Emergencies: Incidents, Accidents, and Spills
Emergencies: Incidents, Accidents, and Spills
This domain tests incident notification, the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), and spill and fire response. The exam expects you to know when to call the National Response Center and what written report follows.
Notification and reporting
- Call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 as soon as practical, but no later than 12 hours, when a hazmat incident involves death or serious injury, evacuation of the public for 1 hour or more, closure of a major transportation artery for 1 hour or more, a fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected contamination involving radioactive or infectious substances, or a situation of substantial risk (49 CFR 171.15).
- A written incident report on DOT Form 5800.1 is required within 30 days for incidents meeting 171.16 criteria. The carrier usually files it, but the shipper may also have duties.
- The ERG is organized by yellow pages (UN number), blue pages (proper shipping name), orange guide pages (hazard and response), and green pages (initial isolation and protective action distances). Use the orange guide for immediate actions; use the green tables for spill isolation.
Response priorities
- Stop, secure the scene, and warn others. Approach from upwind, uphill, and upstream. Do not enter a vapor cloud or a spill without appropriate PPE and training.
- Eliminate ignition sources for flammables. Do not use water on water-reactive materials such as Class 4.3 or on acids where the reaction is violent. Contain spills with absorbent or dikes only if it is safe.
- Notify your dispatcher and emergency responders. Provide the shipping paper, UN number, proper shipping name, quantity, and location.
Worked example
A cargo tank overturns and leaks gasoline onto a roadway. The driver is unhurt, but traffic is blocked for two hours and nearby businesses are evacuated for one hour. The driver should call 911 and the NRC. The public evacuation for 1 hour or more and the major artery closure trigger the 12-hour NRC notification. A written report is due within 30 days if 171.16 criteria are met.
Traps
The 12-hour NRC call is not the same as the 30-day written report. Calling 911 does not replace the NRC call. The ERG orange guide is not a chemical-specific lab analysis. Do not use water on every spill.