Operational Level Lesson 5 Presentation

1. Operational Level Lesson 5 Presentation Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 3rd Ed.

2. Types of PPE Usedat Haz Mat Incidents • Structural fire-fighting protective clothing • High-temperature protective clothing • Chemical-protective clothing • Liquid-splash protective clothing • Vapor-protective clothing Operational Level

3. Hazards Encountered Due to Skin Contact with Hazardous Materials • Chemical burns • Allergic reactions • Rashes • Absorption of toxic materials into the body Operational Level

4. Structural Fire-FightingProtective Clothing • Gives a person protection from heat, moisture, and the ordinary hazards associated with structural fire fighting • Includes a helmet, coat, pants, boots, gloves, a personal alert safety system (PASS) device, and a hood to cover parts of the head not protected by the helmet and facepiece (1 of 3) Operational Level

5. Structural Fire-FightingProtective Clothing • Provides limited protection against hazardous materials, but may be used at haz mat incidents when the following conditions are met: • Contact with splashes of extremely hazardous materials is unlikely • Total atmospheric concentrations do not contain high levels of chemicals that are toxic by way of skin contact • There is a chance of fire or there is a fire, and this type of protection is appropriate (2 of 3) Operational Level

6. Structural Fire-FightingProtective Clothing • Advantage • Multiple layers of coat and pants may provide short-term exposure protection • Limitations • Is neither corrosive-resistant nor vapor-tight • Gaps occur at the neck, wrists, waist, and the point where the pants and boots overlap • Chemicals absorbed into the equipment can subject the wearer to repeated exposure or to a later reaction with another chemical (3 of 3) Operational Level

7. High-TemperatureProtective Clothing • Protects the wearer from short-term high-temperature exposures in situations where heat levels exceed the capabilities of standard fire-fighting protective clothing • Types • Proximity suits • Fire-entry suits (1 of 4) Operational Level

8. High-TemperatureProtective Clothing • Proximity suit advantages • Permits close approach to fires for rescue, fire-suppression, and property-conservation activities such as in aircraft rescue and fire fighting or other fire-fighting operations involving flammable liquids • Provides greater heat protection than standard fire-fighting protective clothing (2 of 4) Operational Level

9. High-TemperatureProtective Clothing • Fire-entry suit advantages • Allows a person to work in total flame environments for short periods of time • Provides short-duration and close-proximity protection at radiant heat temperatures as high as 2,000ºF (1 093ºC) (3 of 4) Operational Level

10. High-TemperatureProtective Clothing • Limitations • Contributes to heat stress by not allowing the body to release excess heat • Is bulky • Limits wearer’s vision • Limits wearer’s mobility • Limits communication • Requires frequent and extensive training for efficient and safe use (4 of 4) Operational Level

11. Chemical-Protective Clothing (CPC) • Shields or isolates individuals from the chemical, physical, and biological hazards that may be encountered during hazardous materials operations • Is made from a variety of different materials, each of which provides protection against certain chemicals or products, but only limited or no protection against others • May be encapsulating (covering responder including respiratory equipment completely) or nonencapsulating (1 of 2) Operational Level

12. Chemical-Protective Clothing (CPC) • Advantage • Affords the wearer a known degree of protection from a known type, a known concentration, and a known length of exposure to a hazardous material • Limitation • Improperly worn equipment can expose and endanger the wearer (2 of 2) Operational Level

13. Liquid-SplashProtective Clothing • Protects users from chemical liquid splashes but not against chemical vapors or gases • Types • Encapsulating • Nonencapsulating (1 of 3) Operational Level

14. Liquid-SplashProtective Clothing • Encapsulating suit • A single, one-piece unit that protects against splashes • Boots and gloves are sometimes separate, or attached and replaceable • Limitations • Impairs worker mobility, vision, and communication • Traps body heat, necessitating a cooling vest, particularly when self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is also worn (2 of 3) Operational Level

15. Liquid-SplashProtective Clothing • Nonencapsulating suit • A one-piece coverall or individual pieces such as a jacket, hood, pants, or bib overalls • Limitations • Protects against splashes and dusts but not against gases and vapors • Does not provide full body coverage; parts of head and neck are often exposed • Traps body heat, so may contribute to heat stress (3 of 3) Operational Level

16. Vapor-Protective Clothing • Protects the wearer against chemical vapors or gases • Must be worn with positive-pressure SCBA or combination SCBA/supplied-air breathing apparatus • Limitations • Does not protect the user against all chemical hazards • Impairs mobility, vision, and communication • Does not allow body heat to escape, so can contribute to heat stress, which may require the use of a cooling vest Operational Level

17. Choosing and Using Chemical-Protective Clothing (CPC) • CPC can be reduced by three actions, all of which should be considered when choosing and using protective ensembles • Permeation • Chemical degradation • Penetration • Service life • Reusable (multiuse) • Limited use • Disposable (one-time use) Operational Level

18. Permeation • Occurs when a chemical passes through the CPC fabric on a molecular level • The rate at which a compound permeates CPC depends on various factors; most manufacturers provide charts on the breakthrough time for a wide range of chemical compounds • Permeation data will include the permeation rate, or the speed at which the chemical moves through the CPC material after it breaks through (1 of 2) Operational Level

19. Permeation (2 of 2) Operational Level

20. Chemical Degradation • Occurs when the characteristics of a material in use are altered through contact with chemical substances (cracking, brittleness, and other changes in the structural characteristics) • The most common observations are discoloration, swelling, loss of physical strength, or deterioration Operational Level

21. Penetration • Occurs when there is an opening or a puncture in the protective material • Examples: Rips, tears, and cuts in protective materials; unsealed seams, buttonholes, and zippers Operational Level

22. Types of Respiratory Protection • Atmosphere-supplying respirators • Closed-circuit SCBA • Open-circuit SCBA • Supplied-air respirators (SARs) • Air-purifying respirators (APRs) • Particulate removing • Vapor and gas removing • Combination particulate and vapor-and-gas removing Operational Level

23. Positive Pressure SCBA • Advantages • Independence • Maneuverability • Limitations • Heavy weight of the units • Limited air supply duration • Change in profile that may hinder mobility because of the configuration of the harness assembly and the location of the air cylinder • Limited vision caused by facepiece fogging • Limited communications if the facepiece is not equipped with a microphone or speaking diaphragm Operational Level

24. Supplied-Air Respirators • Advantage • Reduces physical stress to the wearer by removing the weight of the SCBA • Limitations • Restricted mobility • Restricted vision • Restricted communications Operational Level

25. Air-Purifying Respirators • Limitations • The limited life of filters and canisters • The need for constant monitoring of the contaminated atmosphere • The need for a normal oxygen content of the atmosphere before use Operational Level

26. Open-Circuit SCBA Operational Level

27. Limitations of Protective Breathing Equipment • Wearer limitations • Equipment limitations • Air-supply limitations Operational Level

28. Wearer Limitations • Physical condition — The wearer must be in good physical condition in order to maximize the work that can be performed and to stretch the air supply as far as possible • Agility — Wearing a protective breathing apparatus with an air cylinder or backpack restricts wearers’ movements and affects their balance (1 of 4) Operational Level

29. Wearer Limitations • Facial features — The shape and contour of the face affect the wearer’s ability to get a good facepiece-to-face seal • Neurological functioning — Good motor coordination is necessary for operating effectively in protective breathing equipment • Mental soundness — First responders must be of sound mind to handle emergency situations that may arise (2 of 4) Operational Level

30. Wearer Limitations • Muscular/skeletal condition — First responders must have the physical strength and size required to perform necessary tasks while wearing the protective equipment • Cardiovascular conditioning — Poor cardiovascular conditioning can result in heart attacks, strokes, or other related problems during strenuous activity • Respiratory functioning — Proper respiratory functioning maximizes the wearer’s operations time while wearing respiratory protection (3 of 4) Operational Level

31. Wearer Limitations • Training in equipment use — First responders must be knowledgeable in every aspect of protective breathing apparatus use. • Self-confidence — First responders’ belief in their abilities has an extremely positive overall effect on the actions that are performed. • Emotional stability — The ability to maintain control in an excited or high-stress environment reduces the chances of making a serious mistake. (4 of 4) Operational Level

32. Equipment Limitations • Limited visibility — A facepiece reduces peripheral vision, and facepiece fogging can reduce overall vision • Decreased ability to communicate — A facepiece hinders voice communication • Increased weight — Depending on the model, the protective breathing equipment can add 25 to 35 pounds (11 kg to 16 kg) of weight to the emergency responder (1 of 2) Operational Level

33. Equipment Limitations • Decreased mobility — The increase in weight and the splinting effect of the harness straps reduce the wearer’s mobility • Inadequate oxygen levels — Air-purifying respirators cannot be worn in immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) or oxygen-deficient atmospheres • Chemical specific — Air-purifying respirators can only be used to protect against certain chemicals (2 of 2) Operational Level

34. Air-Supply Limitations • Physical condition of user — if the wearer is in poor physical condition, the air supply is depleted faster. • Degree of physical exertion — The harder that wearers exert themselves, the faster the air supply is depleted. • Emotional stability — Persons who become excited increase their respirations and use air faster. (1 of 2) Operational Level

35. Air-Supply Limitations • Condition of equipment — Minor leaks and poor adjustment of regulators can result in excessive air loss. • Cylinder pressure before use — If the cylinder is not filled to capacity, the amount of working time is reduced proportionately. • Training and experience — Poorly trained and inexperienced personnel use air at a fast rate. (2 of 2) Operational Level

36. Components of theChemical-Protective Ensemble • Protective clothing (suits, coveralls, hoods, gloves, and boots) • Respiratory equipment • Cooling system • Communications device • Head protection • Eye protection • Ear protection • Inner garment • Outer protection (overgloves, overboots, and flashcover) Operational Level

37. EPA Levels of Protection • Note: The following information is taken from the OSHA requirements for EPA levels of protective equipment. The NFPA requirements (listed in Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 3rd ed.) may differ slightly. Operational Level

38. EPA Level A Ensemble • Components • Vapor protective suit • Pressure-demand, full-face SCBA • Inner chemical-resistant gloves • Chemical-resistant safety boots • Two-way radio communication • Cooling system (optional) • Outer gloves (optional) • Hard hat (optional) (1 of 3) Operational Level

39. EPA Level A Ensemble • Protection provided — Highest available level of respiratory, skin, and eye protection from solid, liquid, and gaseous chemicals • Used in the following situations: • The chemical(s) have been identified and have high level of hazards to respiratory system, skin, and eyes • Substances are present with known or suspected skin toxicity or carcinogenity • Operations must be conducted in confined or poorly ventilated areas (2 of 3) Operational Level

40. EPA Level A Ensemble • Limitations • Protective clothing must resist permeation by the chemical or mixtures present • Ensemble items must allow integration without loss of performance (3 of 3) Operational Level

41. EPA Level B Ensemble • Components • Liquid splash-protective suit • Pressure-demand, full-facepiece SCBA • Inner chemical-resistant gloves • Chemical-resistant safety boots • Two-way radio communications • Hard hat • Cooling system (optional) • Outer gloves (optional) (1 of 3) Operational Level

42. EPA Level B Ensemble • Protection provided — Provides same level of respiratory protection as Level A, but less skin protection; provides liquid splash protection, but no protection against chemical vapors or gases. • Limitations • Protective clothing items must resist penetration by the chemicals or mixtures present • Ensemble items must allow integration without loss of performance (2 of 3) Operational Level

43. EPA Level B Ensemble • Used in the following situations: • The chemical(s) have been identified but do not require a high level of skin protection • Initial site surveys are required until higher levels of hazards are identified • The primary hazards associated with site entry are from liquid and not vapor contact (3 of 3) Operational Level

44. EPA Level C Ensemble • Components • Support Function Protective Garment • Full-facepiece, air-purifying, canister-equipped respirator • Chemical-resistant gloves and safety boots • Two-way communications system • Hard hat • Faceshield (optional) • Escape SCBA (optional) (1 of 3) Operational Level

45. EPA Level C Ensemble • Protection provided — The same level of skin protection as Level B, but a lower level of respiratory protection; provides liquid splash protection but no protection from chemical vapors or gases • Limitations • Protective clothing items must resist penetration by the chemical or mixtures present • Chemical airborne concentration must be less than IDLH levels • The atmosphere must contain at least 19.5% oxygen (2 of 3) Operational Level

46. EPA Level C Ensemble • Used in the following situations: • Contact with site chemical(s) will not affect the skin • Air contaminants have been identified and concentrations measured • A canister is available which can remove the contaminant • The site and its hazards have been completely characterized (3 of 3) Operational Level

47. EPA Level D Ensemble • Components • Coveralls • Safety boots/shoes • Safety glasses or chemical splash goggles • Gloves (optional) • Escape SCBA (optional) • Faceshield (optional) • Protection provided — No respiratory protection; minimal skin protection (1 of 2) Operational Level

48. EPA Level D Ensemble • Used in the following situations: • The atmosphere contains no known hazard • Work functions preclude splashes, immersion, potential for inhalation, or direct contact with hazard chemicals • Limitations • This level should not be worn in the Hot Zone • The atmosphere must contain at least 19.5% oxygen (2 of 2) Operational Level

49. Types of Chemical-Protective Clothing Inspections • Inspection and operational testing of equipment received new from the factory of distributor • Inspection of equipment when it is selected for a particular chemical operation • Inspection of equipment after use or training and before maintenance • Periodic inspection of stored equipment • Periodic inspection when a question arises concerning the appropriateness of selected equipment or when problems with similar equipment are discovered Operational Level

50. Information to be Recordedat Each Clothing Inspection • Clothing/equipment item identification number • Date of the inspection • Person making the inspection • Results of the inspection • Any unusual conditions noted Operational Level