E0370 Chemical Safety and Hazardous Materials

Faculty of Science
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 3 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Ing. Pavel Častulík, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Pavel Čupr, Ph.D.
RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Pavel Čupr, Ph.D.
Supplier department: RECETOX – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
Knowledge of fundamentals of general chemistry, general biology or biochemistry is essential.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
After the completion of the course a student should be able to: Reproduce classification of hazardous materials (HazMat) and their physical, chemical and toxicological properties with the emphasis on chemicals, including biological and radiological substances; Understand and discuss the principles of chemical, biological and radiological safety, legislative provisions and international treaties for chemical, biological and radiological safety improvement; Discuss the impacts and analyze the principles of a person´s health and life protection and the monitoring of ecological systems in the conjunction with natural and anthropogenic disasters; Describe the principles of preparedness, prevention, response and clearance of the consequences associated with the accidents and deliberate use of chemicals and other HazMat (biological, radiological and explosive); Describe the methods and the means for detection, identification and monitoring of HazMat; Describe the principles and the means of physical personal and collective protection; Describe the methods and the means for persons, technology and materials decontamination; Demonstrate practical skills in selection and the application of personal protection equipment (PPE), detection and decontamination means; Recognize the cause of heat-stress during donning of the PPEs and the ways of its elimination; Demonstrate the practical skills in the first aid for the victims in contaminated environment; Describe and discuss the principles of the activities during the investigation of disaster events; Explain principles of the population protection and the role of Integrated Rescue System; Discuss and judge application of the course information for student´s fields of study.
Syllabus
  • Syllabus of the Course 1. Chemical Safety and Hazardous Materials (HazMat): The content orientation and definitions of HazMat. Chemical safety of production, stockpile facilities and the transportation of HazMat. 2. Natural and Anthropogenic Risks of HazMat Releases and Misuses: Natural extraordinary events and catastrophes triggering releases of HazMat. Anthropogenic risks of industrials accidents, fires, explosions and criminal/terrorist misuse of HazMat. 3. Non-proliferation of the Information and Technology against Misuse of HazMat: International treaties against proliferation, stockpiling, banning the use, verification and destruction of weapons of mass destruction. Treaties for protection of the health and the environment. Ethic role and responsibilities of research and development personnel and politicians in non-proliferation policies. 4. Protection of the Population and the Integrated Rescue System: Concepts and organization and the objectives of the population protection (prevention, warning, protection, cover and consequence management). Integrated Rescue System (legislation, objectives, structure and the competences of IRS). 5. Properties of HazMat: Hazardous burden and classification of HazMat. Physical, chemical and biological properties of HazMat characterizing their health effects, principles of protection against and their destruction/disposal. 6. Health Effects of HazMat: Toxicology and etiology of HazMat. Signs and symptoms of exposure.Fundamentals of the first aid and medical treatment of exposed victims. 7. Transmission and Effects of HazMat in the Environment: Characteristics of the HazMat releases during transportation and industrial accidents, fires, military and terrorist events. Application of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) for prediction of HazMat during an accident. 8. Detection, Identification and Monitoring of HazMat: Principles, methods and the means of detection, warning and identification of chemical, biological and radiological HazMat. Reconnaissance. Methods of samples collection. Non-destructive evaluation techniques. Mobile and stationary laboratory identification. 9. Protection Against HazMat: Principles, methods and means of physical personal and collective protection. Breathing and body protection. Testing and evaluation of design materials and integrity of PPE. 10. Human Body Physiology and PPE. Physiological properties of personal protection equipment (PPE). Influence of PPE and a body thermo-work load during activities in contaminated environment. Methods and technology for person´s evaluation of thermo-work load in test climatic chamber. Methods of human body cooling in PPE. 11. Decontamination of HazMat. Properties of contaminants and contaminated surfaces, reciprocal interactions and the influence on decontamination effectiveness. Evaluation of decontamination efficiency on different surfaces. Classification of decontamination principles, methods and means of human body, technology, materials, objects and terrain. Decontamination substances, formulations, methods and means of their application for human individual and mass decontamination, technology, material and evidences decontamination including objects, structures and terrain. 12. Medical Countermeasures against HazMat. Principles of medical emergency chain: Classification of a trauma (mechanical, thermal-burns, chemical, biological, radiological and psychological). First aid – emergency prehospital care-emergency hospital care. Concept of Mass Casualties and Healthcare (MASH) at the events of chemical, biological and radiological HazMat release. Triage of victims through START method. Basic Life Support (BLS). Principles of the Toxic Advanced Life Support (TOXALS).. 13. Principles of Operations in Contaminated Environment: Plan and preparation for the response in hazardous-contaminated environment. Selection and control of PPE level protection, mission response and communication equipment and materials, development of decontamination site/station, command and control system, medical support. 14. Consequence Management at HazMat Event: Methodology of consequence management during response at an event with release of HazMat. Command, control and communication at the site. Algorithm of the response operations (Ecological aspects of an event. Triggering of ecological monitoring, collection of samples, tracking the extent of an event. Reconstruction of an event. 15. Investigation of an Event with HazMat: Methodology of forensics investigation of a HazMat accidental event. Evidence collection through observations, witnesses, responders and victims interviewing and medical records evaluation.. 16. Environmental Monitoring of the HazMat Event: Environmental and health risks associated with industrial accidents, fires and war/terrorist events associated with release of HazMat. Health and environmental potential impacts during destruction of chemical weapons, abandoned, buried and dumped weapons. 17. Practical Hands-on Exercises: Hands on practice with detection means, sampling, collection and transportation kits. Selection, testing and donning/doffing PPE. Selection and application of emergency and operational decontamination kits. Selection and administration of antidotes and utilization of resuscitation means. Identification of injuries and response with START, determination of signs and symptoms of victims exposed with chemical, biological and radiological HazMat. Application of toxic advanced life support (TOXAL) for victims. Fundamental operations in search, rescue and saving of victims in contaminated environment, evidence collection, individual and team decontamination. 18. Response Exercise at the HazMat Event: Scenario based exercise with the release of unknown hazardous substance in enclosed structure. Identification of the type and extent of the event, reconnaissance on-site, detection of hazardous substance, search and rescue first aid and emergency decontamination of the victims. Collection of evidences and the information of an event. 19. Excursion: Familiarization of the students with the components of integrated rescue system, research and development institutions, medical emergency and health care workplaces associated with chemical, biological and radiological safety. Visits at the selected facilities are planned for 2 days trip.
Literature
  • MATOUŠEK, Jiří. Chemical Weapons/Chemical Warfare Agents. 1st ed. Ostrava: SÚJB Praha, SÚJCHBO Příbram, SPBI Ostrava, 2008, 53 pp. ISBN 978-80-7385-041-8. info
  • PATOČKA, Jiří. Vojenská toxikologie. 1. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2004, 178 s. ISBN 8024706083. info
Teaching methods
Interactive instruction is representing by combination of lectures, practical hands-on exercises (weekly cycle through the semester), team exercise and excursion-visits. Students are frequently asked to express their views on tabled problems in order to develop their critical thinking. They are also stimulated to discuss and pose questions on the lecture´s topic. Lectures utilizing audiovisual means (ppt presentations, video), with complementary case studies, demonstration of authentically means for detection, sampling, protection, decontamination, emergency medical intervention, antidotes, first aid, etc. Practical Exercises are focused on the operation with the basic instrumental means for detection, protection, decontamination, antidotes and first aid administration, and sample collection. Practical exercises are the part of e weekly lecture cycles. Obtained practical skills will be evaluated during the team scenario driven exercise at the end of the semester. Excursion is planned to the Emergency department of the Faculty Hospital in Brno-Bohunice; the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Radiological Protection in Kamenná and Příbram; the EOD School of Czech Police in Opatovice and the Centre of Biological Protection of Czech Army in Těchonín. The students will submit the report from the visits.
Assessment methods
Attending lectures in accordance with the Study Order is not obligatory, however, it is highly recommended in conjunction with the active student´s presence during follow up hands-on exercises, taking into consideration quite extraordinary opportunity to be familiar with unique study matter that is not the subject of civilian universities curricula practically worldwide. During the lectures, the understanding of topic from previous lectures is verified. Passing through of the excursion is completed with student´s summary report. Successful cope with practical skills and presence at the scenario one day exercise are prerequisites for admitting to final verbal examination at the end of the semester. The aim of the examination is to verify the depth of knowledge and skill required according to the course objectives, mainly ability of application in solving technical and health problems of prevention, protection, rescue, medical countermeasures, recovery, elimination of consequences, principles of investigation and environmental consequences of model situations at extraordinary events with releases of HazMat.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2022/E0370