Hazmat Awareness/ Hazmat Operations (Nfpa)

Front 1

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

Back 1

The governing body that sets operational policy and procedures for the jurisdiction you operate in

Front 2

Awareness Level Personnel

Back 2

Persons, who in the course of their normal duties, could encounter an emergency involcing hazardous materials/WMDs and who are expected to recognize the presence of HazMat/WMDs, protect themselves, call for trained personnel, and secure the area

Front 3

Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)

Back 3

A division of the American Chemical Society. This resource provides hazardous materials responders with access to an ernormous collection of chemical substance information- the CAS registry

Front 4

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Back 4

A collection of permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the U.S. federal government. Its 50 titles represent broad areas of interest that are governed by federal regulation. Each volume of the CFR is updated annually and issued on a quarterly basis.

Front 5

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Back 5

The U.S. government agency that publicizes and enforces rules and regulations that relate to the transportation of many hazardous materials.

Front 6

Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA)

Back 6

Legislation that requires a business that handles chemicals to report on those chemicals' type, quantity, and storage methods to the fire department and local emergency planning committee.

Front 7

Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)

Back 7

A preliminary action guide for first responders operating at a hazardous materials incident in coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation's labels and placards marking system. The DOT and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT), along with Transport Canada, jointly developed the ERG.

Front 8

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Back 8

Established in 1970, the U.S. federal agency that ensures safe manufacturing, use, transportation, and disposal of hazardous substances.

Front 9

Hazardous Material

Back 9

Any substance or material that is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to human, health, safety, or the environment when transported in commerce, used incorrectly, or not properly contained or stored.

Front 10

Hazardous Waste

Back 10

A substance that remains after a process or manufacturing plant has used some of the material and the substance is no longer pure.

Front 11

HAZWOPER (HAZardous Waste OPerations and Emergency Response)

Back 11

The federal OSHA regulation that governs hazardous materials waste site and response training. Specifics can be found in book 29, standard number 1910.120. Subsection (q) is specific to emergency response.

Front 12

Incident Commander (IC)

Back 12

A level of training intended for those assuming command of a hazardous materials incident beyond the operations level. Individuals trained as incident commanders should have at least operations level training and additional training specific to commanding a hazardous materials incident.

Front 13

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

Back 13

Committee made up of members of industry, transportation and the public at large, media and fire and police agencies that gathers and disseminates information on hazardous materials stored in the community and ensures that there are adequate local resources to respond to a chemical event.

Front 14

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Back 14

A form, provided by manufacturers and compounders (blenders) of chemicals, containing information about chemical composition, physical and chemical properties, health and safety hazards, emergency response, and waste disposal of a material

Front 15

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Back 15

The association that develops and maintains nationally recognized minimum consensus standards on many areas of fire safety and specific standards on hazardous materials

Front 16

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Back 16

The U.S. federal agency that regulates worker safety and in some cases responder safety.OSHA is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor

Front 17

Operations level responders

Back 17

Personnel who respond to hazardous materials/WMD incidents for the purpose of implementing or supporting actions to protect nearby persons, the environment, or property from the effects of the release.

Front 18

Regulations

Back 18

Mandates issued and enforced by governmental bodies such as the U.S. OSHA and the U.S. EPA

Front 19

Specialist level (OSHA/HAZWOPER only)

Back 19

A hazardous materials specialist who responds with and provides support to hazardous materials technicians. This individuals duties parallel those of the hazardous materials technician, however the technicians duties require a more directed or specific knowledge of the various substances he or she may be called upon to contain. The hazardous materials specialist also acts as the incident-site liason with federal, state, local and other government authorities with regards to site activities

Front 20

Standards

Back 20

Guidelines issued by non-governmental entities that are generally consensus based.

Front 21

State Emergency Response Commission (SERC)

Back 21

The liaison between local and state levels that collects and disseminates information relating to hazardous materials emergencies. SERC includes representatives from agencies such as the fire service, police services and elected officials.

Front 22

Superfunds Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA)

Back 22

One of the first U.S. laws to affect how fire departments respond in a hazardous materials emergency.

Front 23

Target hazards

Back 23

Any occupanct type or facility that presents a gigh potential for loss of life or serious impact to the community resulting from fire, explosion or chemical release

Front 24

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Back 24

Weapons whose use is intended to cause mass casualties, damage, and chaos. The NFPA includes the use of WMDs in its definition of hazardous materials.

Front 25

Acute health effects

Back 25

Health problems caused by relatively short periods of exposure to a harmful substance that produces observable conditions such as eye irritation, coughing, dizziness, and skin burns

Front 26

Alpha particle

Back 26

A type of radiation that quickly loses energy and can travel only 1 or 2 inches from its source. Clothing or a sheet of paper can stop this type of energy. It is not dangerous to plants, animals or people unless the emitting substance has entered the body

Front 27

Anthrax

Back 27

An infections disease caused by the spread of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis; typically found around farms, infecting livestock

Front 28

Asphyxiant

Back 28

A material that causes the victim to suffocate

Front 29

Base

Back 29

A material with a pH value greater than 7

Front 30

Beta particle

Back 30

A type of radiation that is capable of travelling 10 to 15 feet from its source. Heavier materials such as metal and glass, can stop this type of energy

Front 31

BLEVE (Boiling liquid/expanding vapor explosion)

Back 31

An explosion that occurs when pressurized liquefied materials inside a closed vessel are exposed to a source of high heat

Front 32

Blister agent

Back 32

A chemical that causes the skin to blister, also known as a vesicant

Front 33

Blood agent

Back 33

Chemicals that interfere with the utilization of oxygen by cells of the body. Cyanide is an example

Front 34

Boiling point

Back 34

The temperature at which a liquid will continually give off vapors in sustained amounts and, if held at that temperature long enough, will eventually turn completely into a gas

Front 35

Carcinogen

Back 35

A cancer-causing agent

Front 36

Chemical and physical properties

Back 36

Measurable characteristics of a chemical, such as its vapor density, flammability, corrosivity, and water reactivity

Front 37

Chemical reactivity

Back 37

The ability of a chemical to undergo an alteration in its chemical make-up, usually accompanied by a release of some form of energy

Front 38

Chlorine

Back 38

A yellowish gas that is approximately 2.5 times heavier than air and slightly water soluble. It has many industrial uses but also can damage the lungs when inhaled; it is a choking agent

Front 39

Choking agent

Back 39

A chemical designed to inhibit breathing and typically intended to incapacitate rather than kill its victims