Tech Chapter 9 - The HazMat Guys

What is a general guideline for donning protective clothing at a hazmat incident?

Personnel should be on air while assistants are helping them don PPE.
Assistants should conduct as much of the donning process as possible.
The entry team should be the priority, with the backup team donning gear directly after.
Mission briefings should be conducted once all personnel are in gear and ready for deployment to the hot zone.

When working in chemical protective clothing, responders:

may be more susceptible to airborne biological hazards.
are likely to go into shock after wearing ensembles for an extended period of time.
can generally sustain working for longer periods of time than in structural fire fighting clothing.
may suffer from claustrophobia or other psychological stress because of how confining the ensemble is.

When working in chemical protective clothing for any period of time, responders should:

avoid drinking too much water in order to prevent cramping.
avoid drinking ice cold beverages and consume solid food instead.
wear wool or acrylic undergarments that will help facilitate body temperature regulation.
drink generous amounts of fluids and use other cooling methods to limit the effects of heat exposure.

What should be included as part of the pre-entry inspection of responders working in chemical protective clothing?

Bump test
Pre-decontamination of all garments
Pressure tests of encapsulating garments
Operational checks of breathing apparatus and communications equipment

How should technicians react if they lose radio communications or are operating in an atmosphere where it is unsafe to communicate via radio?

Technicians should continue working regardless of whether primary communication methods fail.
Technicians should never operate in an environment where it is unsafe to use radios for communication.
Technicians should use hand signals or whatever backup communication system is part of the operational plan.
Technicians should treat a loss of radio communications as an immediate emergency and rapidly exit the work area.

Approximately one-third of the cylinder’s working time should be allotted for:

a safety buffer.
decontamination.
pre-entry checks.
actual time spent in the hot zone.

An SCBA cylinder’s service pressure and rating:

should be cut in half when using them to determine working times at hazmat incidents.
are not a true indication of the overall work time a technician can spend wearing the apparatus.
provide a true representation of work time in warmer environments, but not in low temperatures.
indicate the minimum amount of time a technician can be expected to work while wearing the apparatus.

What is a best practice for avoiding PPE contamination while operating at a hazmat incident?

Do not sit or kneel on the ground in CPC, if possible.
Do not take monitoring equipment into the hot zone.
Minimize the number of assistants used when doffing PPE ensembles.
Doff gear in the hot zone to avoid contaminating other responders in the warm and cold zones.

If a technician who is performing hazmat operations realizes that their chemical protective clothing has been compromised, the technician should:

treat the situation as an emergency and rapidly exit the hot zone.
call a MAYDAY so that all involved personnel will evacuate the hot zone.
remain in position and attempt to repair their own gear before continuing operations.
continue working until the operation is complete, then address garment deficiencies during decon.

What is a general guideline for donning PPE at a hazmat incident?

Use extra tape and ties to create an airtight seal in an encapsulating suit.
The entry team should don PPE first, followed directly by the backup team.
PPE should be donned in the cold zone as close to the entry point as possible.
To minimize exposure, as few people as possible should be allowed into the donning and doffing area.

For which type of incident should a technician select thermal protective clothing?

An incident involving CBRNE
An incident involving low-level explosives
An incident involving weaponized biological agents
An incident where there is a potential for flash fire and toxic threats do not require the use of CPC

Technicians undergoing decontamination while wearing chemical protective clothing must:

remain on air throughout the entire decon process.
be escorted and assisted by a minimum of two other responders.
have their vital signs taken before doffing the protective ensemble.
immediately remove all of their gear so that other responders do not become contaminated.

While PPE is being doffed at a hazmat incident, the:

breathing apparatus should be the first part of the ensemble removed.
assisting personnel should monitor entry team members for signs of heat stress.
personnel wearing the garments should do as much of their own doffing as possible.
entry team members should only touch the outside of their garments, never the inside.

After a chemical protective clothing ensemble has been doffed and decontamination has occurred, the garments should:

undergo secondary decontamination before being put into storage
be zipped or stored so that the inside and outside surfaces cannot touch.
undergo testing by the manufacturer before being placed back into service.
be zipped or stored inside out so that no contaminated surfaces are exposed.

Which statement accurately describes inspection procedures for chemical protective clothing?

All CPC garments must undergo extensive inspection and documentation on a weekly basis.
Since CPC garments are not designed to be reused, they only need to be inspected after purchase.
CPC garments must be inspected by a representative from the manufacturer in order to maintain their warranty.
Some AHJs require yearly inspections of CPC in addition to inspections and acceptance testing when the garments are purchased.

If a chemical protective clothing garment is going to be disposed of after an incident, it:

can safely be disposed of with general waste.
should undergo secondary decontamination before final disposal.
requires no further decontamination than what was performed at the incident.
must be properly packaged and returned to the original manufacturer for disposal.

Which type of test is performed on reusable chemical protective clothing in order to identify any leaks?

Bump test
Stretch test
Light bar test
Soap bubble test

What should an agency include as part of a PPE garment’s documented record?

Garment wearer's work history
Date the garment was placed in service
GPS coordinates of incidents where the garment was in use
Name of the person who assisted with donning the garment

Which way of storing chemical protective clothing would help ensure the integrity of the garment and also allow the next user to know that it has been maintained, tested, and inspected?

Storing the garments in a sealed container
Storing the garments in lockers that are only accessible to the assigned personnel
Storing the garments in open-air bins that are readily accessible to all department personnel
Storing the garments in specialty apparatus compartments that can be rapidly accessed by personnel

Repairs to chemical protective clothing:

render the garment unacceptable and unsafe for use.
must be done immediately before the responder doffs the garment.
should be recorded as part of the agency's PPE documentation record.
should be completed at the incident scene immediately after decontamination.

Which class of PPE ensemble is designed to protect responders in atmospheres with concentrations below IDLH and where there is a low chance of direct skin contact with vapors, liquid droplets, or aerosols?

Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4

Which type of respiratory protection would be appropriate for use in an IDLH atmosphere where responders need to be mobile and travel distances greater than 300 feet (90 m)?

Supplied air respirator
Powered air-purifying respirator
Self-contained breathing apparatus
Particulate-removing air-purifying respirator

Which type of respiratory protection should NOT be used in an IDLH atmosphere involving fire due to the possibility of damage to the airline from heat, fire, or debris?

Supplied air respirato
Air-purifying respirator
Powered air-purifying respirator
Self-contained breathing apparatus

Which type of respiratory protection uses a filter, canister, or cartridge to remove specific contaminants from the air, and therefore should only be worn in atmospheres with known hazards?

Supplied air respirator
Air-purifying respirator
Combined SAR/SCBA respirator
Self-contained breathing apparatus

What is a feature of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs)?

They can only be used in operations that last less than 15 minutes.
They can be more restrictive than other units because the blower must stay attached to a stationary unit.
They include a blower that creates an airflow, which makes the device more comfortable to wear for many users.
They use negative pressure to create a seal, resulting in a greater level of protection than air-purifying respirators (APRs).

When selecting PPE for a hazmat incident, responders should consider that structural fire fighting clothing:

may provide short-term exposure protection, but is not vapor-tight.
s rated for chemical exposures when paired with SCBA or an air-purifying respirator.
will provide a high enough level of protection for incidents involving chemical vapors.
is suitable for environments with elevated temperatures and high levels of chemical vapors in the atmosphere.

What is a limitation of high-temperature protective clothing?

They are only designed for one-time use.
They are not designed for close approach to fires.
They are not designed for use in IDLH atmospheres.
They are not designed to be worn while mitigating chemical spills.

Which type of PPE is designed to protect users from chemical liquid splashes but not against chemical vapors or gases?

Proximity suit
Fire entry suit
Structural fire fighting clothing
Liquid splash-protective clothing

What is a limitation of all varieties of chemical protective clothing?

Sizing is not inclusive for tall individuals.
They trap heat, which can contribute to heat stress or illness.
They are not suitable for operations in low-temperature environments.
They are more prone to punctures and tears than other types of protective clothing.

Class 1 hazmat PPE ensembles are designed to protect the wearer from:

low temperatures and limited chemical exposure.
high temperatures and direct flame impingement.
biological aerosols or radiological-contaminated particulates.
chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and biological agents.

Agencies that utilize chemical protective clothing must:

recertify personnel monthly for each type of PPE the agency uses
recertify personnel annually for each type of PPE the agency uses
provide copies of written management programs for CPC to NFPA and OSHA authorities
provide all personnel with copies of written management programs that address selection, inspection, documentation, and use of PPE.

Class 5 PPE ensembles should only be used in environments where:

SCBA is not required.
aerosolized biological agents are not present.
chemical warfare agents are suspected to be present
the chemicals present are not toxic via skin exposure.

When operating under a risk-based response model at a hazmat incident, the selection of PPE:

is driven by the mission.
should occur prior to arrival at the incident.
is beyond the scope of duty of a hazmat technician.
requires that two hazmat technicians sign off on the selection.

When choosing the appropriate PPE for an incident involving an illicit laboratory or other criminal activity, the technician should:

choose the lowest class of PPE ensemble available.
choose the highest class of PPE ensemble available.
be aware of potential hazards indicated by the situation
consult law enforcement officials before making a final selection.

When selecting the appropriate PPE for an incident, the hazardous materials technician should consider:

how much time it takes to don and doff the gear.
if the chemical has been identified and how much of it is involved
the age and rank of the individual who will be wearing the ensemble.
the size of compartment or building where the incident is taking place.

Which statement describes chemical degradation of PPE?

The most common visible effects of degradation are garment shrinkage and tearing.
Degradation can be reversed by subjecting the garments to multiple rounds of intensive decontamination.
The effects of degradation cannot be observed visibly, so a microscope must be used to confirm if degradation has occurred.
Degradation occurs when a material's characteristics are altered because the material came in contact with a chemical substance.

The information in chemical compatibility charts provided by CPC garment manufacturers:

covers every chemical that rescuers are likely to encounter.
only applies to primary ensembles, not seams or interfaces.
only applies to garments manufactured within the United States.
covers the ten most common chemicals that rescuers may encounter

If a CPC ensemble has a damaged zipper or unsealed seam:

the garments should be placed in a trash can at the scene.
the garments should be sent back to the manufacturer for replacement.
this is considered an inspection fail and the wearer should be reprimanded.
this is considered a penetration failure that may allow hazardous materials to enter the ensemble.

When determining whether to select disposable or reusable PPE ensembles, a technician should consider:

the difficulty of garment disposal.
how susceptible the garment will be to future permeation.
how difficult the decontamination process will be for the garments.
whether other responding agencies will be using disposable or reusable garments.

What should a technician do when selecting a PPE ensemble to use in an environment with unidentified chemicals or products?

Select a Class 1 ensemble and SCBA.
Use the highest level of CPC available at the scene.
Observe the product and container and use air monitoring instruments or detection devices to help identify the product.
Pause operations until the PPE manufacturer can be consulted to confirm whether the garment is compatible with the environment.

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