WHO IS TRAINED
BY Richard Wolfe
The people who are to be trained in Hazardous Materials are so varied that the subject is hard to cover thoroughly. But we will cover the ones who are the most likely to be on the scene when we are.
There are two levels of training, first responder awareness, and first responder operational. These are the most common levels of training, as they meet specific training standards. These standards are recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Canadian Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (CWHMIS).
OSHA’s standards are in 29 CFR 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), and the EPA version is in 40 CFR Part 311, which is identical to the OSHA version.
The basic idea in these standards is that the first responder will be able to detect a hazardous materials incident and to take some form of action.
This action shall be:
· Suspect or recognize the presence of a hazardous material.
· Protect themselves
· Call for appropriate assistance
· Secure the area.
If you were to happen upon a truck accident and it involved a jack-knifed semi with a flatbed of lumber or steel, you know that the only real hazardous materials to be concerned with is the diesel fuel. But if you find a rolled over gasoline tanker, you know you have a major problem.
We had one of these in the Woodburn Oregon area last month during the morning commute. The fire kept the freeway closed for several hours, and the cleanup took several more. The pavement had to be dug up and replaced due to the damage from the fire. That is a major hazardous materials incident.
Let’s look at the levels of training; a First Responder Awareness level can be anyone who in the course of his or her normal duties might be the first to discover a hazardous materials incident.
These might include some of the following people:
· Firefighters
· Police Officers
· Medics
· Private industry employees
· Municipal employees
· Transportation employees (truck drivers, bus drivers)
· Utility workers
· Military personnel
As you can see, tow truck drivers would be included in the transportation area. But we are also most likely to be on the scene to clean up the mess, and that does not mean you have to take care of the spilled product that are in excess of your normal scope of cleanup. There are companies that are contracted and equipped to do that kind of work. You should not have to clean up and dispose of the dirt in the ditch because of the diesel getting into it.
It is the responsibility of the company that is involved in the release of the product. It is a great hassle to dispose of properly – any hazardous material nowadays. Just look at the rules for waste oil and antifreeze.
The First Responder Operational level included the four awareness levels of responsibility PLUS confining the release in a defensive manner from a safe location. In the case of the leaking diesel fuel, maybe you can build a small dirt dam to prevent the fuel from traveling to far. A puddle is easier to clean up than a river that has traveled a mile.
A major factor in the training that should be kept in mind is that all first responders must know the limitation of their training and act only within these limitations. This is for safety reasons that they do not exceed their training and responsibilities. If you do not know what you are doing or how to do it, THEN DON’TTRY ANYTHING!
Common sense is a very good thing to have when you are dealing with something that can injure or kill you. So you are protecting yourself, and in doing so you are securing the area.
If you do not feel you would be safe entering the areas, then another motorist or bystander wouldn’t be safe in there either.
Rescuing an injured person is one thing, but there is no need for someone to rescue the rescuer. You should call for the experts, and that means make a radio or phone call to get help on the way.
If you have an incident you have found, you most likely will have called for help from one of the several agencies that will be required to control and resolve a hazardous materials incident. You are part of that response team involved in resolving the incident. You have notified the proper agencies, protected the environment and the public. Hey, you might even get the call to recover the vehicle, and that puts money in the bank!
It also will allow you to feel good about your job.
