Emergency Response Guidebook

A Guidebook for First Responders during the Initial Phase of a Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781626363762
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Global Development Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

Does the identification number 60 indicate a toxic substance or a flammable solid, in the molten state at an elevated temperature? Does the identification number 1035 indicate ethane or butane? What is the difference between natural gas transmission pipelines and natural gas distribution pipelines? If you came upon an overturned truck on the highway that was leaking, would you be able to identify if it was hazardous and know what steps to take?
Questions like these and more are answered in the Emergency Response Guidebook. Learn how to identify symbols for and vehicles carrying toxic, flammable, explosive, radioactive, or otherwise harmful substances and how to respond once an incident involving those substances has been identified. Always be prepared in situations that are unfamiliar and dangerous and know how to rectify them. Keeping this guide around at all times will ensure that, if you were to come upon a transportation situation involving hazardous substances or dangerous goods, you will be able to help keep others and yourself out of danger. With color-coded pages for quick and easy reference, this is the official manual used by first responders in the United States and Canada for transportation incidents involving dangerous goods or hazardous materials.

BACKGROUND ON TABLE 1 - INITIAL ISOLATION AND PROTECTIVE ACTION DISTANCES

Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances in this guidebook were determined for small and large spills occurring during day or night. The overall analysis was statistical in nature and utilized state-of-the-art emission rate and dispersion models; statistical release data from the U.S. DOT HMIS (Hazardous Materials Information System) database; meteorological observations from over 120 locations in United States, Canada and Mexico; and the most current toxicological exposure guidelines.

For each chemical, thousands of hypothetical releases were modeled to account for the statistical variation in both release amount and atmospheric conditions. Based on this statistical sample, the 90^th percentile Protective Action Distance for each chemical and category was selected to appear in the Table. A brief description of the analysis is provided below. A detailed report outlining the methodology and data used in the generation of the Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances may be obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Release amounts and emission rates into the atmosphere were statistically modeled based on (1) data from the U.S. DOT HMIS database; (2) container types and sizes authorized for transport as specified in 49 CFR §172.101 and Part 173; (3) physical properties of the individual materials, and (4) atmospheric data from a historical database. The emission model calculated the release of vapor due to evaporation of pools on the ground, direct release of vapors from the container, or a combination of both, as would occur for liquefied gases which can flash to form both a vapor/aerosol mixture and an evaporating pool. In addition, the emission model also calculated the emission of toxic vapor by-products generated from spilling water-reactive materials in water. Spills that involve releases of approximately 208 liters for liquids (55 US gallons) and 300 kg for solids (660 pounds) or less are considered Small Spills, while spills that involve greater quantities are considered Large Spills. An exception to this is certain chemical warfare agents where Small Spills include releases up to 2 kg (4.4 lbs), and Large Spills include releases up to 25 kg (55 lbs). These agents are BZ, CX, GA, GB, GD, GF, HD, HL, HN1, HN2, HN3, L and VX.

Downwind dispersion of the vapor was estimated for each case modeled. Atmospheric parameters affecting the dispersion, and the emission rate, were selected in a statistical fashion from a database containing hourly meteorological data from 120 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The dispersion calculation accounted for the time dependent emission rate from the source as well as the density of the vapor plume (i.e., heavy gas effects). Since atmospheric mixing is less effective at dispersing vapor plumes during nighttime, day and night were separated in the analysis. In Table 1, “Day” refers to time periods after sunrise and before sunset, while “Night” includes all hours between sunset and sunrise.

Toxicological short-term exposure guidelines for the materials were applied to determine the downwind distance to which persons may become incapacitated and unable to take protective action or may incur serious health effects after a once-in-a-lifetime, or rare, exposure. When available, toxicological exposure guidelines were chosen from AEGL-2 or ERPG-2 emergency response guidelines, with AEGL-2 values being the first choice. For materials that do not have AEGL-2 or ERPG-2 values, emergency response guidelines estimated from lethal concentration limits derived from animal studies were used, as recommended by an independent panel of toxicological experts from industry and academia.

HOW TO USE TABLE 1 - INITIAL ISOLATION AND PROTECTIVE ACTION DISTANCES

(1) The responder should already have:

• Identified the material by its ID Number and Name; (if an ID Number cannot be found, use the Name of Material index in the blue-bordered pages to locate that number.)

• Found the three-digit guide for that material in order to consult the emergency actions recommended jointly with this table;

• Noted the wind direction.

2) Look in Table 1 (the green-bordered pages) for the ID Number and Name of the Material involved in the incident. Some ID Numbers have more than one shipping name listed—look for the specific name of the material. (If the shipping name is not known and Table 1 lists more than one name for the same ID Number, use the entry with the largest protective action distances.)

(3) Determine if the incident involves a SMALL or LARGE spill and if DAY or NIGHT. Generally, a SMALL SPILL is one which involves a single, small package (e.g., a drum containing up to approximately 208 liters (55 US gallons)), a small cylinder, or a small leak from a large package. A LARGE SPILL is one which involves a spill from a large package, or multiple spills from many small packages. DAY is any time after sunrise and before sunset. NIGHT is any time between sunset and sunrise.

(4) Look up the INITIAL ISOLA...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Copyright
• Shipping Documents (Papers)
• Introduction to the Table of Placards
• Hazard Identification Numbers Displayed on Some Intermodal Containers
• Green Highlighted Entries in Yellow Pages
• Green Highlighted Entries in Blue Pages
• Guides
• Introduction to Green Tables - Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances
• Protective Actions
• Background on Table 1 - Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances
• How to Use Table 1 - Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances
• Erg2012 User’s Guide
• Guidebook Contents
• Isolation and Evacuation Distances
• Protective Clothing
• Fire and Spill Control
• Bleve – Safety Precautions
• Criminal/Terrorist Use of Chemical/Biological/Radiological Agents
• Glossary
• Reproduction and Resale
• Canada and United States National Response Centers
• National Response Center (NRC)
• Emergency Response Telephone Numbers