This post is provided by Jason Dirkham

Most messes and spills are a drag to clean up. However, they take on a new level of danger when they involve hazardous materials or hazmat for short. If not handled properly, hazmat can create a host of health problems for the unlucky victim. They can also indirectly harm others beyond the incident if the hazmat responders mishandle the situation. This risk is why it is imperative to treat toxic messes and spills with the utmost caution and care.

Today we’re going to dive into the anatomy of hazmat incidents. Most people have a vague idea of what a hazmat incident looks like, so it’s essential to provide them with information that could potentially save their lives one day. There’s a good deal of information to take in, so we’ll start with the basics. On that note, let’s dig into the four W’s of hazmat: Who, What, Where, and When. This information will provide the foundation of knowledge you’ll need to learn about how you can handle an initial response to a hazmat incident.

Who

You have to undergo extensive training and certification to become a hazmat specialist. Most specialists are firefighters, but not all firefighters are qualified to respond to hazmat incidents. There are also private hazmat cleanup companies that respond to hazmat incidents. Some corporations even have their hazmat department in case of chemical accidents.

What

When it comes to hazmat incidents, you’d better have your PPE ready. PPE, or personal protection equipment, is protective equipment designed to limit people’s exposure to toxic chemicals or other harmful materials in the event of an accident. PPE can range from basic eye goggles to full-on bodysuits. Of course, the PPE you’ll wear depends on the severity of the situation, so it doesn’t hurt to have a variety of PPE on hand. For safety purposes, used PPE is always burned after handling a hazmat accident. This step prevents the spread of toxic waste that could harm others. There is a particular way to manage used PPE, though; usually, it is bagged and then burned. The same goes for any residual chemicals or waste from the accident. They must be contained and then disposed of properly. If any water was contaminated during the accident, it must be treated with select chemicals.

Where

Did you know there are three special zones you should create in the event of a hazmat incident? First, there’s the “hot zone”, also known as the “exclusion zone”. Communicate to others in the area the parameters of this zone and stay away from it! Marking this zone will lower your risk of coming into contact with any harmful materials. The second zone is called the “warm zone”. This zone is where hazmat specialists will assemble their equipment for decontamination. Think of the warm zone as a buffer between the contaminated and uncontaminated areas. It is imperative to keep all contaminated PPE and hazmat equipment out of this warm zone, as it will ultimately defeat the purpose of having this buffer zone. The last zone is called the “cold zone”, and is most likely the zone from where you’ll be helping the hazmat specialists. Move yourself and all others nearby to the cold zone for their safety. Only hazmat specialists should enter the warm and hot zones, as they’ll be safely equipped to do so.

When

Responding to the situation as quickly as possible is ideal, of course. However, it will require a thorough assessment of what’s in front of you and subsequent action. This step may be the most stressful part for you, as you will likely have to manage the initial reaction and response before the hazmat specialists arrive. No matter how much the situation might rattle you, it’s essential to keep both your and others’ safety your priority. Move people away from the hot zone as soon as possible, communicate the severity of the situation to them, call the hazmat specialists, and wait for further direction from them. As difficult as this all may be, try to maintain a calm approach and keep others quiet as well. Hazmat incidents aren’t for the faint of heart, so any intense emotions you may experience are perfectly understandable. Once the hazmat specialists arrive, try your best to explain the situation and sequence of events in as much detail as possible. This communication will help them assess the job more quickly and accurately. If you give the specialists any inaccurate information, they might implement an inappropriate plan and make the situation even worse.

In hazmat cleanup, there is a crucial period called ‘The Golden Hour’. This period is the hour in which a quick medical response could decide between life and death. Following this, the first hour after a radioactive accident requires prompt action and absolute adherence to safety standards, as it could determine whether the people involved live or die. For more extreme disasters, like nuclear accidents, this Golden Hour could be shrunk down to Golden Minutes. Decisive action is vital in these moments.

So what does this initial response look like?

First, recognize the incident. Identify the problem, the source of the problem, and the scale of the problem. Once you have secured these details, you can implement a plan of action. If the incident is severe, you may need to call a hazmat specialist to aid you.

Once you’ve done this, create a designated isolation zone. Communicate to others nearby that you must evacuate this area immediately to stay safe and away from the accident itself. Do not take any actions you are not prepared or equipped to handle–this will only exacerbate the issue.

Remind yourself at this point that you will not be able to fix the problem alone. Chances are you will need the help of highly-trained hazmat specialists to clean up the mess adequately. Moreover, keep in mind that time and resources are of the essence, so you will have to make some critical decisions rather quickly. Once you’ve decided what to do, act!

Did you know that the initial responder to a hazmat incident is called the Incident Commander? This Incident Commander is usually a hazmat specialist. However, you may be the Incident Commander until someone with more experience arrives. Don’t worry; just follow the suggestions above and do your best not to escalate the situation. Sometimes, that is as much as you can do without professional help.

We understand that this is a lot of information to absorb. Hopefully, you’ll never have to follow these steps in real life. If you do, though, there are companies out there who can assist you in your hazmat incident response. Chemtrec is a hazmat incident call center dedicated to helping those take action during the Golden Hour of a hazmat incident. Their call center representatives have decades of combined experience in handling hazmat incidents. Many of them are former firefighters, EMTs, first responders, hazmat specialists, and military explosive ordnance disposal technicians. Before taking on this role, though, all of Chemtrec’s call center representatives must undergo incident response training and further hazardous materials certification.

Chemtrec also has access to over six million Safety Data Sheets, which include extensive details of a range of hazmat incidents and how to handle them. They also have access to a global network of toxicological, chemical, and medical experts with whom they collaborate to help callers receive the help they need. Chemtrec also has interpreters for over 240 languages so that they can help people from all over the world. For more information on Chemtrec and their services, visit their website to get in contact with them.

This post is provided by Jason Dirkham