Air Monitoring It’s Not Just For Hazardous Materials Anymore

1. Air MonitoringIt’s Not Just For Hazardous Materials Anymore Captain Mark J. Schmitt, EFO Greensboro Fire Department

2. Please Leave The Following at The Door • I don’t do HazMat. • I’m not smart enough to use a monitor. • Only the HazMat Team can do air monitoring. • Monitors are too complicated for me to use. • Structure fires are not hazmat incidents so we don’t need air monitoring.

3. Could They Be The Same? Hazardous Materials Incident Structural Fire Attack

4. Common Products of Combustion • Acetaldehyde • Acrolein • Benzaldehyde • Benzene • Carbon Dioxide • Carbon Monoxide • Formaldehyde • Glutaraldehyde • Hydrogen Chloride • Hydrogen Cyanide • Isovaleraldehyde • Nitrogen Dioxide • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) • Sulfur Dioxide

5. Why Air Monitoring? • Protects responders against unidentified risks • Minimizes risks while saving lives and property • Properly defines when SCBA must be donned or can be doffed • Much more effective than your nose • Determines if an area is safe to enter • Determines if an area is safe to remain in

6. Why Air Monitoring? Employees engaged in emergency response and exposed to substances presenting an inhalation hazard or potential inhalation hazard shall wear positive pressure SCBA while engaged in emergency response until such time as the Incident Commander determines through the use of air monitoring that a decreased level of respiratory protection will not result in hazardous exposures to employees.

7. If You Can Use These…

8. You Can Use These…

9. When Is Air Monitoring Necessary? • Natural Disasters • Brewing Industry • Hospitals • Universities • Laboratories • Confined Spaces • Carbon Monoxide Alarms • Steel Industry • Semiconductor Industry • Food Processing • Confined Spaces • Structure Fires • Trench Rescues • Suspicious Fires • Chemical Suicides

10. What Do We Monitor For? • Flammability • Oxygen • Carbon Monoxide • Hydrogen Sulfide • Hydrogen Cyanide • Corrosiveness (pH) • Radiation

11. Flammable Atmosphere Monitoring • Monitor to determine the risk of fire or explosion • Remember that readings are expressed as a percentage of the LEL • Don’t forget about correction factors • Any readings of flammable materials indicate high levels of potentially toxic materials • Oxygen concentrations must be at least 10%-16% to give accurate readings

12. Flammability Action Levels • LEL < 10% - Monitor wearing SCBA • 10% < LEL < 25% - Continue investigation with extreme caution • LEL > 25% - Potential fire/explosion hazard, withdraw from area immediately

13. Oxygen Monitoring • Existence of an oxygen deficient or oxygen enriched atmosphere • Type of respirator needed • Increase flammability risk • Sufficient oxygen for proper operation of flammability sensors • Presence of toxic contaminants • Something else MUST lower oxygen concentration

14. Oxygen Action Levels • Oxygen Deficient < 19.5% (Must use SCBA) • Oxygen Enriched >23.5% (Explosion Hazard) • Fluctuation is an indication that another hazard exists • Decrease indicates that another gas is present

15. Carbon Monoxide Monitoring • When a CO sensor fails, it reads “0” • Never use vehicle exhaust to test sensor • IDLH = 1200 ppm • Low CO levels present a false sense of security • REL = 35 ppm • Action level is 35 ppm

16. Carbon Monoxide Monitoring • Do not enter without SCBA • Keep house closed up for accurate readings • Evacuate structure

17. Hydrogen Cyanide Monitoring • Exposure symptoms mimic CO and heat • Exposure may present as a heart attack • Lack of treatment and testing • Lack of training • Lack of statistical data

18. Hydrogen Cyanide Monitoring • IDLH = 50 ppm • REL = 4.7 ppm • > 270 ppm = death in 6-8 minutes • >135 ppm = death in 30 minutes • HCN action level is 4 ppm

19. HCN & CO Monitoring HCN Symptoms CO Symptoms Headache Nausea / Vomiting Dizziness / Confusion Irritability Vomiting Chest Pain Shortness of Breath • Weakness • Headache • Confusion • Fatigue • Anxiety • Difficulty Breathing • Nausea / Vomiting

20. pH Paper (Corrosiveness) • Can be used for liquids or gases • Turns red with acidic substances (pH<7) • Turns blue with caustic substances (pH>7) • Can be attached to other instruments or PPE • pH scale is logarithmic

21. Radiation Monitoring • Explosions • Potential WMD Events • Known Radiation Hazards • Incidents involving vehicles with unknown contents

22. Radiation Monitoring • 1 mR/hr – Recommended exposure limit for normal activities • 5000 mR – All Activities • 10000 mR – Protecting Major Property • 25000 mR – Lifesaving or Protection of Large Populations • >25000 mR – Volunteer Basis ONLY

23. Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring • 200 ppm = Rapid Onset of Effects, Possible Death in 4-8 Hours • 300 ppm = Unconsciousness and Respiratory Failure in 5-60 Minutes • >500 ppm = Rapid Onset of Severe Toxicity, Respiratory Paralysis and Death • >700 ppm = May be Immediately Fatal After one or More Breaths • IDLH = 100 ppm

24. What You Need To Know About Your Meter • Response & Recovery Times • Correction Factors • Sensor Poisons

25. Air Monitoring TechniquesStructure Fires • Measure high, middle and low • Give monitor time to respond • Monitor rooms using a “Z” pattern • Monitor continuously throughout the incident • Check low lying areas and attics • Front Door • Fire Room • Full PPE & SCBA

26. Air Monitoring Techniques Structure Fires • Room farthest from the fire • Outside the structure • Staging Area • Pump Panel / Turntable • Command Post • Before / After Ventilation • After knockdown • EVERY FIRE!!!

27. Air Monitoring TechniquesTrench & Confined Space Rescue • Have a meter on at least one entry person • Monitor before, during and after rescue • Record all meter readings • Have one person designated for monitoring at entry point • Allow 1 second per foot of depth • Monitor for O2, CO, LEL & H2S

28. Air Monitoring TechniquesSick Buildings • Building • Furnishings • Occupants • Processes • Outside Factors • Neighboring Facilities • Friday 1500

29. Air Monitoring TechniquesSick Buildings • Start at the fresh air intake / return air duct • Check HVAC system filters • Chillers • Ask about new carpets, tiles, wall coverings or furniture • Storage areas • Recently cleaned areas • Location of most affected people

30. Air Monitoring TechniquesSick Buildings • Freon in summer / CO in winter • PID is most useful • Nothing found • Did not have proper detection device • Not enough material in air • Building was ventilated prior to arrival

31. General Operating Guidelines • When to monitor • Who is responsible for monitoring • When to calibrate • Who is responsible for calibration • Documentation of results • Operational Checks • Selection of calibration gas • Training and practice

32. Calibration Methods • Bump Test • Field Verification • Field Calibration • Factory Calibration

33. Things To Remember • A reading of “0” on a meter simply means “no instrument response”. It does not necessarily mean the atmosphere is “contaminant free” • Never perform a fresh air zero in the presence of contaminants • Never zero the monitor before the sensors have fully warmed up • Calibration MUST be documented

34. Things To Remember • Ensure that all personnel are trained in the operation of meter • Identify a person or persons responsible for calibration, care and maintenance • Age, usage and exposure to high concentrations can all affect sensors • Meters provide numbers not actions • Meters do not detect mists or dusts

35. Things To Remember • DO NOT recharge non-rechargeable batteries • Keep extra batteries on hand • No one meter detects everything • Low humidity and wide temperature variations can affect sensor performance

36. Purchasing Considerations • Reliability • Portability • Easily Maintained • Calibration Gas Location • Accuracy • Durability • User Friendly • Intrinsic Safety • Ease of Operation • Vendor Relationship • Easy to Read & Interpret • Quick Response • Cost • Battery Life

37. Purchasing Considerations • Type of Charger • Sensors Included • Battery Power • Sensor Replacement • Calibration Frequency • Alarm Type / Types • Training • Additional Equipment • Service Intervals • Materials Encountered • Cross Sensitivities • Data Logging • Decontamination

38. Photoionization Detectors (PID’s) • Detect gases that four gas meters miss • Can detect hundreds of chemicals • Detects concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm • Fast response • May be a stand alone unit or grouped with other sensors • Sick building responses

39. PID Readings • <100 – Toxic, probably combustible • <400 – Toxic, probably flammable • >400 – Toxic and flammable

40. PID Limitations • Do not measure radiation, carbon dioxide, air, acids, freon or natural gas • Dust and humidity affect the UV lamp • Correction Factors must be considered • Radio frequencies may cause interference with instrument readings • The monitor can’t identify chemicals • Must know IP of meter and chemicals • Cannot separate mixtures

41. Tubes • Advantages • Fast • Low Tech • Low Cost • Disadvantages • Higher Inaccuracies • No Automatic Alarm • Hand Operated • Shelf Life • Not Continuous

42. Single Gas Monitors • Advantages • Easy to read • Easy to use • Small • Inexpensive • Disadvantages • Only measure one gas • No other hazards • Must be used with other meters

43. Four Gas Monitors • Advantages • Easy to read • Easy to use • Small • Sensor package can be customized • May be grouped with a PID • Disadvantages • Only measure four gases • Will not detect radiation • More expensive

44. SpilFyter Chemical Classifier Strips • pH Paper • Oxidizer Paper • Iodine • Chlorine • Fluorine • Petroleum Distillates

45. Questions?Comments?

46. Everybody Goes Home! Captain Mark J. Schmitt Greensboro Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team 336-279-1421 mark.schmitt@greensboro-nc.gov