IS-5.A An Introduction to Hazardous Materials

This Independent Study course is intended to provide a general introduction to hazardous materials that can serve as a foundation for more specific studies in the future. The course has five Units which are outlined below. No prior knowledge of the subject is required or assumed. At the end of the course, the participant should be able to: - Explain the roles of Federal, State, Tribal and local governments in reducing hazardous materials risks through Health and Environmental Regulations; - Discuss the two major hazardous materials identification systems used within the United States; - Identify possible terrorist's targets of opportunities in the use of toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD); - Identify locations where hazardous materials are commonly found and how to determine their potential health effects; - Describe basic terms that pertain to exposures to hazardous materials; - Read and interpret a materials safety data sheet (MSDS); - Explain how hazardous materials enter the body and contaminate the environment; - Describe what communities can do to increase their emergency preparedness to respond to hazardous materials incidents; and - Identify steps individuals and communities can take to protect themselves during a hazardous materials release.