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1 HAZWOPER: Emergency Response and Decontamination

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.® Copyright © 2012

Introduction

1 Welcome to HAZWOPER: Emergency Response and Decontamination.

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8 When you select Next, you will begin the pretest for this course.

Your score will be reported to you, but will not be recorded.

There are 10 questions in this pretest.

10 By completing this course, you will learn the following:

The potential for various emergency scenarios on hazardous waste

sites,

The required elements of an emergency response plan,

The different levels of emergency response personnel,

The importance of a thorough evacuation plan,

How to take preventative measures against contamination,

Types of contamination and methods for decontamination,

The equipment and facilities used during decontamination,

And emergency decontamination procedures.



Site Emergencies

2 You may encounter one or more of the following releases or events at your

site. It is important that you understand how to evaluate the following

situations and how to initiate a proper response during:

Fires

Explosions

Chemical leaks

Releases of toxic vapors

Chemical reactions

Collapses of containers

Discoveries of radioactive materials

And worker-related emergencies

3 From the list of emergencies presented in the previous slide, there are a

variety of different hazards that can emerge. Here is a basic breakdown of

the possible hazards:

Explosions and fires are typically caused by chemical reactions and

the ignition of flammable substances.

Oxygen deficiencies are caused by the replacement of oxygen by gas

or another vapor.

Ionizing radiation is a risk associated with radioactive materials.

Biological agents can be dispersed as aerosols or airborne particles.

Safety hazards can emerge with a loss of structural integrity or

slippery surfaces.

Extreme temperatures can develop from the use of personal

protective equipment.

And your site may have other hazards too.



4 Responders during an emergency response can come into contact with

hazardous substances in four ways:

1. Inhalation, which means breathing in substances or vapors.

2. Ingestion, which refers to swallowing a substance, usually by

touching your mouth, eating or smoking with contaminated hands.

3. Absorption, which occurs when substances pass through your skin,

eyes or cuts.

4. And Injection, which is where substances enter the body through

puncture wounds.

5 For every release and event, you must be able to recognize the difference

between an incidental release and a release that requires an emergency

response under HAZWOPER:

1. An Incidental Release has occurred when the release of a

hazardous substance can be absorbed, neutralized or controlled at

the time by employees in the immediate area or by maintenance.

2. An Emergency Release has occurred when the release of a

hazardous substance cannot be absorbed, neutralized or controlled at

the time by trained employees in the immediate area or by

maintenance. Emergency response releases are uncontrolled or likely

to result in an uncontrolled release, and employees from outside the

immediate area or designated responders are needed to handle the

release.



6 Incidental releases tend to be very limited in quantity and carry a low risk of

exposure potential and toxicity. When you attempt to determine whether a

release is incidental, keep the following factors in mind:

Quantity released

Properties of the substance

Ventilation

Whether the release is in a confined space

Availability of personal protective equipment (or PPE)

Existing standard operating procedures

And any engineering control measures that can be activated to

mitigate the release

8 If a release is an emergency response release, an emergency plan must be

initiated. Your company must have one the following two types of plans

available for use:

1. An Emergency Action Plan (or EAP) when all employees will be

evacuating from the danger area when the emergency release occurs

and no site employees will be permitted to assist in handling the

emergency release. Instead, an outside contractor or fire department

will handle the emergency.

2. And an Emergency Response Plan when your employer has

designated and trained at least some site employees to assist in

handling the emergency release.



9 If your employer opts for an EAP, then according to OSHA standards, your

plan must include the following elements:

Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency;

Evacuation procedures and exit route assignments;

Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to perform

critical plant operations before they evacuate;

Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation;

Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical

duties;

And the name or job title of every employee who may be contacted

for more information about the plan or duties under the plan.

10 During any emergency release, it's important to keep a safe distance from

the release area if you are not involved in the response effort. This isolation

distance may be:

Found on the safety data sheet (or SDS) for the hazardous substance

involved in the release,

Determined using the Emergency Response Guidebook (or ERG),

And/Or based on other factors.



11 SDSs contain the most current and accurate information on hazardous

chemicals.

You may find the safe or isolation distance within the accidental release

measures section (section 6) of the SDS. That's because the modern-day

SDS calls for emergency procedures to be found there.

However, if you have an older SDS, this information may be found

elsewhere on the sheet.

Select Play now to watch a video explaining the importance of Safety Data

Sheets.

12 We will go over the contents of the ERG in more detail a bit later, but for

now, let's focus on how to use it to determine the isolation distance.

First identify the hazardous substance by its name or four-digit identification

number. Refer to the yellow- or blue-bordered pages and note whether the

hazardous substance is highlighted. If the hazardous substance is NOT

highlighted OR if it IS but there is a fire or a fire is involved, then find the

three-digit emergency response guide number there and turn to the guide

number in the orange-bordered pages. You'll find the isolation distance

you're looking for on the orange-bordered page. However, if the hazardous

substance IS highlighted on the yellow- or blue-bordered pages, but there's

no fire and no fire is involved, then take note of the 4-digit identification

number, and turn to the green-bordered pages to find the initial isolation

distance. There's even a downwind distance indicated.



13 After consulting the relevant Safety Data Sheet or Emergency

Response Guidebook section to determine the safe isolation

distances for the released substance, you may also need to

consider some additional factors, such as:

The properties of the substance,

The quantity released and its rate of release,

Vapor pressure and vapor density of the substance,

Wind speed and direction,

Air temperature,

And local topography.

14 Evacuation is moving people from a threatened area to a safe place. To

perform an evacuation, there must be enough time for people to be warned,

to get ready, and to leave the area. If there's enough time, evacuation is

the best protective action.

Once the initial isolation distance is determined, employees should be

directed to move, in a crosswind direction, away from the release to the

distance specified. Once the downwind distance is determined, a protective

action zone, the length and width of the downwind distance is formed, and

employees are directed to move crosswind away from the zone. Employees

should be sent to a definite place, by a specific route, far enough away so

they will not have to be moved again if the wind shifts.



15 In an emergency, you may be cut off from your normal exit. Therefore, your

site should establish alternate routes for evacuating, in advance. Both

primary and alternate routes should:

Run upwind from the Exclusion Zone, through the contamination

reduction zone, to the support zone, and then to an off-site location;

The routes should be easily accessible and kept clear;

And they should account for any mobility constraints of wearing

protective clothing and equipment;

While routes may be marked, you and your co-workers should know

where these escape routes are located.

16

If the emergency is localized and does not require a complete site

evacuation, a safety station can be set up in a relatively safe area to

provide emergency items such as:

A sitting or resting area for temporary relief

Water for decontamination

A wind indicator

A communication system with the Command Post

First-aid supplies such as eyewash, stretchers and blankets

Special monitoring devices such as extra detector tubes and personal

monitors

Fire extinguishers

And hand tools.



17 Shelter in-place means seeking shelter inside a building until the danger

passes. However, sheltering in-place is used only when evacuating would

cause greater risk than staying, or when evacuation cannot be performed.

In-place protection may not be the best option if release vapors are

flammable, or if it will take a long time for the gas to clear.

If you are ordered to shelter in-place, you may be directed to close all doors

and windows; shut off all ventilating, heating, and cooling systems; and

maintain communications with those outside.

18 In the case of site-wide evacuations, off-site refuges can be set up at a safe

exit destination that should be stocked with items such as:

Decontamination supplies

Oxygen and/or air

Water

Special testing equipment like pH paper or cyanide paper

A wind indicator

First-aid supplies

And a communication system

20 If your site employer has the potential for an emergency response to a

release and the site permits its own employees to assist in the handling of

an emergency release, then it must develop and implement an Emergency

Response Plan, prior to starting hazardous waste operations. This written

plan must be made available to all employees for inspection and copying.



21 OSHA also requires the emergency response plan to be:

A separate section of the Site Safety and Health Plan;

Compatible and integrated with local, state, and federal emergency

and disaster plans;

Rehearsed regularly;

And reviewed periodically and updated as necessary.

In addition, a compliant alarm system must be installed to alert you to

emergencies, to begin emergency procedures, to stop work if needed and to

lower background noise in order to speed communication.

22 According to the HAZWOPER Standard, an Emergency Response Plan will

include the 13 elements you see on the screen:

1. Pre-emergency planning;

2. Personnel roles, lines of authority and communication;

3. Emergency recognition and prevention;

4. Safe distances and places of refuge;

5. Site security and control;

6. Evacuation routes and procedures;

7. Any decontamination procedures which are not covered by the site

safety and health plan;

8. Emergency medical treatment and first aid;

9. Emergency alerting and response procedures;

10.Critique of response and follow-up;

11.PPE and emergency equipment;

12.Site topography, layout and prevailing weather conditions; and

13.Procedures for reporting incidents to local, state, and federal

government agencies.

Be sure that you understand the nature of each element and the roles that

have been assigned to you.



23 You will note that one element of the Emergency Response Plan is “Site

topography, layout, and prevailing weather conditions” or “site map” for

short. You should be very familiar with the site map. It will contain the

locations and hazards at the site, and will focus on potential areas where

emergencies may develop. The site map may include:

Site topography, buildings, and drainage

Tanks and other containers

Hazard areas where PPE is required

Areas where conditions could be Immediately Dangerous to Life or

Health

Site work zones, including the exclusion, contamination reduction and

support zones

Access and evacuation routes

Off-site populations at potential risk

And prevailing wind direction



24 According to OSHA, you must not rush into the situation when an

emergency response release occurs. Instead, there are four basic steps to

any response:

1. Notification of personnel;

2. Size up the situation by quickly evaluating casualties, hazards, and

response capabilities and allocating personnel and equipment for

response;

3. Respond according to appropriate steps in the plan by: taking rescue

actions to stabilize, extricate, decontaminate and transport victims,

evacuating personnel and/or the public and containing and

extinguishing the hazard;

4. And follow-up with termination procedures: by replacing or

rejuvenating damaged or exhausted equipment; debriefing

responders, critiquing the incident and updating the emergency

response plan.

25 As stated in the last slide, OSHA makes it clear in the regulation that you

should never rush in to a situation where there has been a release of

hazardous substances. It is always important to stay clear of vapors, fumes,

smoke and spills to minimize any health and safety risks. If you do need to

approach the released substance at any time, be sure to do so from upwind,

uphill or upstream.

26 The same “don’t rush in” concept is reiterated in the Department of

Transportation’s Emergency Response Guidebook (or ERG). For emergency

response, this guidebook is also recommended by OSHA, in addition to the

safety data sheet. The ERG may help you quickly identify hazardous

substances and their hazards, secure isolation distances, select proper PPE

and learn what fire and spill control measures may work best for that

substance.



27 The ERG is generally organized in the following manner:

White front pages contain instructions for using the guide and general

safety precautions, along with a list of hazard classes and divisions

and a table of placards.

Yellow-bordered pages present an index list of hazardous materials in

order of ID number.

Blue-bordered pages contain an index list of hazardous materials in

alphabetical order.

Orange-bordered pages list the potential hazards, public safety

recommendations and emergency response recommendations for

fires, spills and leaks.

Green-bordered pages have a table that lists toxic inhalation hazard

materials by ID number and safe distances information for each

material.

And the White back pages contain explanations for protective clothing, fire

and spill control measures and emergency response telephone numbers.

28 Your employer may implement a site-specific Incident Command System

(ICS) during an emergency response effort. Generally speaking, an ICS is

an organized approach to effectively controlling and managing operations at

an emergency incident.

The individual in charge of the ICS will be the senior official responding

to the incident. This person will handle communications, planning, logistics

and delegation during a response.

29 Select Play now to watch a video showing an example of how you might

use the ERG.



30 According to OSHA standards, a typical ICS unit would have these roles and

responsibilities during an emergency response effort:

Incident Commander to coordinate all aspects of the response.

Information Officer to develop and release information about the

incident to news media, incident personnel and other organizations.

Liaison Officer to assist in coordinating response activities.

And Safety Officer to assess health and safety hazards.

31 Your roles and responsibilities in an emergency response effort can vary

greatly depending on the amount of training you have received. Be sure you

know the requirements and limits of your duties in any emergency response

effort.

First responder at the awareness level takes no action beyond

notification.

First responder at the operations level attempts to contain the release

from a safe distance.

Hazardous materials technician attempts to stop the release.

Hazardous materials specialist supports the technicians and acts as

the liaison between the company and any government agencies.

And the On-scene incident commander assumes control of the

incident scene.



32 First responders at the awareness level are the individuals who witness or

discover a hazardous substance release and initiate the emergency

response by notifying the proper authorities.

As a first responder at the awareness level, you must be able to:

Recognize the presence of a hazardous material in an emergency,

Know how to identify the substance,

Understand the risks associated with each incident

And realize the need for additional resources.

33 First responders at the operations level respond for the purpose of

protecting persons, property or the nearby environment without actually

trying to stop the release. Working from a safe distance, these responders

take defensive action to keep the release from spreading and prevent

exposures. A first responder at the operations level must be able to do what

a first responder at the awareness level can do, but also:

Use basic techniques to assess hazards and risks,

Select and use proper PPE,

Perform basic control, confinement and containment operations

And implement basic decontamination procedures.



34 Hazardous materials technicians are the individuals who work to stop the

release. These responders take an aggressive role and approach the point of

release. As a hazardous materials technician, you must be able to, not only

do what a first responder at the operations level can do, but also:

Implement your employer's emergency response plan,

Know how to classify and identify unknown materials using field

survey equipment,

And perform advanced control, containment and confinement

operations.

35 Hazardous materials specialists are the individuals who support the

technicians, and demonstrate more specific knowledge of the substances to

be contained. As a hazardous materials specialist, you must be able to do,

not only what a hazardous materials technician can do, but also:

Implement the local emergency response plan,

Classify and identify unknown materials using advanced survey

equipment,

Know the state emergency response plan

And understand in-depth hazard and risk techniques.



36 The on-scene incident commander is the individual who assumes control of

the incident scene. This person must demonstrate competence in a broad

range of areas, and must also have training equal to the first responder

operations level. As on-scene commander, you must be able to:

Implement your employer's Incident Command System,

Implement your employer's emergency response plan,

Understand the hazards and risks associated with protective clothing,

Know how to implement the local emergency response plan,

Know about your state emergency response plan

And understand the importance of decontamination procedures.

38 In addition to the five emergency response roles described in the video,

responders and others may take on other roles, including, but not limited

to:

Safety officials to identify and evaluate health and safety hazards;

Backup personnel to provide assistance or rescue;

Advance first-aid support personnel;

Skilled support personnel to assist in the operation of certain

equipment;

Specialist employees to provide technical advice regarding specific

substances

And off-site personnel to provide rescue, response or support.

40 When you select Next, you will begin the test for this lesson.

There are five questions in this test.

If you do not get at least three questions correct, you will be advised

to review the lesson and take the lesson test again.



Emergency Response

2 If you determine a release is not incidental, meaning that it cannot simply

be absorbed, neutralized or otherwise controlled at the time of the release

by employees in the immediate area or maintenance, then you must follow

the procedures specified in your site's emergency plan -- either the

emergency action plan or the emergency response plan, whichever has

been implemented at your site. Your duties may be simply to immediately

report the release and evacuate, or they may be more involved. If your site

has an emergency response plan, and you are trained as an emergency

responder, you will initiate the notification process according to plan. Make

sure you're ready, by knowing:

Your company's emergency response procedure,

What means of communication to use,

Who to contact

And where to find the contacts' telephone numbers and extensions.

3 When notifying on-site emergency response personnel, you should be

prepared to provide the following information regarding the release:

The location,

Time of occurrence,

A description of the incident,

A report on any injuries or fatalities,

The extent of damage,

Any actions taken

And the identified response needs on site.



4 After notification, it's important to size up the situation and consider all

available information about the incident and emergency response

capabilities. If you are part of the initial response effort, you should try to

determine what happened. This includes:

The type of incident and its cause;

The extent of the release and the damage to structures, equipment

and terrain;

Any information on victims, including the number, location and

condition of any injured parties;

Any treatment that victims may require

And an update on any missing personnel.

5 Emergency response efforts also require you to make an evaluation of what

could still happen after a release of hazardous substances. You should try to

size up what could still happen. Consider:

The types of chemicals on site,

The potential for fire, explosion and release of hazardous substances,

The location of all personnel on site, relative to hazardous areas

And any potential dangers posed to off-site populations or

environments.



6 Finally, it is important for you to make an initial evaluation of what can be

done during the initial stages of an emergency response effort. You should

consider the following factors when making this assessment:

What equipment and personnel resources are needed for victim

rescue and hazard mitigation

The number of uninjured personnel that are available for response

efforts

The resources available on site

Resources available from outside groups and agencies

How long it will take outside resources to reach the site

And any potential hazards that may be involved in rescue and

response efforts.

7 Medical treatment of injured victims may be required during an emergency

response effort. Medical treatment may range from bandaging of minor cuts

and abrasions to life-saving techniques. First-aid sites should be set up in

safe areas at the site, and you’ll want to refer to your site map for locations.

Once casualties are assessed, trained responders will administer any

medical procedures that are necessary, remove or assist victims from the

release area, decontaminate them as their medical condition indicates and

arrange transport for further treatment.

8 Based on the available information, your response team will take a few

minutes to plan its response and allocate the proper resources. As the

response efforts unfold, this action plan should be checked and may need to

be revised.



9 There are three methods you can use to deal with an emergency response

release as a first responder:

1. Control it,

2. Contain it

3. And confine it.

10 Control measures are actions that can be taken to limit exposure risks and

damages during the release of a hazardous substance. Basic control

measures that you should know include:

Shutting off the control valve,

Diluting the spill with water if the spill is not water reactive

And dispersing gas releases.

11 If you have received the proper level of training, you may be required to

take an aggressive role and approach the point of release in order to stop it.

Containment is one such method.

Containment is designed to keep the remaining hazardous substance

inside its container, if the container is not compromised and the

substance is stable.

Plugging and patching a leak, for example are two ways to "contain"

a release.

You should refer to your training for any specific containment

techniques.



12 Confinement methods are designed to keep the release from flowing any

further by using absorption, diversion, dam building and digging techniques.

The confinement response method will be determined by factors such as:

The type of substance that has been released,

The extent of the release

And the characteristics of the site.

14 Effective communication is another important aspect of an emergency

response effort. On-site and off-site personnel must be able to pass along

information quickly and accurately, such as the location of an injured

person, evacuation orders, or notice of a blocked evacuation route, even

through noise and confusion. Let’s explore the details of an emergency

response communication system and techniques.

15 There are two sets of communication systems you may use during an

emergency response effort:

1. Internal communication systems

2. And external communications systems.

16 Internal communication systems such alarms, noisemakers, sirens and flags

play an important role in emergency response efforts. Internal

communication systems are used to:

Alert team members about emergencies,

Pass along safety information with rest period updates, such as the

amount of time left before the next rest period, breathing apparatus

air change or heat stress check

Communicate changes in work tasks

And maintain site control.



17 Because verbal communication may be impeded at the site, a number of

internal communication devices may be employed, including:

Intrinsically safe radios

Bells, horns, megaphones, sirens, whistles and other noisemakers

Flags, lights, signal boards, hand and whole body movements and

other visual signals

Flares and smoke signals may also be used from the support zone. The

primary system must have a backup, and any signals used should be pre-

arranged.

18 You should never enter a contaminated or otherwise hazardous area,

including the Exclusion Zone, without a buddy. OSHA defines the buddy

system as “A system of organizing employees into work groups in such a

manner that each employee of the work group is designated to be observed

by at least one other employee in the work group.”

The idea behind the buddy system is to provide rapid assistance to you or

your buddy in the event of an emergency. In many ways, your buddy is

much like a communication system, passing along information to you or

about you quickly and accurately, so we’ve chosen to include this important

control measure here in our discussion of communication systems.

19 Under the Buddy System, you must be able to:

Provide your partner with assistance;

Observe your partner for signs of chemical, heat or other exposure;

Periodically check the integrity of your partner's personal protective

equipment and clothing

And, if emergency help is needed, notify the Command Post

Supervisor or the On-Scene Incident Commander.



20 You need to understand all signals and alarms utilized at your worksite. In

fact, you’ll want to regularly rehearse your emergency signals for evacuate,

help, can’t breathe, no, okay and all clear. For example, clutching your

throat with your hand commonly indicates you’re out of air or cannot

breathe. In addition, you should know where communication devices are

located and under what circumstances each should be used.

21 You may also need to communicate externally during an emergency

response effort to help:

Coordinate emergency response efforts,

Report response progress to management,

Maintain contact with essential off-site personnel,

And present important information to the news media or government

officials.

The primary means of external communications are telephone and radio.

22 You may also be asked to deal with the media or you may be confronted by

the media during an emergency response situation. Your company will have

specific guidance based on the particular circumstances, but in general, it’s

important to:

Keep media members safe at the site;

Avoid unauthorized communication with the media;

Stick to basic, factual information, not opinions, predictions or who

might be to blame;

And prevent rumors and misinformation from spreading -- if you

don’t know the answer, it’s okay to say you don’t know.



24 An emergency response effort does not end when the release has been

controlled. If you are a first responder, you must understand the

decontamination and termination procedures relevant to you. We provide

more about decontamination procedures in a later lesson, so our focus here

will be on the termination procedure. You may be expected to take part in

this procedure and/or provide information upon request.

25 After a response effort has been completed, there are four general steps

you may take part in to terminate the response process: debriefing, a

critique of the response, recordkeeping activities and restocking equipment

and supplies.

26 Within 24 to 72 hours after a response effort is completed, all responders

should meet to share and gather information that will go into the incident

report. This is the time to openly share opinions and details on how the

effort unfolded. Nothing said during a debriefing should be debated or

argued, as the process is merely about sharing and gathering information.

27 After any emergency response effort, it is important to review the process

and ask key questions like:

What caused the emergency?

Was the situation preventable? If so, how?

Were procedures for prevention of the emergency adequate? If not,

how can they be improved?

Were all phases of the response adequate? How could it have been

improved?

How did the incident affect the site?

And was the public safety protected?

The emergency action plan or emergency response plan will be updated as

necessary, based on lessons learned.



28 An incident report and a written critique are two parts of the recordkeeping

process, but you may also be asked to produce or maintain exposure

records, activity logs and any required federal, state or local report.

Exposure records might include monitoring records, safety data sheets and

the site’s chemical inventory.

29 Before normal site activities may be resumed, you must be fully equipped to

handle another emergency. That means:

All equipment and supplies must be restocked,

Damaged equipment must be replaced or repaired

And equipment must be cleaned and refueled.





Decontamination

2 Despite the measures you use to prevent contamination, it may be

impossible to prevent all contamination. Therefore, OSHA requires all

personnel, clothing, equipment and samples leaving contaminated areas

(generally referred to as the exclusion zone) to be decontaminated.

The decontamination process removes or neutralizes contaminants that

have accumulated on you and your equipment. This process is critical to

health and safety at the site. Decontamination also minimizes the transfer

of hazardous substances into clean areas. Decontamination procedures are

based on factors specific to the site or emergency response incident. They

are also based on the site-specific safety and health plan.



3 Simply put, contamination is contact with contaminants. During day-to-day

hazardous waste site activities and during emergency response, hazardous

substances may contaminate your protective clothing and other equipment.

You will encounter two basic types of contaminants:

Surface Contaminants that can be easily detected and removed from

your equipment and clothing.

And Permeated Contaminants that are difficult or impossible to detect

and remove, and may cause unexpected exposure if not properly

removed by decontamination.

4 When you are dealing with a Permeated Contaminant, five factors generally

affect the extent of permeation:

1. Contact time. The longer a contaminant is in contact with an object,

the greater the probability and the extent of permeation. For this

reason, minimizing contact time is one of the most important

objectives of a decontamination program.

2. Concentration. Molecules flow from areas of high concentration to

areas of low concentration. As concentrations of chemicals increase,

the potential for permeation of personal protective clothing increases.

3. Temperature. An increase in temperature generally increases the

permeation rate of contaminants.

4. Size. Smaller contaminant molecules and larger pore spaces in

protective clothing means an increase in permeation.

5. And the physical state of chemicals. As a rule, gases, vapors and low-

viscosity liquids tend to permeate more readily than high-viscosity

liquids or solids.



5 The good news is you have some ways to help avoid contamination:

Limit contact with hazardous substances whenever possible.

Use remote sampling and handling techniques.

Check protective equipment for cuts or punctures.

And dress properly before entering the exclusion zone.

Make sure fasteners are fully closed, boots are tucked under pant legs of

outer clothing, and detached hoods are worn outside the collar. Gloves too

should be tucked under sleeves, but then a pair of outer gloves is often

worn over the sleeves. It is also a common practice to tape gloves to

sleeves and boots to pant legs. Your site will have standard operating

procedures you'll want to follow for minimizing contact with hazardous

substances.

6 The HAZWOPER Standard specifically calls for decontamination to be

performed in geographical areas that will minimize the exposure of

uncontaminated employees or equipment to contaminated employees or

equipment.

At a hazardous waste site, decontamination facilities will be located in the

Contamination Reduction Zone (or CRZ) to ensure that contaminants and

hazardous materials do not enter the Support Zone. In other words,

decontamination will occur between the Exclusion Zone (the contaminated

area) and the Support Zone (the clean area).



7 Decontamination procedures required will always depend on site-specific

factors, including:

The chemical, physical and toxicological properties of the hazards;

The amount, location and containment of contaminants;

The potential for exposure;

The potential for wastes to permeate, degrade or penetrate clothing,

equipment and structures;

The proximity of incompatible wastes;

The movement of personnel and/or equipment among different

zones;

Emergencies;

The methods available for protecting workers during decontamination

And the impact of the decontamination process and compounds on

worker safety and health.

9 There are three basic decontamination methods you may be asked to use:

1. Physically remove contaminants,

2. Inactivate contaminants by chemical detoxification or

disinfection/sterilization

3. And Remove contaminants by a combination of both physical and

chemical means.

Click the Resource button on your screen to access a flowchart for

evaluating which decontamination method or methods to use.



10 You can physically remove some contaminants by dislodging, wiping or

rinsing them. Physical removal is appropriate for the following types of

contaminants:

Loose contaminants like dust and vapor can be removed using water

or a liquid rinse.

Adhering contaminants such as glues, cements, resins and muds can

be removed by scraping, brushing and wiping.

And volatile contaminants can be removed by evaporation followed by

a water rinse.

11 Physical removal of gross contamination should be followed by washing and

rinsing using cleaning solutions. Here are some methods of chemical

removal:

Dissolving contaminants using organic solvents or halogenated

solvents.

Rinsing to remove contaminants.

Disinfecting or sterilizing to inactivate infectious agents

Using surfactants like household detergents to reduce adhesion forces

between contaminants.

And solidifying contaminants using absorbents or freezing techniques.

12 While decontamination is performed to protect your health and safety, it can

also pose hazards under certain circumstances. For example,

decontamination solutions may:

React with contaminants to produce an explosion, heat or toxic

products;

Permeate or degrade your protective clothing;

Or create toxic or flammable vapors.



13 As stated earlier, decontamination procedures will be based on many

factors, but there are two basic types of decontamination you should

understand:

1. Decontamination to allow you to safely exit or remove your PPE.

2. And Decontamination for reuse of your PPE.

14 The on-site supervisor or designated safety professional is the only person

with authority to decide that decontamination for reuse of PPE can occur.

Reuse can only be considered if the supervisor determines:

No "significant" exposures have occurred,

Or that decontamination methods have been successful in reducing

contamination levels to safe or acceptable concentrations.

15 There is no completely accurate way to determine if decontamination of PPE

or clothing has been effective enough for reuse to be safe, but here are a

few methods the on-site supervisor or designated safety professional may

use:

Visually examining PPE and clothing for signs of discoloration,

corrosion or degradation,

Wiping external surfaces for additional analysis

And evaluating the final rinse solution for elevated levels of

contaminants.



16 In addition to routine decontamination procedures, emergency

decontamination procedures must be established at your site. During a

medical emergency, the primary concern is always to prevent the loss of life

or severe injury to site personnel. Here are some general decontamination

rules you can follow in the event of a medical emergency:

Decontaminate immediately if it will not interfere with life-saving

techniques or first aid activities.

Or wait to decontaminate the victim if immediate medical treatment

is needed to save his or her life. You can proceed with

decontamination when the victim is stabilized.

18 Whether your clothing or equipment is being decontaminated or you are a

decontamination line worker, you will learn that decontamination facilities

involve a variety of stations, decontamination solutions, PPE, and other

equipment, no matter what the contaminant. This section goes over some of

the basics. It does not, however, cover the decontamination equipment for

radioactively contaminated personnel and equipment. A health physicist

should be consulted if this situation arises.

19 Decontamination procedures occur in a specific sequence. For example, your

outer, more heavily contaminated items (like your boots and gloves) will be

decontaminated and removed first, followed by decontamination and

removal of inner, less contaminated items (like your jacket and pants). And

each procedure will occur at a different station, in a line fashion, to prevent

cross-contamination during each phase of decontamination. Flow patterns

will isolate workers from incompatible hazards, and dressing stations will be

separate from re-dressing stations.



20 Because of the potential hazards, any solvents used during decontamination

should only be selected by an industrial hygienist or other qualified health

professional. However, generally speaking:

Water is used on inorganic compounds, salts and some hydrocarbons

and organic acids.

Dilute acids are used on caustic compounds, amines and hydrazines.

Dilute bases like detergents and soaps are used on acidic compounds,

phenols and certain other compounds.

And organic solvents like alcohols, ethers and fuel oils are used on

non-polar compounds.

21 If you are a decontamination worker, you need to wear the proper PPE,

selected by a qualified health and safety expert. If you come in contact with

personnel and equipment leaving the exclusion zone, you will require more

protection from contaminants than decontamination workers who are

assigned to the last station in the decontamination line. In some cases, you

will be required to wear the same level of PPE as the workers in the

exclusion zone. In other cases, you might be protected by wearing one level

lower protection. Before entering the clean support zone, you too, as a

decontamination worker, will need to be decontaminated to the extent

determined by your site employer.



22 In selecting decontamination equipment, your site should consider whether

the equipment itself can be decontaminated for reuse or can be easily

disposed of during cleanup. While other types of equipment may be selected

and used for decontamination at your site, here are some typical examples:

Plastic drop cloths

Lined cans or drums

Absorbents

Large tubs, tanks or pools

Long-handled brushes

Paper or cloth towels

And showers and wash sinks

23 Hazardous conditions can quickly change, so it is important to know when to

upgrade your PPE level for greater protection and when to downgrade your

level of PPE to safely limit heat stress, as well as physical and psychological

stress. Here is a recap of the four basic levels of PPE protection:

Level A provides the greatest level of skin, respiratory and eye

protection. Examples include totally-encapsulating chemical

protective suits with self-contained breathing apparatuses (also

known as SCBAs).

Level B provides the greatest level of respiratory protection, but a

lesser level of skin protection than Level A. Examples include

chemical resistant clothing items with SCBAs.

Level C provides skin protection, but a lesser level of respiratory

protection than Level B. Examples include chemical-resistant clothing

items with air purifying respirators.

And Level D, which provides only minimal protection from nuisance

contamination. Examples include general coveralls, hard hats, safety

glasses and boots.



24 Heavy equipment and vehicles may require further decontamination

equipment, including, but not limited to:

Storage tanks for temporary storage and/or treatment of

contaminated wash and rinse solutions;

Drains or pumps for collection of contaminated wash and rinse

solutions;

Long-handled brushes for general exterior cleaning;

Pressurized sprayers for washing and rinsing in hard-to-reach areas

And containers for storage and disposal of contaminated wash and

rinse solutions, damaged or heavily contaminated parts and

equipment to be discarded.

Click the Resource button on your screen to access a decontamination

checklist.

25 Properly decontaminating and/or disposing of all items used in the

decontamination procedure is an OSHA requirement. You should be

prepared to deal with:

Clothing,

Equipment,

Wash liquids,

Runoff

And any other contaminated items.

If something cannot be completely decontaminated, it must be dealt with in

a way that best protects the safety and health of those on-site and in the

surrounding community, pending further decontamination and/or disposal.

Commercial laundries, if used, must be informed of the potential hazards of

contaminants.







Conclusion

2 You should now have knowledge of the following:

The potential for various emergency scenarios on hazardous waste

sites,

The required elements of an emergency response plan,

The different levels of emergency response personnel,

The importance of a thorough evacuation plan,

How to take preventative measures against contamination,

Types of contamination and methods for decontamination,

The equipment and facilities used during decontamination,

And emergency decontamination procedures.

3 Now that you've covered everything in the course, it's time to review for the

exam.

To help you prepare for the exam, you can now move back and forth

within the course.

Use the drop-down menus at the top of the screen, or the Back and

Next buttons at the bottom.

The Review Questions will also help you review main concepts

covered on the exam. Select Next to download the Review

Questions.



4 The Review Questions will open in a separate window.

Keep this original window open. That way if you don't know an

answer, you can go back into the course and find it.

Once you've finished the Review Questions and have finished

studying, continue on to take the exam.

To begin the Review Questions, select Resources.

5 Now it’s time to take the Final Exam.

This exam includes 15 questions.

If you close the exam before finishing, your answers will not be saved

for later.

You will have three chances to take the Final Exam.

Your highest score will be recorded.

To begin the exam, select Next.

7 Congratulations, you have completed this course.

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