RT Book, Section
A1 Cooney, Derek R.
A2 Cooney, Derek R.
SR Print(0)
ID 1126794616
T1 Hazardous Materials Response
T2 Cooney's EMS Medicine
YR 2016
FD 2016
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071775649
LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1126794616
RD 2024/04/20
AB A  hazardous  material  is  defined  as  “a  substance  (either  matter  -  solid,  liquid,  gas  -  or  energy)  that  when  released  is  capable  of  creating  harm  to  people,  the  environment,  and  property…”  and  may  mean  little  to  most  EMS  providers  and  medical  directors  in  their  daily  practice,  despite  that  they  are  all  around  us.1  In  addition  to  the  recognition  that  hazardous  materials  are  common  components  of  our  personal  and  occupational  lives,  it  is  important  to  consider  the  potential  of  a  large-scale  hazardous  materials  (HAZMAT)  incident  in  any  EMS  system.  Most  EMS  physicians  are  well  versed  in  the  occupational  component  of  hazardous  materials  as  it  pertains  to  the  Occupational  Safety  and  Health  Administration  (OSHA)  regulations  that  apply  to  the  work  environment  but  may  not  be  fully  prepared  to  respond  in  support  of  a  hazardous  materials  incident  operation  and  may  not  even  be  familiar  with  the  principles  laid  out  in  29  CFR  1910.120  (Hazardous  Waste  Operations  and  Emergency  Response:  HAZWOPER)  or  the  availability  of  various  publications  on  the  topic  provided  by  OSHA,  NIOSH,  FEMA,  and  the  EPA.  HAZMAT  incidents  occur  in  all  areas  affecting  every  community  (Figure  72-1).  This  chapter  will  serve  as  a  primer  aimed  at  the  EMS  physician  as  a  component  of  the  response  to  a  HAZMAT  incident.