Module 1: Regulations - International Association of Fire Fighters

Student Text IAFF Training for Hazardous Materials: Technician©
You will need:
Application Exercise
• An assortment of drums, boxes, glass bottles, wooden crates, or other types of containers
that could be used for hazardous materials
• DOT placards/labels or NFPA or HMIS markings (preferably for some incompatible
chemicals)
• MSDSs for one or two of the “chemicals” in the containers
• One or two completed shipping papers to accompany some or all of the containers (some
may be incorrectly or incompletely filled out)
• North American Emergency Response Guidebooks
• Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101)—optional
Preparation
This exercise is intended to help students become more familiar with recognizing hazardous
materials in storage and transportation situations. Stage an “incident” (set up on a road or in a
fixed location) and position the containers around the scene. Open some of them to simulate a
breach.
Briefly describe the “incident” and assign groups of students to fill the roles of the first-in engine
company, the hazardous materials team, and the incident commander. Initially, give the students
only the information they would be told by the dispatcher. As the incident progresses, provide
the students with the additional information they might find at an actual scene, such as the
shipping papers or MSDSs.
As the students work through the exercise ask the following questions, focusing on regulations
that would apply to this incident. Include additional questions appropriate to your jurisdiction.
1. What initial actions would you take? (first-in company)
2. What personal protective equipment would you wear? (first-in company)
3. What resources would you call for? (incident commander)
4. What initial actions would you take? (hazardous materials team)
5. What personal protective equipment would you wear? (hazardous materials team)
6. What follow-up/mitigating actions would you take? (both teams)
7. Which agency’s regulations apply to this scene?
8. Which specific regulations apply to this scene?
9. What are the types of hazards? (e.g. safety, chemical, physical, health)
Module 1: Regulations 1-99