Emergency Responder Training Manual for the Hazardous Materials Technician

This basic yet comprehensive illustrated guide to responding safely to hazardous materials incidents is absolutely essential for remediation site workers, public HAZMAT responders, members of industrial HAZMAT teams, and many other workers who might in the course of a workday identify an unintentional release of a hazardous or toxic substance. Unlike other emergency handbooks which are basically modified firefighter manuals, this book is tailored specifically to the needs of the hazardous materials technician, and is site–specific to hazardous materials emergencies. You’ll find that it’s perfect for use in conjunction with hands–on exercises and simulated emergency responses, and fully complies with OSHA regulations for emergency responder training. Clear how–to photographs and descriptions of actual site situations enhance your understanding throughout. The authors are associated with the Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR), which has been involved in training workers in the rapidly changing field of occupational safety and health for over twenty years. You’ll benefit from their up–to–date knowledge of the broad aspects of occupational safety and health training, and the special expertise they’ve acquired in the areas of hazardous and toxic waste, cleanups, and emergency response. The manual fully familiarizes you with these and other issues:

• Federal occupational safety and health regulations, including the role and responsibilities of OSHA, and the provisions of the OSHA 1910.120 regulation for emergency responder training
• basics of the Incident Command System (ICS)
• hazard and risk assessment, including decisionmaking, entry and on–site survey, researching identified materials, and predicting dispersal
• personal protective equipment such as respirators, protective clothing, and safe use of PPE
• decontaminating personnel and equipment
• hazardous materials control: collection techniques, equipment and tools used in containment, and containment procedures

The human health effects of hazardous materials are fully explored, including issues of toxicity, the setting of safe human exposure limits, routes of entry into the body, symptoms, and medical monitoring. In addition, there’s the very latest information available on critical incident stresses. Mental stress at work is examined in terms of technological, social, and political change, and the newest stress management techniques are described including relaxation, exercise, structure, meditation and biofeedback. Also presented is a comprehensive health and fitness program for emergency responders. For industrial facility hazardous material team members and fire department personnel in government, manufacturing, chemical processing and other industries—and those responsible for training them—this is the most complete and current emergency response manual available.