How Do Canadian Firefighters Handle Hazardous Materials?

Understanding how firefighters handle hazardous materials is crucial for public safety and emergency preparedness. Q&As in this blog entry include:

1. With particular reference to firefighting, what are hazardous materials?
2. How many classes of hazardous waste are there?
3. What are some common hazardous materials that firefighters encounter?
4. How do firefighters identify hazardous materials at an emergency scene?
5. Why are hazmat placards required for hazmat loads?
6. What are the physical requirements for a hazardous material placard?
7. What is the Canadian Hazardous Materials Guide?
8. What training do Canadian firefighters receive for hazmat response?
9. What is the protocol for firefighters confronting hazmat incidents?
10. What is the Incident Command System?
11. What if there are people at an incident who require rescue?
12. How do firefighters coordinate with other agencies during hazmat incidents?
13. What challenges do Canadian firefighters face in hazmat response?
14. What’s the upshot?

With particular reference to firefighting, what are hazardous materials?

Hazardous materials are substances that pose risks to health, safety, property, or the environment. E.g., flammable liquids, toxic chemicals, corrosive acids, radioactive substances, and compressed gases.

Such materials are transported daily throughout our country, crisscrossing urban centres, industrial areas, and rural communities. Thus, emergency response capabilities are essential.

How many classes of hazardous waste are there?

There are nine classes of hazardous waste. In nominative numeric order they are:

1. Explosives. Any substances, articles, or devices that explode—either intentionally or by accident.
2. Gasses. Dangerous for being flammable or poisonous. Includes non-flammables like helium and asthma inhalers
3. Flammable liquids. These liquids have a flashpoint of 140°F or less, which is the temperature at which a nearby ignition source can ignite its vapours.
4. Flammable solids. E.g., flammables such as matchsticks, spontaneous combustibles such as oily rags, or substances that are dangerous when wet, like magnesium.
5. Oxidizing substances & organic peroxides. Oxidizers add to the combustibility of other materials; peroxides are combinations of oxidizers and organic fuel that are thermally unstable and thereby prone to releasing dangerous amounts of heat and energy.
6. Toxic or Infectious Substances. Solids or liquids toxic to humans by way of oral, dermal, and/or inhalation exposure; and infectious materials that are pathogenic.
7. Radioactive material E.g., uranium and plutonium. Also, e.g., materials found in exit signs, smoke detectors, and x-ray equipment.
8. I. Liquids or solids that cause full-thickness destruction of human skin at the site of contact within a specified period of time.
9. Miscellaneous. A hazardous waste that cannot be properly categorized in any one of Classes 1-thru-8

What are some common hazardous materials that firefighters encounter?

Here, we’re talking about things like gasoline and diesel fuel, industrial chemicals (e.g., chlorine and ammonia), propane and natural gas, pesticides and herbicides, along with radioactive materials used in medical or industrial applications.

Each of these substances presents its own peculiar challenges, thus requiring its own specific response protocol.

How do firefighters identify hazardous materials at an emergency scene?

The first step in firefighter hazmat response in Canada involves identification from a safe distance. Firefighters use multiple methods to identify hazardous materials before approaching an incident scene.

Hazmat placards for emergency responders are the primary visual identification tool. These diamond-shaped signs are displayed on vehicles, railcars, and storage facilities that contain dangerous goods. (See Q.8)

Each placard features a color-coded background, pictogram, and four-digit United Nations identification number that indicates the specific hazard class. For example, a red placard indicates flammable materials, while a yellow placard warns of oxidizing substances.

Beyond visual placards, firefighters rely on shipping papers, material safety data sheets, and information from facility personnel or drivers. They also observe physical clues such as unusual odours, vapor clouds, dead vegetation, or distressed wildlife that might indicate a hazmat release.

Modern technology has enhanced identification capabilities.

Many fire departments now use smartphone apps and tablet-based reference systems that allow responders to look up chemical properties quickly by entering the UN identification number from a placard.

Why are hazmat placards required for hazmat loads?

While the answer to this might seem obvious (i.e., this stuff is dangerous), more nuanced explanations are thus:

• Such placards inform drivers about what precautions to take relative to the kind of hazmat they’re handling. E.g., is it explosive, corrosive, or merely flammable?
• They prompt firefighters and other responders about what preordained actions to initiate in the event of an uncontrolled discharge. E.g., counterintuitively, some fires grow worse when water is applied, such as Class B and Class D fires (see source).

What are the physical requirements for a hazardous material placard?

You could write a master’s thesis on this question. Per Part 4 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDG Regulations), the requirements for dangerous goods placards include but definitely are not limited to:

• Strength and durability. E.g., they must be capable of withstanding normal transportation conditions including exposure to weather.
• Design. E.g., the printing, inner border, and symbol must conform to the specifications shown in Schedule 2 of the TDG Regulations, as appropriate for each class of dangerous goods.
• Size. E.g., Each square-on-point placard must measure at least 250 mm on each side and must have a solid line inner border approximately 12.5 mm inside and parallel to the edge. (If you’re not into measuring metrically, that’s about 10.0 x .50 inches.)
• Color. See Schedule 2 for the requisite hues, each of which must be able to endure a 72-hour test in a “fadeometer,” and because we knew you’d ask: a fadeometer is a chamber that exposes materials to a carbon arc lamp under controlled conditions to determine how well they resist fading.

What is the Canadian Hazardous Materials Guide?

The Canadian Hazardous Materials Guide, officially known as the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), is an essential reference tool for first responders dealing with hazmat incidents. And it’s an international effort.

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Mexico’s Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (see source), Transport Canada publishes this guidebook every four years. It contains critical information organized by UN identification numbers and material names.

For each hazardous material listed, the guide provides potential hazards, recommended safe distances for evacuation or protective action, and emergency response procedures for fires, spills, and first aid.

The ERG uses a color-coded page system for quick reference.

• Yellow pages list materials numerically by their four-digit UN number.
• Blue pages list materials alphabetically by name.
• Orange pages provide emergency response guidance.
• Green pages contain tables for initial isolation and protective action distances for toxic inhalation hazards.

Every Canadian fire department carries copies of the ERG on their apparatus, and firefighters train regularly on its use. It serves as the first line of reference information until hazmat specialists or technical experts arrive on scene.

What training do Canadian firefighters receive for hazmat response?

Training requirements for how firefighters handle hazardous materials vary by province and jurisdiction, but most Canadian fire services follow standards similar to NFPA 470 Canada guidelines, which outline competencies for responders to hazardous materials incidents.

While NFPA 470 Canada is not uniformly adopted across all provinces as mandatory legislation, many fire departments use it as a benchmark for training programs. This standard defines different levels of hazmat response capability. These are:

• Awareness level training is required for all firefighters, which teaches recognition of hazmat incidents, identification of materials, understanding of potential risks, and the importance of calling for specialized resources. This level emphasizes the principle of recognizing and reporting rather than intervening.
• Operations level training, wherein responders receive more extensive training to enable them to take defensive actions to protect people, property, and the environment. I.e., establishing scene control, performing basic containment from a safe distance, and implementing decontamination procedures.
• Technician level training, which requires hundreds of hours of instruction and hands-on practice, teaches responder specialists who can take offensive actions to stop releases and perform complex mitigation procedures.

To ensure that responders stay current with evolving materials, technologies, and response strategies, our country’s firefighters also train with provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, conduct joint exercises with industrial facilities, and participate in regional hazmat team drills.

What is the protocol for firefighters confronting hazmat incidents?

This protocol for firefighters confronting hazmat incidents emphasizes careful assessment before action. I.e., when firefighters arrive at a suspected hazmat incident, the protocol advises:

• Approaching the scene from upwind and uphill where possible
• Remaining at a safe distance while conducting initial size-up
• Establishing an initial isolation perimeter based on ERG recommendations
• Preventing civilians and unnecessary personnel from entering the hazard area. (Move along now—nothing to see here.)

What is the Incident Command System?

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized management framework used throughout our country for emergency response. It works like this:

• The incident commander assigns roles, coordinates resources, and maintains communication with supporting agencies.
• Firefighters then work to identify any hazardous material by using placards, container shapes, facility information, and other visual clues.
• Once identified, firefighters consult the ERG to determine appropriate response actions and protective measures.

What if there are people at an incident who require rescue?

In such a case, firefighters must balance the urgency of lifesaving actions against the risk of responder exposure.

Only properly trained and equipped personnel are authorized to enter contaminated areas. And all responders who contact hazardous materials must undergo decontamination before leaving the scene.

Throughout the incident, firefighters monitor weather conditions, material behaviour, and potential for escalation. They maintain detailed documentation for post-incident analysis and potential regulatory reporting.

How do firefighters coordinate with other agencies during hazmat incidents?

Hazmat incidents rarely involve firefighters alone. Effective response requires coordination among multiple agencies and organizations, each bringing specialized expertise and resources.

Police services typically assist with traffic control, evacuation, scene security, and criminal investigation if the incident involves suspected illegal activity. Emergency medical services provide medical care for exposed victims and monitor responder health during extended operations.

Provincial and territorial emergency management organizations coordinate provincial-level resources, maintain specialized hazmat response teams, and facilitate communication with government agencies. Environmental agencies assess environmental impacts, authorize discharge of contaminated runoff, and oversee cleanup operations.

Many Canadian jurisdictions maintain regional hazmat teams that provide advanced technical expertise beyond the capabilities of municipal fire departments. These teams respond to complex incidents requiring specialized knowledge or equipment.

Private sector involvement is also common. Chemical manufacturers may provide technical specialists who understand their products’ specific hazards and mitigation strategies. Specialized cleanup contractors handle material recovery and site remediation after firefighters stabilize the immediate emergency.

The transportation industry plays a key role when incidents involve rail, air, or marine transport. Railway companies provide technical information about rail cars and their contents, while airport authorities coordinate responses to aircraft incidents involving hazardous cargo.

What challenges do Canadian firefighters face in hazmat response?

Despite comprehensive training and equipment, firefighters encounter numerous challenges when responding to hazmat incidents in Canada’s diverse geography and climate. Among them:

• Extremely cold temperatures can alter chemical behaviour, freeze decontamination water, and reduce the effectiveness of protective equipment.
• Remote locations might be hours away from specialized resources, forcing local firefighters to manage incidents with limited support.
• Unknown or mislabelled materials pose significant risks. Not all hazardous materials are properly placarded. Firefighters might encounter illegal shipments, abandoned containers, or materials in unmarked storage.
• Evolving technology brings new challenges. Electric vehicle batteries, lithium-ion energy storage systems, and emerging industrial chemicals require updated knowledge and response techniques.

What’s the upshot?

Understanding how our country’s firefighters handle hazardous materials reveals the complexity and professionalism required in modern emergency response. They must combine systematic training, specialized equipment, comprehensive reference materials, and multi-agency coordination to confront hazmat threats. All that said:

The best hazmat incident is the one that never happens. Ensure that your operations never require the services of these brave souls.

Invest in employee training, maintain proper storage facilities, don’t let waste materials accumulate to dangerous levels at your worksites, and most importantly, partner with a certified hazardous waste disposal company—one who understands regulatory requirements and can help you establish safe handling protocols tailored to your industry.

Contact us today!

Thank you for reading our blog!