AHMM cheat sheet

DOT hazard classes run 1 through 9: 1 explosives, 2 gases, 3 flammable/combustible liquids, 4 flammable solids and spontaneously combustible or water-reactive materials, 5 oxidizers and organic peroxides, 6 toxic and infectious substances, 7 radioactive, 8 corrosives, 9 miscellaneous.

A material is a DOT hazardous material if it meets a hazard class definition in 49 CFR 173 and is listed in the Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101) or meets a defining criterion; the HMT governs proper shipping name, class, packing group, labels, and special provisions.

Packing groups rank degree of danger: PG I great danger, PG II moderate danger, PG III minor danger; PG is assigned only to classes 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8, and 9 (to the extent criteria apply), not to classes 1, 2, 7.

Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor sufficient to form an ignitable mixture near its surface; a flammable liquid has flash point <= 60 C (140 F) and a combustible liquid has flash point > 60 C (140 F) under DOT/NFPA conventions.

OSHA HAZWOPER 29 CFR 1910.120 uses three responder levels: awareness (recognize and notify, no exposure), operations (defensive, within initial control zones), and technician/hazmat specialist (offensive, aggressive spill control).

NFPA 704 hazard diamond: blue = health, red = flammability, yellow = instability, white = special hazards (e.g., W water-reactive, OX oxidizer, SA simple asphyxiant); ratings run 0 (minimal) to 4 (severe).

EPA hazardous waste is a solid waste that is listed (F, K, P, U codes) or exhibits one of four characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity (TCLP).

Corrosivity characteristic (40 CFR 261.22): aqueous waste with pH <= 2 or >= 12.5, or that corrodes steel at a rate greater than 6.35 mm (0.250 in) per year.

RCRA large quantity generator thresholds: LQG generates >= 1,000 kg/month, SQG 100 to 1,000 kg/month, and VSQG (formerly CESQG) < 100 kg/month; accumulation time limits differ by category.

Emergency response guidebook initial isolation distances are keyed to guide numbers; for the same material the small-spill and large-spill isolation radii and protective-action distances differ, so responders must select the correct spill size before applying a table.

DOT shipping paper requirements (49 CFR 172.200-172.205) include the basic description in sequence: proper shipping name, hazard class or division, UN/NA identification number, and packing group, plus total quantity and number/type of packages.

Placarding is generally required for shipments of 1,001 lb (454 kg) or more aggregate gross weight of a hazard class, with class-specific exceptions; the placard must match the hazard class of the material loaded.

A hazardous waste manifest (EPA Form 8700-22) tracks waste from generator to transporter to TSDF; the generator retains a signed copy and the TSDF must return a signed copy within 30 days of receipt, or the generator must investigate.

IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health) is the maximum concentration from which a worker could escape within 30 minutes without irreversible health effects or escape-impairing symptoms; it drives respirator selection under 29 CFR 1910.134.

Permissible exposure limit (PEL) is the OSHA enforceable 8-hour TWA; ACGIH TLVs and NIOSH RELs are advisory but frequently used for hazard evaluation and respirator cartridge change schedules.

DOT segregation and loading rules prohibit loading incompatible materials together (e.g., cyanides with acids, oxidizers with flammables); the segregation table in 49 CFR 177.848 governs compatibility by hazard class.