Chapter 9

Mission-Specific Competencies: Technical

Decontamination

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (1 of 4)

• Plan a response by selecting a technical decontamination process that will minimize the hazard. (NFPA 6.4.1.2.2, p. 206–211)

• Identify the personal protective equipment required to support technical decontamination at hazardous materials/WMD incidents based on local procedures. (NFPA 6.4.3.1, p. 213)

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (2 of 4)

• Identify and describe the limitations and advantages of technical decontamination operations and the technical decontamination methods. (NFPA 6.4.3.2(1)(2), p. 208–211)

• Identify resources for determining the correct technical decontamination procedure in a hazardous materials/WMD incident. (NFPA 6.4.3.2(3), p. 206–213)

• Identify the supplies and equipment needed for technical decontamination. (NFPA 6.4.3.2(4), p. 213)

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (3 of 4)

• Identify tools, equipment, and procedures for processing evidence during technical decontamination. (NFPA 6.4.3.2(5), p. 206–211)

• Identify the role of the operations level responder assigned to technical decontamination. (NFPA 6.4.4.1(1), p. 206–215)

• Identify procedures, equipment and safety precautions for handling tools, equipment weapons, criminal suspects, and law enforcement canines brought to the decontamination corridor.(NFPA 6.4.3.2(6), p. 206–207)

Objectives: Operations Level Responders Assigned Mission-Specific Responsibilities (4 of 4)

• Identify procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of technical decontamination. (NFPA 6.2.5.1, p. 215)

• Identify the importance, steps, and requirements of maintaining records. (NFPA 6.2.6.1, p. 215)

Introduction (1 of 3)

• Decontamination is a process-driven activity.

• Emergency decontamination– Used for potentially life-threatening situations

to rapidly remove contaminant from a person– Goal: reduce effect of exposure and get victim

clean enough to receive medical care

Introduction (2 of 3)

• Mass decontamination– Emergency decontamination on a large number of

people– Goal: remove contaminants as quickly as possible to

reduce impact of exposure

• Technical decontamination– Goal: reduce or eliminate contamination from

responder PPE prior to removing it– Water-based process: using scrub brushes, catch

basin, cleaning solution

Introduction (3 of 3)

• Gross decontamination– Takes place within

controlled decontamination corridor

– Involves prewash before technical decontamination

Courtesy of Rob Schnepp

Technical Decontamination• The planned and systematic process of reducing

contamination to a level that is as low as reasonably achievable (ASLARA)

• Multiple personnel (decontamination team) use brushes to scrub and wash person or object.

• May involve water or special cleaning solution• Dry decontamination

– Removing all PPE and placing directly into bags for disposal

Absorption

• Spongy material (soil, sawdust, or synthetic absorbents) mixed with liquid hazardous material

• Used for decontaminating equipment and property

• Material becomes hazardous once in contact with contaminant and must be disposed of properly.

Adsorption• Contaminant adheres

to surface of added material (i.e., sand or activated carbon).

© Jones & Bartlett Learning. Photographed by Glen E. Ellman

Vacuuming

• Removal of dust, particles, and some liquids by sucking them up into container

• Filtering system prevents material from entering atmosphere.

• HEPA vacuum cleaner – For removing hazardous dusts, powders, or

fibers that are 0.3 micron or larger

Washing

• For removing oily substances and solvents from responder PPE, tools, and equipment

• Soap and water; scrubbed with brush or sponge and rinsed with water

Dilution

• Uses plain water to fully rinsecontaminated person or object to weaken concentration of hazard

• Fast and economical• Larger the volume of water used, more

hazardous waste generated

Disinfection

• To destroy disease-carrying microorganisms, excluding spores

Evaporation

• Natural form of chemical degradation• Safe, noninvasive way to allow chemical

substance to stabilize without intervention

Neutralization

• Used when corrosivity of acid or base needs to be reduced

• Weak base neutralizes strong acid; weak acid neutralizes strong base

• Never used for skin decontamination

Solidification

• Chemical process that causes hazardous liquid to become solid

• Commercial products available• Makes material easier to handle

Sterilization

• Used for biological agents• Heat, chemical, radiation• To kill microorganisms, including spores• Not for responders • For environmental decontamination and

for tools and equipment

Isolation and Disposal• Two-step process for items that cannot be

completely decontaminated• Contaminated items removed and isolated in

designated area• Items are:

– Segregated into logical groupings and tagged– Placed into suitable container such as bag,

barrel, or bucket– Then legally transported to approved treatment,

storage, or disposal facility

The Technical Decontamination Process (1 of 3)

• Process should take place within predesignated decontamination corridor within the warm zone.

• Corridor is set up and staffed prior to entry team making access and going to work in hot zone.

• Warm zone becomes “warm” upon commencement of decontamination process.

• Prior to contaminated responders passing through, the corridor is considered cold.

The Technical Decontamination Process (2 of 3)

• Clearly marked, easily seen, readily accessible point to corridor

• Clearly marked exit• Several stations inside decontamination

corridor

The Technical Decontamination Process (3 of 3)

• Stations should include:– Collection basins– Portable sprayers– Sponges– Buckets– Long-handled scrub brushes– Tarps

Performing Technical Decontamination (1 of 4)

• Process starts before entry team enters hot zone.

• Pre-entry briefing– Location of decon corridor– Process to be used– How decon team will communicate

• Notify decontamination team that responders are en route.

Performing Technical Decontamination (2 of 4)

• Decide which responder begins process first.• Responders should place contaminated hand

tools or other equipment in tool drop area near entrance of corridor.

• Entry team proceeds into decontamination corridor for gross decontamination, if required.

• One to three wash-and-rinse stations– One contaminated responder allowed in wash-

and-rinse station at a time

Performing Technical Decontamination (3 of 4)

• After protective equipment is scrubbed and rinsed, it can be removed from responder.

• SCBA face piece, air-purifying respirators, or PAPR face piece should remain in place as long as possible.

• PPE should be rolled or folded back so contaminated side contacts only itself.

• Outer chemical gloves are removed from responders.

Performing Technical Decontamination (4 of 4)

• Responder proceeds toward cold zone end of corridor to area where helmets, face pieces, and other ancillary equipment are removed and placed in separate area or plastic bag.

• Removes and discards inner gloves• Exits decontamination area and enters

cold zone for showers and new clothes• Proceeds to medical station for evaluation

Evaluating Effectiveness

• Check for effectiveness of decontamination using method that offers most accurate results.– pH paper to check for corrosive residue– Photo ionization detector to check for residual

organic compounds– Radiation detectors to ensure there is no

radiation contamination on responder

Reports and Documentation• Name of all persons processed through

decontamination corridor• Information on released substance• Potential for health effects of accidental

exposure• Actions taken to limit exposure• Detailed description of decontamination

activities• Any breaches or failures of PPE noted during

decontamination

Summary (1 of 5)

• Decontamination is the physical and/or chemical process of reducing and preventing the spread of contaminants from people, animals, the environment, or equipment involved at hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents.

Summary (2 of 5)

• Decontamination efforts should be matched to the known or anticipated physical and chemical properties of the released substance.

Summary (3 of 5)

• The three major categories of decontamination are emergency decontamination, mass decontamination, and technical decontamination. Gross decontamination takes place within a controlled decontamination corridor and generally consists of a prewash before technical decontamination takes place.

Summary (4 of 5)

• The decontamination corridor is a controlled area in the warm zone, for which access is limited to only those persons who have entered the hot zone or who are participating in decontamination.

Summary (5 of 5)

• Responders may employ any number of technical decontamination methods for personnel, tools, and equipment, including absorption, adsorption, washing, dilution, and neutralization. It is up to the responder to match the best decontamination method with the physical and chemical characteristics of the contaminant.