Hazardous materials are mainly produced by chemical plants and other sources. Materials such as flammable and radioactive materials stored in hospitals, diesel fuel and gasoline are examples of hazardous materials. Countries have set up Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) to deal with incidences resulting from these materials. Us Department of Transport (TOD) is one of the sources that provide a guideline on how to deal with hazardous materials incidents. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is another source where we can obtain an emergency response book for hazardous materials incidents. This is a source material that provides procedures before occurrence, during and after an incident has occurred. There are six steps that should be put in place before an incident in hazardous material occurs such as having emergency alert systems. Calling 911 emergency numbers is part of the procedures to take during such incidences.
Transport Emergency Preparedness Program (TEPP) is a hazardous material incident response procedure that was designed in response to incidences of during transportation of radioactive materials. This document was designed by the department of Energy Office of transportation and Emergency management of US. This material references several other sources of safety and health working area (NFPA 471, 2002; Keller, 1998). The material explains systematically on how each member is responsible during an incidence, how information is transferred from one person to another. The terms which are important in operations are also defied in the document relating to radioactive materials. If victims are exposed to this material there are appendices attached on the document which shows the medical treatment surveillance report, data sheet response report.
Oregon OSHA is an organization with library of information about safety issues in a work place (Oregon.gov). They have documented procedures in videos. They have provided resources in almost all sectors of the economy on how they can ensure safe work place (www.orosha.org).
Reference
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) retrieved from, http://www.networkofcare.org/library/FEMA%20hazmat.pdf
Keller, JJ (1998). MSDS Pocket Dictionary
NFPA 471 (2002) - Recommended Practice for Responding to Hazardous Materials Incidents.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), US Department of labor, retrieved from, http://www.orosha.org/publications/guidebooks.html
