HAZWOPER EXERCISE #1

Copyright 2003 by T.R. Consulting, Inc.

USING THE NIOSH POCKET GUIDE TO CHEMICAL HAZARDS (PREFERRED SOURCE) OR AN MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS), CHOOSE A CHEMICAL WHICH WOULD BE ROUTINELY ENCOUNTERED AS A PART OF YOUR WORK. IF YOUR EXPOSURES VARY FOR EVERY SITE ENCOUNTERED, CHOOSE A CHEMICAL WHICH HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERED IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. STUDY THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENT, ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. AS THIS IS AN EXERCISE TO ASSESS YOUR ABILITY TO USE PUBLISHED INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS WHICH AFFECT SAFETY ON A SITE, ABBREVIATIONS ARE NOT TO BE USED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE POCKET GUIDE LISTS AN APPROPRIATE RESPIRATOR FOR A PARTICULAR LEVEL OF EXPOSURE AS “CCRFOV”. THE PROPER ANSWER WOULD THEN BE FOUND BY GOING TO THE RESPIRATOR ABBREVIATIONS IN THE INDEX AND RECORDING THE ANSWER AS “FULL FACE CHEMICAL CARTRIDGE RESPIRATOR W/ ORGANIC VAPOR CARTRIDGE(S)”. SAVE THIS PAGE AS YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE THE ANSWERS ON THE SUBMITTAL FORM ALONG WITH YOUR TEST ANSWERS.

1. CHEMICAL NAME:________________

2. TRADE NAME/SYNONYM:_________________

3. WHAT ARE THE PUBLISHED SAFE EXPOSURE LIMITS?

A) PEL =_____PPM

B) REL =_____PPM

C) TLV =_____PPM

D)STEL =_____PPM

note: if these limits are in parts per billion (ppb) use a decimal point: 4ppb = .004 ppm, 35ppb = .035 ppm, 200ppb = .2 ppm

4. AT WHAT LEVEL OF EXPOSURE IS THE CHEMICAL CONSIDERED TO BE IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE AND HEALTH? __

5. WHAT FORM DOES THE CHEMICAL TAKE AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES? (LIQUID/SOLID/GAS)__________

6. IS THE CHEMICAL FLAMMABLE? _____

A) IF YES, THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE/FLAMMABLE LIMIT = _____%

B) IF YES, WHAT IS THE FLASH POINT FOR THE CHEMICAL

7._____HOW SOLUBLE IS THE CHEMICAL IN WATER? A)SOLUBLE

B) SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE C) PRACTICALLY INSOLUBLE D) INSOLUBLE

E) IS MISCIBLE WITH WATER

8._____DOES THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY INDICATE THAT THE CHEMICAL WILL

A) SINKS IN WATER B) FLOATS ON WATER C) NEITHER SINKS OR FLOATS

9._____DOES THE VAPOR DENSITY INDICATE THAT THE CHEMICAL’ VAPORS WILL TEND A) TO SETTLE IN LOW LYING AREAS B) DISSIPATE IN AIR

10. WHAT RESPIRATOR CHOICE IS APPROPRIATE

A) AT 1 PPM IN THE AIR?__________________

B) AT 10 PPM IN THE AIR?___________________

C) AT 100 PPM IN THE AIR?___________________

D) AT 500 PPM IN THE AIR?___________________

11. WHICH ROUTES OF EXPOSURE ARE OF CONCERN?(Y/N)

A) RESPIRATORY?_____

B) SKIN?_____

C) EYE CONTACT?_____

D) INGESTION?_____

12. LIST SOME SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE COMMON TO THIS CHEMICAL.