Emergency Response Guidebook


The Emergency Response Guidebook: A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of a Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident is used by emergency response personnel in Canada, Mexico, and the United States when responding to a transportation emergency involving hazardous materials. First responders in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia have recently begun using the ERG as well. It is produced by the United States Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation. The principal authors of the ERG are Transport Canada's Michel Cloutier and U.S. DOT's George Cushmac.

Guidebook Contents

The ERG is primarily applicable for hazardous materials transported by highway and railway, but also is applicable for materials transported by air or waterway, as well as by pipeline. It was first issued by the US Department of Transportation in 1973, but later became a joint publication of the Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico, with collaboration with the Chemistry Information Center for Emergencies of Argentina. The ERG is issued every 4 years, with editions now being published in Spanish.
The ERG "is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of
the incident" and should only be used for the "initial response phase" of an incident. It is divided into six color-coded sections. The ERG includes 62 "Guides" that identify the primary hazards associated with the applicable general category of hazardous material and general guidance on how to respond to incidents involving that general category of hazardous material. The primary purpose of ERG is to direct the emergency responders to the most appropriate of these guides, based on the incident. The ERG also provides guidance regarding recommended evacuation distances, if applicable, in the [|Green Section].

Sections

White Section (front)

The first section, with white page borders, provides the following:
The second section, with yellow page borders, references the material in order of its assigned 4-digit ID number/UN/NA number. Items highlighted in green in this section will have evacuation distances included in the Green Section.

Blue Section

The third section, with blue page borders, references the material in alphabetical order of its name and identifies the appropriate guide number to reference in the Orange Section). Items highlighted in green in this section will also have evacuation distances included in the Green Section.

[|Orange Section]

The fourth section, with orange page borders, includes the actual response guides. Each of the 62 guides provides safety recommendations and directions on how to proceed during the initial response phase of the incident. It includes "health" and "fire or explosion" potential hazard information. For example, "the material gives off irritating vapors, easily ignited by heat, reactive with water"; "highly toxic, may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through skin"; etc.
Next this section includes information for responders on appropriate protective clothing and possible evacuation information for either spill or fire is given. It also includes information on fighting fires, warnings for spills or leaks, and special directions for first aid.
In the event of an unknown material, Guide #111 should be followed until more information becomes available.

Green Section

The fifth section, with green page borders, suggests initial evacuation or shelter in place distances for spills of materials that are Toxic-by-Inhalation. These distances vary based on the size of the spill and whether the incident occurs during the day or at night. Only materials that were highlighted in green in the Yellow and Blue Sections are included in the Green Section.
This section also includes information regarding toxic gases that are produced when certain materials are spilled in water. Finally, this section includes some very specific evacuation details for six common materials.

White Section (back)

The sixth section, with white page borders, provides the following: