Emergency Response to Terrorism TC: Hazardous Materials

1. Emergency Response to Terrorism TC: Hazardous Materials Unit 5: Protection

2. Terminal Objective Given an exercise, students will select appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) based on the chemical and physical properties of the agent.

3. Enabling Objectives The students will: • Identify the types and importance of respiratory protection relative to a terrorist event. • Identify the advantages and risks involved with using conventional PPE in a terrorist response.

4. Introduction Standard versus terrorism response • Different organizations may respond to same incident with different levels of protection • Get enough knowledge of incident and agent to select the appropriate level

5. Respiratory Considerations • Major route of exposure for chemical agents is respiratory. • Vapor pressures for many of the agents is low. • Terrorist incident may require unconventional protection methods.

6. Some or None? The Dilemma Given the choice in a terrorist incident which would you choose? • No respiratory protection • Air-purifying respirator

7. Categories of Respiratory Hazards Overview • Airborne contaminants or aerosols • Inhalation of gases or vapors • Oxygen-deficient atmosphere

8. Airborne/Aerosol Contaminants • Dusts • Mists • Fumes • Fiber • Irritating smoke

9. Inhalation of Gases • Gases • Can be expanded indefinitely • Mix easily with other gases • Occupy most containers completely and uniformly • Expand or contract with temperature and pressure • Vapors are similar, except are solids or liquids at room temperature and standard pressure

10. Oxygen-Deficient Atmospheres • O2 normally 20.9 percent of air. • Less than 19.5 percent is considered IDLH. • More than 23.5 percent is also considered IDLH.

11. Respiratory Protection Overview • Three types: • APR's Air-purifying respirators • SCBA Self-contained breathing apparatus • SAR's Supplied-air respirators

12. Air Purifying Respirators Overview • Filter out airborne contaminants through filtration, absorption, or chemical reaction. • Conditions may exclude use of APR's. • Components of APR's. • Advantages and limitations. • Types of filtering devices and color codes.

13. APR Filters Explained • Filter out airborne contaminants through filtration, absorption, or chemical reaction • Basis for military respiratory chemical protection • Filters include • Particulate, cartridge or canister, or combination

14. Conditions That May Exclude the Use of APR's • O2 deficiency • IDLH concentrations of specific chemicals • Entry into an unventilated or confined area where the exposure conditions have not been characterized • Presence or potential of unidentified agents

15. Conditions That May Exclude the Use of APR's (cont'd) • Contaminant concentrations unknown or exceed designated maximum use concentration(s) • Identified gases or vapors that have inadequate warning properties, when absorbent’s service life is not known and unit has no ESLI • High relative humidity

16. APR Components • Full or partial facepiece • Filter--absorbent cartridges • Exhalation valve

17. APR Advantages • Lightweight • Inexpensive • Disposable • Useful for support operations

18. APR Limitations • Become saturated • Don’t supply O2 • Must have at least 19.5 percent O2 to use • Can’t be used with chemicals with poor warning properties and in IDLH atmospheres

19. APR: Three Types of Filtering Devices • Particulate filters • Cartridges or canisters containing absorbents for specific gases and vapors • Combination devices

20. APR: Color Coding for Cartridges

21. APR: Color Coding for Cartridges (cont'd)

22. APR • Most have expiration date. • Appropriate device should only be used if chemicals have “adequate warning properties” (are detectable by the senses at levels < REL).

23. SCBA • Maximum protection against most types and levels of airborne contaminants • Two types • Open circuit • Closed circuit

24. Supplied-Air Respirator (SAR) • Supply air, never oxygen, to a facepiece via a supply line from a stationary source • Available in positive and negative pressure modes • Enable longer work periods than the SCBA's and are less bulky

25. Conventional andMilitary PPE Overview • Levels of protection • Level A • Level B • Level C • Level D • Military PPE

26. Conventional PPE--Level A • Highest level of chemical protection • SCBA or SAR • Fully encapsulated suit • Double layer of gloves • Chemical-resistant boots • Airtight seals • Hard hat and communications

27. Conventional PPE--Level B • Minimum protection for unknown • Splash protection • SCBA • Chemical-resistant suit in various styles • Double layer of gloves • Chemical-resistant boots • Hard hat and communications

28. Conventional PPE--Level C • Designed for known agents and when proper respiratory protection is available • Full-face APR • Chemical-resistant garment in various styles • Chemical-resistant gloves • Chemical-resistant boots

29. Conventional PPE--Level D • Common work clothes • Provides no respiratory or skin protection • Insufficient for hazardous environments

30. Military PPE • Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) • Overgarment • Mask • Hood • Overboots • Gloves

31. Military PPE (cont'd) • Other issued equipment (as needed) • Individual decon kits (M256 kit) • M-8 paper • Antidotes

32. Protective Ensemble • Varies among foreign military groups • Depends on protection required • Usually falls into two types • Impermeable • Permeable

33. Protective Ensemble (cont'd) • Impermeable • Butyl rubber • EOD • Decon • Permeable • Most common • Apron--Toxicological Added Protection--(TAP)

34. Battle Dress Overgarment (BDO) • Two-piece overgarment • Outer layer of nylon/cotton • Inner layer of charcoal-impregnated polyurethane foam • Overboots and gloves • Older-style PPE

35. BDO Protection Capabilities • Military warfare chemical agent vapor • Liquid droplets • Biological agents • Toxins • Radioactives: alpha, beta

36. BDO Protection Capabilities (cont'd) • Protects for 24 hours after exposure • Not designed to be decontaminated for reuse

37. Chemical Protective Overgarments (CPOG's) • Commonly called Saratoga design • Two-piece ensemble • Outer layer of nylon • Inner layer of charcoal-impregnated polyurethane foam • Gloves and overboots

38. CPOG Protection Capabilities • Military warfare chemical agent vapor • Liquid droplets • Biological agents • Toxins • Radioactives: alpha, beta

39. MOPP Levels of Protection • MOPP 0--carrying equipment • MOPP 1--wearing overgarment • MOPP 2--overgarment and overboots • MOPP 3--overgarment, overboots, mask (M40A1 field protective mask) • MOPP 4--overgarment, overboots, mask, gloves

40. CPC Selection Criteria • Have you identified the agent involved and determined its physical, chemical and toxic properties? • Does the product have a high vapor pressure? • At expected concentration, is there a skin hazard?

41. CPC Selection Criteria (cont'd) • Select the material that provides least permeation and degradation • Determine whether fully encapsulated is required based on: • Signs and symptoms • Risk-based response--science, not fear • Chemical and physical properties • Detection and monitoring

42. Cues for Encapsulating • Visible emission of gases, vapors, dust, or smoke • Indications of airborne hazards on direct-read instruments • Configurations of containers or vehicles that indicate they contain pressurized liquids or gases

43. Cues for Encapsulating(cont'd) • Enclosed, poorly ventilated areas where toxic vapors, gases, and other airborne substances could accumulate • Work functions required that might expose workers to high concentrations of skin toxins • Use judgment as to whether maximum protection is necessary

44. Heat Stress • Nonencapsulating clothing generally causes less heat stress • However, less area of the body is exposed by wearing gloves and hoods, and taping hoods • Little difference in the heat buildup that occurs with either style

45. Agent-Specific PPE • Biological agents • Enter through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, and breaks in the skin. • HEPA filter accompanied by Level C clothing provides adequate protection against all biological threats.

46. Agent-Specific PPE (cont'd) • Radiological agents • Enter through respiratory tract, digestive tract, breaks in skin, or through the skin. • HEPA filter accompanied by Level C clothing provides adequate protection against alpha and beta radiation exposure hazards.

47. Agent-Specific PPE(cont'd) • Nerve agents • Respiratory and dermal hazard • Blister agents • Respiratory and dermal hazard

48. Agent-Specific PPE (cont'd) • Choking agents • Mainly respiratory hazard • Protection level can be lowered when levels are below IDLH • APR can be used if proven against specific agent involved

49. Agent-Specific PPE (cont'd) • Blood agents • Enter through respiratory tract and mucous membranes • Cyanides may present a skin hazard • APR can be used if known to be effective against specific agents

50. Summary • Determining the right level of PPE will resolve many issues. • Fit level of protection to agent(s) present. • Know strengths and weaknesses of types of respiratory protection and CPC. • Know which CPC is best to address a particular agent.