment; the removal of hazardous substances from employees and their equipment to the extent necessary to preclude foreseeable health effects
Where should the decontamination corridor be placed?
In the warm zone
Where must EMS personnel remain if their hazmat training is lower than "hazardous material technician" level?
The cold zone
What points must you remember when treating and transporting hazmat patients?
1) Field contaminated patients aren't completely clean.

2) Take proper PPE measures and wear tyvek coveralls and booties to prevent contamination and exposure. Wear double-layers of gloves (nitrile or neoprene is best)

Protect vehicles from contamination -- either place dripping patients in a disposable decontamination pool or cover the inside of the ambulance with plastic.

Consider used equipment as disposable. Be ready to throw away BP cuffs, stethoscopes, and spine boards

Structural firefighting clothing is not recommended!
What are the 9 steps to the decontamination procedure?
1) Rescuers in SCBA and protective clothing mechanically remove contaminants from victims and drop tools in the tool drop area

2) Gross decontamination: victims and team members are showered and/or scrubbed. Dilution is conducted inside diked area. Victims may go straight to station 6.

3) Protective clothing removal

4) SCBA removal

5) Personal clothing removal -- this pertains to team members as well as victims who have not yet been undressed

6) Body washing -- detergent and scrub brushes are utilized

7) Dry off with towels and sheets, dress in clean clothes

8) Medical assessment

9) Transport
What four types of patients will an EMT encounter?
Uninjured and not contaminated

Injured and not contaminated

Uninjured and contaminated

Injured and contaminated
What do you do when you encounter contaminated patients before hazmat team arrival?
Take precautions appropriate to substance listed in the emergency response guidebook

Follow first aid measures listed in the emergency response guidebook

Manage patient's critical needs

If treatment calls for irrigation with water, cut off patients clothes and irrigate! Contain runoff. Use tepid or warm water. Pay special attention to tricky areas. Use disposable equipment

Decontaminate yourself
What four factors determine the severity of poisoning?
Substance

Route

Dosage

Duration
What are the two major phases of decontamination?
Gross decontamination and secondary decontamination