Emergency Response

CHLOREP Informational Bulletin: 2012 DOT/TC Emergency Response Guidebook

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transport Canada (TC) publish the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), which provides valuable information to first responders during the initial phase of a dangerous goods/hazardous materials transportation incident. A new edition of this guidebook is published every four years, the most recent edition being published in 2012. There are some changes to the […]

A “vent and burn” operation on I-10 in LA

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME for this one – the sounds are as telling as the sights! For those who may not be familar with a “vent and burn” scenario, here are the guidelines from the Frederal Railroad Administration. This product-removal method involves the placement of explosive charges to cut a hole (or holes) in a

Emergency Response Equipment Maintenance

Let’s start with a quick quiz to test our knowledge of the manufacturer’s expectations of their equipment. 1) What are the three (3) different types of inspections that an Emergency SCBA must under go? Bonus Question related to #1:  Name the inspection/testing frequency for an SCBA cylinder that is composite fiber wrapped? 2) What test

The relationships between Vapor Pressure (Vp), Boiling Point (BP), and Vapor Density (VD)

Approximately 90 percent of hazardous materials (hazmat) injuries are due to inhalation. In general, although some solids are highly hazardous (upon physical contact with the skin or if ingested into the body), gases and liquids with high vapor pressures pose the most significant risks to responders. These chemicals are more hazardous because they can become

Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Remaining Service-Life Indicator Performance Requirements

HHS proposes a revision to the current requirement for open-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus (OC-SCBA) remaining service-life indicators (indicators), which are devices built into a respirator to alert the user that the breathing air provided by the respirator is close to depletion. HHS intends to revise the current standard to allow greater latitude in the setting of

Threshold Planning Quantities for EHS revised

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is taking final action to revise the manner for applying the threshold planning quantities (TPQs) for those extremely hazardous substances (EHSs) that are non-reactive solid chemicals in solution. This revision allows facilities subject to the Emergency Planning requirements that have a non-reactive solid EHS in solution,

Vapor Pressures and Respiratory Protection Selection

The NIOSH Respirator Selection Logic (RSL) relies entirely on whether the airborne concentration of a contaminant exceeds a defined exposure limit (such as the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit [REL] or OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit [PEL]), regardless of what the chemical’s vapor pressure is. However, vapor pressure plays a decisive role in selecting a respirator, particularly

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