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9.7 Hazardous Materials — Emergencies

The Department of Transportation has an Emergency Response Guidebook for firefighters, police and industry workers on how to protect themselves and the public from hazardous materials. The guide is indexed by proper shipping name and hazardous materials identification number. Emergency personnel look for these things on the shipping paper. That is why it is vital that the proper shipping name, ID number, label and placards are correct.

Accidents/Incidents

As a professional driver, your job at the scene of an accident is to:

• Keep people away from the scene.
• Limit the spread of material, only if you can safely do so.
• Communicate the danger of the hazardous materials to emergency response personnel.
• Provide emergency responders with the shipping papers and emergency response information.

Follow this checklist:

• Check to see that your driving partner is OK.
• Keep shipping papers and ERI with you.
• Keep people far away and upwind.
• Warn others of the danger.
• Send for help.
• Follow your employerʼs instructions.

Fires

You might have to control minor truck fires on the road. However, unless you have the training and equipment to do so safely, do not fight hazardous material fires. Dealing with hazardous material fires requires special training and protective gear.

When you discover a fire, send someone for help. You may use the fire extinguisher to keep minor truck fires from spreading to cargo before firefighters arrive. Feel trailer doors to see if they are hot before opening them. If hot, you may have a cargo fire and should not open the doors. Opening doors lets air in and may make the fire flare up. Without air, many fires only smolder until firemen arrive, doing less damage. If your cargo is already on fire, it is not safe to fight the fire. Keep the shipping papers with you to give to emergency personnel as soon as they arrive. Warn other people of the danger and keep them away.

If you discover a cargo leak, identify the hazardous materials leaking by using shipping papers, labels or package location. Do not touch any leaking material - many people injure themselves by touching hazardous materials. Do not try to identify the material or find the source of a leak by smell. Many toxic gases destroy your sense of smell and can injure or kill you even if they do not smell. Never eat, drink or smoke around a leak or spill.

If hazardous materials are spilling from your vehicle, do not move it any more than safety requires. You may move off the road and away from places where people gather, if doing so serves safety. Only move your vehicle if you can do so without danger to yourself or others.

Never continue driving with hazardous material leaking from your vehicle to find a phone booth, truck stop, help or other reason. Remember that the carrier pays for the cleanup of contaminated parking lots, roadways and drainage ditches. The costs are enormous, so do not leave a lengthy trail of contamination. If hazardous materials are spilling from your vehicle:

• Park it.
• Secure the area.
• Stay there.

When sending someone for help, give that person:

• A description of the emergency.
• Your exact location and direction of travel.
• Your name, the carrierʼs name, and the name of the community or city where your terminal is located.
• The shipping name, hazard class and ID number of the hazardous materials, if you know them.

This is a lot to remember, so it is a good idea to write it all down for the person you send for help. The emergency response team must know these things to find you and to handle the emergency. They may have to travel miles to get to you. This information will help them to bring the appropriate equipment the first time, without having to go back for it.

Never move your vehicle if doing so will cause contamination or damage the vehicle. Keep downwind and away from roadside rests, truck stops, cafes and businesses. Never try to repack leaking containers. Unless you have the training and equipment to repair leaks safely, do not try it. Call your dispatcher or supervisor for instructions and, if needed, emergency personnel.