Emergencies: Spills, Leaks, Fires and the Emergency Response Guidebook
Start with the book
The Emergency Response Guidebook is organized by color. Yellow pages index 4-digit ID numbers; blue pages index material names; orange pages hold the numbered guides; green pages give initial isolation and protective-action distances for the materials highlighted in green (toxic inhalation hazards). With a placard in front of you, go to the yellow pages by ID number; use blue only when you have a name. Note the guide number, then read the orange page before acting.
First actions at a spill
Stop, park safely, and keep others away. Stay upwind and uphill, shut off the engine, and eliminate ignition sources. Do not touch or walk through the product. Call 911, then your dispatcher and the emergency number on the shipping paper. CHEMTREC (1-800-424-9300) and the National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) are the standard contacts. For green-highlighted materials, establish the initial isolation distance from the green table before anything else.
Fire
Use an extinguisher only on a small, incipient fire. If a cargo tank is burning, or flames are impinging on it, evacuate at least one mile and let trained responders handle it - a BLEVE can occur. Water applied to a flammable liquid spill can spread the product.
Worked example
A placard reads UN1005. The yellow pages send you to Guide 125 (gases - corrosive). The material is anhydrous ammonia, which is highlighted in green, so isolate per the green table, approach from upwind with the recommended protective clothing, and call for help before attempting anything.
Traps
Using the blue pages when you have a UN number; treating the guide number as the hazard class; fighting a tank fire; and re-entering the scene to check the load.