General Procedures

1. Always consider the possibility that hazardous materials may possess multiple hazards.

2. Use full structural firefighting clothing and SCBA as minimum protection from unnecessary exposure to contaminants.

3. Each member should be alert to the signs, evidence and indications of the presence of hazardous substances during fires and emergencies and report such information to the next higher level of command.

4. If and when necessary, members may be divided into teams, each team should be equipped with at least one radio The Officer of the unit will designate team members and radio contact person.

5. Mark all work zones and access points with barricade tape, flagging, or traffic cones.

6. Access to the site should remain free of unnecessary equipment and apparatus to facilitate other types of emergency access to and egress from the site.

7. Persons entering or leaving a work zone must check in/out at the access control point.

8. Access and means of egress must be secured and protected for the safety of persons in work zones. Doors, stairways and ladders should be secured. Ramps, ditches, and excavations should be made as secure as possible in the event that rapid escape is required from the site.

9. No eating, drinking, or smoking is allowed in any contaminated area.

10. Implement decontamination based on an analysis of the hazards and risks involved.
 

Works Zones

The method of reducing the potential for transfer of contamination is to delineate work areas within the incident site based upon expected or known levels of contamination. Within the areas assigned, personnel will utilize appropriate personal protective equipment. Movement between areas is controlled at checkpoints. Three contiguous areas will be established.

1. Exclusion Zone (contaminated)-HOT ZONE

2. Contamination Reduction Area-WARM ZONE

3. Support Area (non-contaminated)-COLD ZONE

Exclusion Area--Hot Zone

The Exclusion Area is the innermost area and is considered contaminated or "hot". Within the Exclusion Area, prescribed levels of protection must be worn by all entering personnel. A check point must be established at the periphery of the Exclusion Area to control the flow of personnel and equipment between contiguous areas and to insure that the procedures established to enter and exit the areas are followed.

The Exclusion Area boundary would be established initially based on the type of released/spilled materials, initial instrument readings, and a safe distance from any potential exposure.

Subsequently, the boundary may be readjusted based on additional observation and/or measurements. The area should be physically secured by barrier tape into well defined boundaries.

In the event that the public or any emergency responder has been exposed prior to recognition of a hazardous substance, those persons exposed should be isolated to avoid spreading any contamination and so that proper medical treatment and monitoring can be arranged.

Those not exposed must be kept out of the contaminated area.

Unless otherwise demonstrated, everything leaving the Exclusion Area should be considered contaminated and appropriate methods established for decontamination should be implemented.

Contamination Reduction Area--Warm Zone

Between the Exclusion Area and the Support Area is the Contamination Reduction Area. The purpose of this zone is to provide an area to prevent or reduce the transfer of contaminants which may have been picked up by personnel or equipment returning from the Exclusion Area. All decontamination activities occur in this area.

The boundary between the Support Area and the Contamination Reduction Area is the "Contamination Control Line". This boundary separates the possibly contaminated area from the clean zone. Entry into the Contamination Reduction Area from the clean area will be through an access control point. Personnel entering at this location will be wearing the prescribed level of protection for working in the Contamination Reduction Area. Exiting the Contamination Reduction Area to clean area requires the removal of any suspected or known contaminated protective clothing and/or equipment and that appropriate decontamination procedures be followed.

At the boundary between the Contamination Reduction Area and the Exclusion Zone is the "Hot Line" and access control station. entrance into the Exclusion Area requires the wearing of the prescribed chemical protective clothing which may be different than the equipment requirements for working in the Contamination Reduction Area.

At a point close to the "Hot Line"' a personnel and/or equipment decontamination station is established for those exiting the Exclusion Area. Unless otherwise demonstrated, everything leaving the Exclusion Area should be considered contaminated and appropriate methods established for decontamination should be implemented.

Support Area--Cold Zone

The Support Area is the outermost area of the site and is considered a non-contaminated or "clean area". It is designated as a controlled area for authorized support personnel and the location for support equipment (Command Post, Equipment etc.). Since normal firefighting clothing is appropriate within this zone, potentially contaminated personnel clothing, equipment, etc., are not permitted.

Area Dimensions

Considerable judgement is needed to assure safe working distances for each area balanced against practical work considerations. During long-term operations zones may be adjusted.

The following criteria are to be considered in determining the area dimensions:

1. Physical and topographical barriers;
2. Weather conditions;
3. Monitoring measurements;
4. Explosion/exposure potential;
5. Physical chemical, toxicological, etc., characteristics of the contaminant(s); and
6. Clean up activities.

The use of a three-zone system of area designation, access control points and exacting decontamination procedures provides a reasonable assurance against the translocation of contaminating substance. This control system is based on a "worst case" situation. Less stringent site control and decontamination procedures than described may be utilized based upon more accurate information on the types of contaminants involved and the contaminating hazards present. This information can be obtained through air monitoring, instrument survey, etc., and technical data concerning the characteristics and behavior of material present. Site control requirements can be modified within the limits of safety for specific situations once more reliable data has been analyzed.
 

TYPICAL ZONE CONFIGURATION

NOTE: AREA DIMENSIONS NOT TO SCALE. DISTANCES BETWEEN POINTS MAY VARY.

COMMAND POST AND ACCESS POINT PLACEMENT SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION AND TOPOGRAPHY.

Decontamination Procedures

As part of the system to prevent or reduce the physical transfer of contaminants by people and/or equipment from the site, procedures will be instituted for decontamination anything leaving the Exclusion Area and Contamination Reduction Area. These procedures include the decontamination of personnel, protective equipment, monitoring equipment, clean-up equipment, etc.

In the event that the public or any emergency responder has been exposed prior to recognition of a hazardous substance, those persons exposed should be isolated to avoid spreading the contamination and so that proper medical treatment and monitoring can be arranged.

Those not exposed must be kept out of the contaminated area.

The following steps have been designed to deal with personnel decontamination in worst case incidents. In some situations it will not be necessary to go through the entire procedure. The decision to implement all or part of the decontamination process should be based on a field analysis of the hazards and risks of the hazardous materials involved.

Step 1: An "entry point" will be established and marked in order to guide contaminated personnel into the Decon Area.
Step 2: Protective clothing will be removed and isolated.
Contaminated coats, helmets, etc. should be placed in plastic bags to isolate contaminants. Bagged clothing should be sealed and placed in recovery drums for further analysis and for transportation to another location for laundering or disposal.
Step 3: Members enter the personal Decon line. EMS personnel will supervise the decon procedures. All personal effects and work clothing are removed and placed in bags and drums.
Step 4: In almost all cases, members will shower for a period determined by the type of substance involved. The exceptions occur when the substance involved is one made more active by water.
Step 5: After showering, members are issued towels and clothing to enable them to proceed to the designated areas.
Step 6: EMS personnel examine members, taking a medical history, checking vital signs, and follow up on any physical complaints. This should be conducted on the clean side or Support Zone.
Step 7: Any members that require further evaluation or treatment will be transported by EMS.
Step 8: Decon Operations will terminate, collecting all waste water for analysis.
 

TYPICAL DECON LINE LAYOUT