HAZMAT
(left) US Air Force Emergency management flight detection and monitoring gear with two Improved Chemical Agent Monitors (CAMS) at Goodfellow Air Force Base (AFB), TX, during a CBRNE response exercise in 2009. (right) US Air Force Emergency management flight detection and monitoring gear at Goodfellow Air Force Base (AFB), Texas during a CBRNE exercise in 2009.
Over and Put Her Coat On’ - Rad, O2, pH, H2S, CO, and Organic Compounds.
Recognising limitations What does this mean for the industry? What is the right methodology? To answer this, we must keep in mind that the first priority in all responses is life safety, and responder safety is paramount. So, what does that leave us with and how should this issue be addressed? First, we must look at the greatest threats
to responder safety, using common sense and recognising the abilities and limitations of Hazmat responders and their equipment. For example, while radiation is very important, it is unlikely to kill a responder immediately. We must also look at the ability of equipment. Gamma radiation is very powerful and travels a long distance - therefore most equipment will register it at a distance. We must also look at equipment limitations: most radiological monitors and detectors are not intrinsically safe. With both of these points recognised, the radiation detector probably doesn’t need to go in first. Another equipment limitation is the fact
that corrosives (bases and acids) which can harm equipment that internally circulates air
Wrap Up for initial entry equipment: 1ST
ENTRY RESPONDER
DI moistened pH Paper 4 or 5 Gas meter Passive Dosimeter? Flashlight Radio
2ND ENTRY RESPONDER
Gamma Spec/Other Rad detection Specific Monitoring (APD 2000, etc.) Flashlight Radio4
and vapours, and our suits (PPE), should be detected early on. Another threat with non- intrinsically safe equipment is the potential for that equipment to provide an ignition source to flammable/combustible products.
Checking pH So, pH should be checked early on with moistened pH paper (using de-ionised water) and can be attached to other equipment or carried on a clip, hanger, or stick along with a 4 or 5 gas meter with photoionisation capability. This allows us to measure O2
levels which can affect combustible gas meters and may provide an
EPS atmospheric hazard action guide ATMOSPHERE LEVEL
ACTION <19.5% Oxygen 19.5-25%
(OSHA. 23.5%) >25%
Combustible gas
(OSHA. 23.5%) <lOo/o LEL 10-25o/oLEL
>25o/o LEL
Monitor with SCBA CGI values are not valid
Continue monitoring with caution. SCBA not needed. Based on 02 content 0nly
EXPLOSION HAZARD Withdraw immediately
Continue to monitor with caution
Continue to monitor with caution, especially as higher levels are found
EXPLOSION HAZARD
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) O2 and LEL guidance. The LEL ((lower explosive limit) limits allows for safety in combustible or flammable atmospheres.
Dusty G. Kitzmiller CHS-III is Chief Operating Officer for Hazard & Homeland Security Consulting Group and an Assistant Operations Officer and Liaison Officer for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs VA Department of Emergency Management. He has developed and delivered over 150 training seminars and 100 CBRNE-focused exercises.
CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL & NUCLEAR WARFARE | 2012/02 | 51
enriched atmosphere which accelerates burning or combustion, and LEL (lower explosive limit) or combustibility at the same time with limited equipment. Because most entry teams have two personnel - sometimes three (4 to 6 hands and 2-3 sets of eyes) - we must also consider how much they can carry and how many instruments they can actively monitor at one time. With a 4 or 5 gas meter, VOCs (volatile
organic compounds) can also be monitored simultaneously and potentially assist in the classification of present vapours in the environment, and lead us toward specific technologies when planning follow up entries - Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer for a VOC or colorimetric tubes for non-organics. Tubes may also be chosen if pH extremes are detected on the moistened pH paper. In addition to these basic monitoring priorities, information gathered during the Size-Up or through victim interviews, and/or information shared from the Decon Unit and/ or Medical Branch can point responders in a specific direction, such as an APD 2000 or other detector based on its library of detectable chemicals such as CWAs. Many technologies such as FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) do not need to go in on an initial entry because they typically require sampling and more time to run. The same applies to M256 kits which take
18 minutes to run and are very limited in the number of agents and classes (CWAs only) that can be detected. If potential samples are identified in the initial entry, then sampling, FTIR and so forth can be planned for following entries if answers are not discovered after one entry.
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