CHMM (IHMM) flashcards

35 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

DOT hazard class 3

Flammable and combustible liquids. Class 3 covers liquids with flash point at or below 60 C (140 F), and packing group assignment depends on flash point and boiling point.

Flash point

The lowest temperature at which a liquid releases enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air near its surface. It indicates fire hazard, not toxicity.

IDLH

Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health concentration: the maximum level from which a worker can escape within 30 minutes without irreversible health effects. Used to select respirators and set entry limits.

NFPA 704 diamond

Emergency response marking with four quadrants: blue health, red flammability, yellow instability, white special hazards. Each hazard is rated 0 to 4, with 4 most severe.

GHS SDS sections

A 16-section Safety Data Sheet includes identification, hazards, composition, first aid, firefighting, accidental release, handling and storage, exposure controls, physical properties, stability, toxicology, ecology, disposal, transport, and regulatory information.

Hierarchy of controls

Ranked approach to reduce risk: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Higher levels are generally more effective and reliable.

RCRA characteristics

Four characteristics define hazardous waste: ignitability (D001), corrosivity (D002), reactivity (D003), and toxicity (D004). A waste meeting any characteristic is regulated.

TCLP

Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure: an extraction test simulating landfill conditions. Leachate is analyzed for metals, pesticides, and organics to determine toxicity characteristic and treatment standards.

Satellite accumulation

Accumulating hazardous waste at or near the point of generation under operator control, limited to 55 gallons (or 1 quart of acute hazardous waste), with container labeling and dating requirements.

Land disposal restrictions

RCRA rules requiring hazardous waste to be treated to meet treatment standards before land disposal. Dilution is prohibited as a substitute for adequate treatment.

Packing group

DOT assignment reflecting degree of danger: I (great danger), II (moderate danger), III (minor danger). It determines authorized packaging and marking requirements.

Secondary containment

A barrier system that holds leaks or spills from primary containers. Common sizing is 110% of the largest container or 10% of total volume, whichever is greater.

Universal waste

Streamlined RCRA category for batteries, lamps, mercury-containing equipment, and pesticides. Handlers must label, close containers, and observe accumulation time limits.

Incident command system

A standardized on-scene management structure with an incident commander and operations, planning, logistics, and finance sections. Span of control is typically three to seven people.

Defensive response

Emergency response that avoids contact with the material, such as evacuation, isolation, and containment from a safe distance. It requires less training than offensive response.

Level A PPE

Fully encapsulating chemical-protective suit with self-contained breathing apparatus. Used for high vapor or splash hazards and unknown or IDLH atmospheres.

Hot, warm, cold zones

Contamination control zones at a hazardous materials incident: hot (contaminated), warm (decontamination and support), and cold (clean support area). Entry is controlled at each boundary.

Reportable quantity

The CERCLA threshold for a hazardous substance release. Releases at or above the RQ must be reported to the National Response Center within 24 hours.

Combustible gas meter

An instrument that measures percent of lower explosive limit. Readings above 10% LEL typically require evacuation or respiratory protection, depending on the response plan.

ERG guide number

Emergency Response Guidebook lookup based on the four-digit UN/NA number. It provides initial isolation distances, protective actions, and firefighting guidance for the material.

Generator status

RCRA classification by monthly waste generation: very small quantity generator, small quantity generator, or large quantity generator. Status sets accumulation time, reporting, and training duties.

Uniform hazardous waste manifest

A tracking document accompanying hazardous waste from generator to treatment, storage, or disposal facility. It documents chain of custody and triggers exception reporting if not returned.

Tier II report

EPCRA annual inventory report for hazardous chemicals at or above threshold quantities, due March 1. It lists chemical identity, quantity, storage location, and facility contact.

TRI Form R

EPCRA Toxics Release Inventory report due July 1 for covered facilities. It reports releases, waste management, and pollution prevention for listed chemicals.

Title V permit

A Clean Air Act operating permit for major sources. It consolidates applicable requirements, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting into one enforceable document.

NPDES permit

Clean Water Act permit required for point source discharges to waters of the United States. It sets effluent limits, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

Hazmat employee training

DOT training required for employees who handle or ship hazardous materials. Recurrent training is required every three years, with training records retained.

Source reduction

The preferred waste management approach under the Pollution Prevention Act: reducing or eliminating waste at the source through process changes, substitution, and improved housekeeping.

Green chemistry

Design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances. Principles include atom economy, safer solvents, energy efficiency, and design for degradation.

Life cycle assessment

A method to evaluate environmental impacts across a product's life. Phases are goal and scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.

ISO 14001

An environmental management system standard using plan-do-check-act. It requires identifying environmental aspects and impacts, setting objectives, and conducting management review.

PEL and TLV

OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit is legally enforceable; ACGIH Threshold Limit Value is a recommended guideline. Both are usually expressed as an eight-hour time-weighted average.

LD50 and LC50

Lethal dose or concentration for 50% of a test population. Lower values indicate greater toxicity and are used to compare acute hazards across substances.

TWA calculation

Time-weighted average equals the sum of each concentration multiplied by its exposure time, divided by total time. Compare the result to the applicable exposure limit.

Respirator fit testing

Required before using a tight-fitting respirator and annually thereafter. It verifies a seal and must be paired with medical evaluation, training, and cartridge change schedules.