Fluent Essays

- Look at two of my classmates posts. I need you to respond to each one separately. Dont write about how good their posts or how bad. All you need to do is to choose one point of the post and explore it a little bit with two sources support for each response. In attachment you will find all the classmates posts.- APA Style.- At least 2 references for each response- Use your opinion and your critical thinking on response.- At least 200 words for each respond.- A note on Discussion Board etiquette – students are expected to respond to their classmates’ answers with substantial comments, demonstrating that they are actively engaged in the various threads that will emerge. In the form of ideas. It is also appropriate to propose a novel or controversial opinion, particularly if it prompts thoughtful discussion. dmm_615__db_2_post.docx Unformatted Attachment Preview Course Name / Hazardous Materials and Industrial Safety Week 2 - Hazardous Materials Management System Week 2: EtO Case Study Attached Files: • • Tornado Ethylene Oxide Rail Car.wmv (9.586 MB) https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArVIbN0lzk1aaOQ23fJzYSgqSo8 1. Case Study: Use the Eight Step Process and NFPA 7.2 as guides to create a skeleton structure for the study. Within these elements discuss response personnel health and safety issues, environmental impact, and potential public health implications. 2. Respond to the following: What defines the uniqueness of a hazardous material incident? Is it that much different from any other incident which confronts the public safety department of a municipality? 3. Complete reading Noll chapters 1 through 5 4. Complete reading Bevelacqua chapters 1 and 2 5. Research 29 CFR 1910.120 - list the purpose, use, and goal of the standard. Also how does this standard affect you in your normal position (if at all). DB 2 Case Study – EtO railcar incident 1. Develop a case study using the Eight step process and NFPA 7.2 as guides. ,starting at incident initiation and ending with incident termination. Discuss the occupational, environmental, and public health implications and concerns along the journey. In addition, compare and contrast these stages against one another.... What I am seeking is thought process along this journey. Do the response personnel have more challenging issues compared to EMS personnel or hospital personnel? Is the risk for the response personnel greater than that of the community, why or how? Do we have defined knowns for arriving firefighting companies and emergency personnel? 2. Setup a command structure to determine how to formulate a personnel and resource framework to address the incident. 3. This incident involves Ethylene Oxide - substitute Chlorine as the substance and compare and contrast the differences with occupational, environmental, and public health impacts to responders, the community, and any water/air/land issues. Discussion Bored Response. - Look at two of my classmates posts. I need you to respond to each one separately. Dont write about how good their posts or how bad. All you need to do is to choose one point of the post and explore it a little bit with two sources support for each response. In attachment you will find all the classmates posts. - APA Style. - At least 2 references for each response - Use your opinion and your critical thinking on response. - At least 200 words for each respond. - A note on Discussion Board etiquette – students are expected to respond to their classmates’ answers with substantial comments, demonstrating that they are actively engaged in the various threads that will emerge. In the form of ideas. It is also appropriate to propose a novel or controversial opinion, particularly if it prompts thoughtful discussion. My Post: The uniqueness of the hazardous material depends on its physical states, impact on health, and how it affects the body. For instance, some can only affect people on skin contact while others must be inhaled. Nevertheless, they have no significant difference with the incidents impacting public health at the municipality. They have one thing in common, and this is the fact that they can harm one’s health. Site Management and Control In the case of Ethylene Oxide, the side requires proper management and control of activities to avoid any risk for both the employees and visitors. The substance presents a more significant health problem to the employees where there is a leakage of this gas. Identify the problem Ethylene Oxide is highly poisonous, and this presents the need for establishing the exact poison present. This gas is highly flammable, making it even more dangerous. Hazard assessment and risk evaluation When one is exposed to it, some of the signs observed include diarrhea, vomiting, skin, and eye burns, amongst others (Lindgren, 2018). The exposure level is dependent on the nature of work, duration, and dose. Ethylene Oxide is a highly flammable gas, as mentioned earlier. This increases its risk during the assessment. The presence of the gas can be tested through the collection of air samples or the analysis of the blood sample. Select protective clothing and equipment When dealing with Ethylene Oxide, one should be wearing protective gear, which includes gloves and safety boots. Besides, wearing the gas mask is not a choice in this case. This is a clear indication that the substance poses a significant danger to human health as well as the environment. This stage should be well evaluated in the first stage. Information management and resource coordination At this stage, the relevant information related to the case is collected and presented to the personnel in charge. This information must follow a primary chain of command. Implement response objectives All the necessary steps are taken to ensure that everyone around is safe from any form of danger like leakage and spillage. The primary aim of this stage is to stabilize the situation to normal. Besides, security measures may be needed to safeguard everyone around from various risks. Decon and Clean-Up Operations This stage aims at getting rid of the contaminant by disposing of all the equipment and removal of Ethylene Oxide from the scene. This may be hard in this case because Ethylene Oxide occurs in gaseous form. The operations in this stage require a lot of precaution and protective gear to avoid contamination. Terminate the Incident At this stage, all the emergency management operations are ended by ushering in postemergency operations. The findings from the incident are well documented, and a conclusion is made. The response personnel have more issues compared to EMS personnel because mostly, they are usually not prepared to encounter some of the substances. For the EMS personnel, they primarily handle the emergency away from the inside, thus protecting them from any harm. For the response personnel, they must visit the site, thus standing a high chance of being affected. The risk of the response personnel is not higher than that of the community because they may have a clue about the hazard and wear protective gear (Yilmaz, Kara & Yetis, 2017). For the community members, they are less knowledgeable on matters related to emergency response; this makes them vulnerable. There are “defined” knowns for emergency personnel like firefighters because many of such disasters have occurred in the past. The incident command system permits a collaborative response by many agencies, in and outside the government, to coordinate and organize response operations without bargaining the decision-making power of local command (Nie & Zhang, 2018). The authority entails the response of persons, agencies, and the government, which is represented by the ministry of health. References Lindgren, G. F. (2018). Managing Industrial Hazardous Waste-A Practical Handbook. CRC Press. Nie, Y., & Zhang, W. (2018). Research on Optimization Design of Hazardous Chemicals Logistics Safety Management System Based on Big Data. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 66, 14771482. Yilmaz, O., Kara, B. Y., & Yetis, U. (2017). Hazardous waste management system design under population and environmental impact considerations. Journal of environmental, 203, 720-731. Student 1 post: Ethylene Oxide (EO) is a reactive gas used as a sterilant, fumigant, and as a chemical intermediate in chemical manufacturing (Heath, Gaskin, Pisaniello, Crea, Logan, & Baxter, 2017; EPA, 2016). EO is used in the production of solvents, antifreeze, textiles, detergents, adhesives, polyurethane foam, and pharmaceuticals (OSHA, 2002). As a result of its multiple uses, EO has been involved in multiple leaks and explosive incidents that require HAZMAT response (Heath et al., 2017). Exposure to EO can cause acute reactions such as irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lung; damage to the brain and nervous system; potential reproductive and developmental effects; and is considered a carcinogen as evidence indicates exposure to increase the risk of lymphoid cancer and breast cancer (EPA, 2016). In the event of a Tornado Ethylene Oxide Rail Car incident, proper precautions need to be taken due to the risk of exposure as well as the fact that it is a flammable gas at temperatures above 51.3 degrees Farhenheit (OSHA, 2002). Exposure to EO should be limited to one part EO per million parts of air measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average (OSHA, 2002). While low levels of EO are unlikely to harm the environment or wildlife, it can still be toxic and high levels of exposure can be toxic (SEPA, n.d.). Compared to exposure to chlorine, chlorine gas causes coughing, eye, and nose irritation, lacrimation, and a burning sensation in the chest (ATSDR, n.d.). Chronic exposure to chlorine can affect the immune system, blood, heart, and respiratory system of animals. At low levels, chlorine can cause environmental harm and is especially harmful to aquatic life and soil (Lenntech, n.d.). Exposure risk to these chemicals has the potential to be greater for response personnel as continued exposure worsens symptoms. Although responders may have more access to personal protective equipment, not all responders arrive on scene with a full-body encapsulating suit with a self-contained breathing apparatus (CCOHS, 2017). Responders can be better protected and therefore have less of a risk to exposure but it is highly dependant on how quickly the problem is identified and information is shared. Site Management & Control The first step in the process is to determine whether the site is safe to approach. With the knowledge that the rail car is transporting a reactive gas, people in the nearby area should be evacuated and the area should be cordon off as a hazard zone is created. A Hazardous Materials Emergency Response ICS should be established and the necessary responders and agencies should be notified. With the danger of high force winds, an appropriate staging area needs to be created so that they are outside of the hazard zone but also safe from the elements. Identifying the Problem To appropriately respond to the incident, it is necessary to know that Ethylene Oxide was being transported. This knowledge allows the responders and the HAZMAT team to respond accordingly. Hazard & Risk Evaluation As EO is a flammable gas, considering that there has not been an explosion, it can then be assumed that the gas could still be potentially leaking or that there could be a potential fire or explosion that can occur. With this knowledge, the decision should be made to determine if the evacuation zone is appropriate and whether it may need to expand or not. By evaluating any individuals that may have been nearby, emergency responders can monitor for acute reactions to the gas. Protective Clothing & Equipment Donning proper protective gear and equipment, the HAZMAT team can further investigate to determine if there is an EO leak. Equipment such as thermal imaging cameras can be used to scan for contaminants and HAZMAT robots can be used if there is a potential for a fire or explosion. Information Management & Resource Coordination Information sharing and communication is critical as all involved parties need to be aware of the dangers that are present. By properly informing the public of the risks, the hazard area can be protected from entry by outside parties which reduces the risk of exposure. Furthermore, information sharing ensures that all responders are properly equipped to protect themselves and other individuals they may be assisting. Implementing Response Objectives With adequate knowledge and equipment, the Incident Commander can implement the response plans that ensure all measures are being done safely while getting the situation under control. Decontamination If any individuals are displaying acute responses to the exposure of EO, decontamination efforts should immediately take place. In the case that evacuated individuals do not display any signs or symptoms of exposure, the individuals should be monitored but the speed of decontamination efforts and the setup of a formal decontamination station may not need to be done immediately. Terminating the Incident In the last step of the process, an incident debriefing should be conducted along with a postincident analysis, incident critique, and reporting and documentation. This final step concludes the response to the incident and provides insight on areas that may need improvement for future responses. ATSDR (n.d.). Toxic substances portal - Chlorine. Retrieved from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MMG/MMG.asp?id=198&tid=36 EPA (2016). Ethylene oxide. EPA. Retrieved from epa.gov/sites/production/files/201609/documents/ethylene-oxide.pdf Heath, L., Gaskin, S., Pisaniello, D., Crea, J., Logan, M., & Baxter, C. (2017). Skin absorption of ethylene oxide gas following exposures relevant to HAZMAT incidents. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 61(5): 589-595. Lenntech (n.d.). Chlorine - Cl. Retrieved from https://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cl.htm OSHA (2002). OSHA fact sheet: Ethylene Oxide. OSHA. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/ethylene-oxide-factsheet.pdf SEPA (n.d.). Ethylene oxide. Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Retrieved from apps.sepa.org.uk/spripa/Pages/SubstanceInformation.aspx?pid=56 Student 2 post: Emergency management is a practice that is very important in society or any organization as some events usually take place without notice. It means that the best thing is to always be ready to tackle any emergency that might happen anytime and anywhere that it takes place. Emergency management is the act of organizing and managing responsibilities as well as resources that are used to deal with the humanitarian aspects of emergencies (Pijawaka & Radwan, 2018). These aspects entail preparedness, response, mitigation, and finally, recovery. The major aim of emergency management is to reduce the harmful effects of various hazards, such as the case of the Tornado ethylene oxide rail car. In the case of the Tornado ethylene rail car incident, there was the involvement of hazardous gas that could create more harm than expected. It was a case where a tornado challenged a train and won. When this took place, the life of people, as well as the environment, was put at a great danger. Tornado proved to be so powerful by lifting the box of cars away from the rails as the train headed deeper into the path of these strong winds. Realizing what was going on, the train was brought to a sudden halt while other parts of the train body feel to the sideways. The fall was led by a sparking tank car that was fully filled with Ethylene oxide. This is a chemical compound that is highly flammable and volatile. To control the effects of these hazardous chemicals, the following steps could have been taken starting from incident initiation and ending at incident termination. Incident initiation and site management control This is the first stage, and it is where a safe approach will be determined to go and take control of the impacted area. During this stage, the remaining people, especially those who have been injured or not, will be evacuated. It is important to evacuate people, especially those injured so that they cannot be injured further (Perry, 2016). This will be the first step to reduce or avoid more injuries to the public or workers. After the evacuation, a secure staging area will be created for the responders and other rescuers who have been called to help with the situation. Problem identification The difference in this stage is that efforts will be made to understand the onsite material. In the case of this incident, some chemicals are very dangerous. Ethylene oxide is very flammable, and there can be a breakout of fire anytime. This puts the life of the rescuers in danger. This gas might explode and burn everything around, including the rescuers on the site (Lam & Schoenung, 2017). This is the first danger that the rescuers face, and they have to be very careful when doing this rescue mission. From this, it can be said that the life of the rescuers is even at more danger compared to the life of those in EMS of in hospitals since explosion can occur and take their lives within a short time. The rescuers will determine where the hazard emanating from and determine if it can be controlled. Hazard and risk evaluation This stage is different from other stages in that the evaluation of the ongoing risk for the spill will be conducted. The similarity with the second stage is that the potential of more explosions will be done. The physical symptoms experienced by people who were at the scene when the incident was occurring will be assessed (Pijawaka, & Radwan, 2018). This assessment will tell more about the materials involved. For instance, some materials might cause a headache to the people around the scene, and this will mean that there is the presence of gases such as carbon monoxide. Gases will pollute the environment and an example is air pollution, which will cause the burning of eyes and throat, especially if the gases are acidic. Protective clothing Proper gear is required for close investigation of any hazardous materials. The life of rescuers is so much in danger, and to avoid injuries, they will have to put on appropriate protective gear and equipment. These may include full coverage HAZMAT suit and self-contained breathing apparatus, among others (Pijawaka, & Radwan, 2018). Monitoring equipment is also advisable to measure air quality, levels of radioactivity, and more factors to ensure that the life of rescuers is safe. Information management and resource coordination Sharing of information is important, including within the organization as well as the outside news media. The available resources are mobilized in this stage to help with control of the incident. The other unique act at this stage is that the incident area will be kept safe to prevent intruders and other outside parties (Perry, 2016). This is done to help with safe operations. Implementation of response objectives. The plan will be summarized to suit the situation on the ground or at hand. This is done according to the knowledge the rescuers have as well as the time and resources available for use (Lam, & Schoenung, 2017). The similarity with other stages is that it will take measures to ensure safety and getting hazardous materials under control. Decontamination It will be done depending on the type of risks involved where if the hazard is not dangerous to life, then a deacon station can be created. If the situation is more hazardous, then rescue should be done as quickly as possible to save lives and prevent more damage to the environment. Termination of the incident It is the final stage, and various activities can be done. The first is debriefing after the emergency has passed. The strengths and weaknesses of the overall response will be analyzed after which report and documentation will be made (Pijawaka, & Radwan, 2018). The common tasks that will be involved are cleaning up debris, removing the cars or trains, and making efforts to return everything to normal functions. In summation, hazardous materials incident is unique compared to other types of disasters that might occur. It is because they involve the emission of substances in quantity, which might pose risks to the environment, health as well as property. They involve the emission of toxic substances into the air, such as toxic chemicals, nuclear wastes, fuels, and chemical agents such as ethylene oxide that was carried by car. This is what makes hazardous material incident different from other incidents that may confront the public safety departments (Perry, 2016). Even though hazardous material incidents can cause damages and even loss of life, a good response plan can help to ... Purchase answer to see full attachment