Tank Vehicle Emergencies, Spills, and Fire Response
What this domain tests
This section covers tank vehicle emergencies, spills, and fire response. The exam tests life safety, notification, and avoiding actions that make a tank incident worse.
Core rules
- Stop safely, set the brake, shut off the engine, and use the emergency shutoff if accessible.
- Park upwind and uphill of a spill or fire; keep others away and evacuate the area.
- Call 911 or the emergency number immediately; give the product, placard, location, and injuries.
- Contain a spill only if it is safe and you are trained; do not enter a vapor cloud or a fire zone.
- For a small fire, use the correct extinguisher from a protected position; for a cargo fire, withdraw and let trained responders handle it.
- Report the incident and do not move the vehicle until responders or company officials clear it.
Worked example
A tanker develops a leak at a valve and the liquid ignites. The driver grabs a water extinguisher. Reasoning: water can spread a flammable-liquid fire and is usually the wrong agent. The driver should shut off the emergency valve if it can be reached safely, move upwind and uphill, call for help, and warn others. A cargo fire in a tank is an evacuation problem, not a driver extinguisher problem.
Traps
- Parking downhill or downwind of a spill.
- Fighting a large cargo fire instead of evacuating.
- Using water on a flammable-liquid fire.
- Moving the vehicle before the leak is controlled or responders approve.