B
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BIOLOGICAL AGENTS Living organisms that cause disease, sickness and mortality in humans. Anthrax and Ebola are examples of biological agents. |
BLISTER AGENTS (VESICANTS) Substances that cause blistering of the skin. Exposure is through liquid or vapor contact with any exposed tissue (eyes, skin, lungs). Mustard (H), Distilled Mustard (HD), Nitrogen Mustard (HN) and Lewisite (L) are blister agents.
Symptoms: Red eyes, skin irritation, burning of skin, blisters, upper respiratory damage, cough, hoarseness. |
BLOOD AGENTS Substances that injure a person by interfering with cell respiration (the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between blood and tissues). Hydrogen cyanide (AC) and Cyanogen chloride (CK) are blood agents.
Symptoms: Respiratory distress, headache, unresponsiveness, seizures, coma. |
C
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CHOKING AGENTS Substances that cause physical injury to the lungs. Exposure is through inhalation. In extreme case, membranes swell and lungs become filled with liquid (pulmonary edema). Death results from lack of oxygen; hence, the victim is "choked". Phosgene (CG) is a choking agent.
Symptoms: Irritation to eyes/nose/throat, respiratory distress, nausea and vomiting, burning of exposed skin. |
COLD ZONE Area where the command post and support functions that are necessary to control the incident are located. This is also referred to as the clean zone, green zone or support zone in other documents. (EPA Standard Operating Safety Guidelines, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, NFPA 472) |
D
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DANGEROUS WATER REACTIVE MATERIAL Produces significant toxic gas when it comes in contact with water. |
DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS Products of a chemical or thermal break-down of a substance. |
DECONTAMINATION The removal of dangerous goods from personnel and equipment to the extent necessary to prevent potential adverse health effects. Always avoid direct or indirect contact with dangerous goods; however, if contact occurs, personnel should be decontaminated as soon as possible. Since the methods used to decontaminate personnel and equipment differ from one chemical to another, contact the chemical manufacturer, through the agencies listed on the inside back cover, to determine the appropriate procedure. Contaminated clothing and equipment should be removed after use and stored in a controlled area (warm/contamination reduction/limited access zone) until cleanup procedures can be initiated. In some cases, protective clothing and equipment cannot be decontaminated and must be disposed of in a proper manner. |
E
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EDEMA The accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells andtissues. Pulmonary edema is an excessive buildup of water in the lungs, for instance, after inhalation of a gas that is corrosive to lung tissue. |
F
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FLAMMABLE LIQUID A liquid that has a flash point of 60.5°C (141°F) or lower. |
FLASH POINT Lowest temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor in such a concentration that, when the vapor combines with air near the surface of the liquid or solid, a flammable mixture is formed. Hence, the lower the flash point, the more flammable the material. |
H
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HOT ZONE Area immediately surrounding a dangerous goods incident which extends far enough to prevent adverse effects from released dangerous goods to personnel outside the zone. This zone is also referred to as exclusion zone, red zone or restricted zone in other documents. (EPA Standard Operating Safety Guidelines, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, NFPA 472) |
I
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IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES These are common devices used by terrorists. Most bombs assembled by terrorists and other disgruntled or mentally ill individuals are improvised. The raw material required for the explosives is stolen or misappropriated from military or commercial blasting supplies or is made from fertilizer and other readily available household ingredients. Examples: pipe bomb, car bomb. |
N
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NERVE AGENTS Substances that interfere with the central nervous system. Exposure is primarily through contact with the liquid (via skin and eyes) and secondarily through inhalation of the vapor. Tabun (GA), Sarin (GB), Soman (GD) and VX are nerve agents.
Symptoms: Pinpoint pupils, extreme headache, severe tightness in the chest, dyspnea, runny nose, coughing, salivation, unresponsiveness, seizures. |
P
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PIH Poison Inhalation Hazard. Term used to describe gases and volatile liquids that are toxic when inhaled. (Same as TIH) |
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING Includes both respiratory and physical protection. One cannot assign a level of protection to clothing or respiratory devices separately. These levels were accepted and defined by response organizations such as U.S. Coast Guard, NIOSH, and U.S. EPA.
Level A: SCBA plus totally encapsulating chemical resistant clothing (permeation resistant). |
PYROPHORIC A material which ignites spontaneously upon exposure to air (or oxygen). |
R
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RADIATION AUTHORITY The Radiation Authority is either a Federal, state/provincial agency or state/province designated official. The responsibilities of this authority include evaluating radiological hazard conditions during normal operations and during emergencies. |
RADIOACTIVITY The property of some substances to emit invisible and potentially harmful radiation. |
S
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SARIN (GB) A nerve agent in the organophosphate family. Has
similar symptoms and is generally "non-persistent" (as is
Tabun); is dispersed in an droplet or mist form. GB is also a
cholinesterase inhibitor, as are all of the "G" agents.
It is treated in a similar manner as Tabun with Atropine and
3-PAMC1. |
SOMAN (GD) A nerve agent, a a compound of the organophosphate family, but more
difficult to treat than the other "G" agents. Pralidoxime
does not work as well with GD, due to the fact that it's
reactivation of acetylcholinesterase must be accomplished
within moments of exposure to be at all effective. Normally
dispersed like the other "G" agents. |
T
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TIH TOXIC INHALATION HAZARD. Term used to describe gases and volatile liquids that are toxic when inhaled. (Same as PIH) |
TABUN (GA) A nerve agent, Tabun is an organophosphate type compound that was developed
between WWI & II. It can be easily absorbed through the skin,
by means of inhalation, or ingestion. The symptoms of the
poisoning are similar , regardless of the route of
introduction. Upon inhalation, for instance, the symptoms
(in order of occurance) include;
- a. Runny nose
- b. Bronchial secretions
- c. Tightness in the chest
- d. Dimming of vision
- e. Pin-Point Pupils
- f. Drooling
- g. Excessive perspiration
- h. Nausea, Vomiting
- i. involuntary defecation, urination
- j. muscle tremors, convulsions
- k. Coma
- l. Death
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V
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VX A nerve agent, VX is an organophosphate-like compound, but comes in an oily
liquid form that is persistent for weeks or longer in the
environment. It is commonly used to deny access to a given
area and thus stop or slow an enemy ground advance. It can be
treated by the same methods that are used for the "G" agents,
but must be decontaminated in a different manner than the
other agents; alcohol, ether, or acetate can be used to wash
the oily liquid from the skin. |
W
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WARM ZONE Area between Hot and Cold zones where personnel and equipment decontamination and hot zone support take place. It includes control points for the access corridor and thus assists in reducing the spread of contamination. Also referred to as the contamination reduction corridor (CRC), contamination reduction zone (CRZ), yellow zone or limited access zone in other documents. (EPA Standard Operating Safety Guidelines, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, NFPA 472) |
WATER-SENSITIVE Substances which may produce flammable and/or toxic decomposition products upon contact with water. |
