Incidents, Emergencies, First Aid and Firefighting
Immediate actions
On an incident, the driver must stop safely, switch off the engine, apply the parking brake, warn other traffic, and keep people away. The instructions in writing give the emergency actions for each class. The driver should call the emergency services and report the UN number, substance, location and any injuries. Traps: moving a leaking vehicle, and approaching a fire without knowing the substance.
First aid
First aid depends on exposure: skin contact (remove contaminated clothing, wash with water), eye contact (rinse), inhalation (move to fresh air), ingestion (do not induce vomiting unless instructed). The driver should use the personal protective equipment carried and avoid becoming a casualty.
Firefighting
Only fight a fire if it is small, you are trained and it is safe. Never use water on water-reactive substances (class 4.3) or on some metals. For flammable liquids, use foam or dry powder. For gases, cool containers and evacuate. Traps: using water on a 4.3 spill, and re-entering a vehicle after a fire.
Worked rule of thumb
Use the "stop, warn, call, contain" sequence. If the substance is 4.3, water is the wrong tool; evacuate and let the fire service handle it.