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Hazard Identification Testing System (HITS course)™

Thursday, June 6, 2024
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: Peale A
The basics of research is one of the most important but confusing subjects on a hazardous materials incident. Using the Hazardous Identification System (HITS) the technician will be able to identify chemical properties of a substance or compound by simple field testing. Conducting basic testing such field papers, flammability, and solubility the technician then may move into advance testing with detection equipment to classify a chemical into a chemistry group. Although the technician may not be able to know the exact name following the HITS system, they should be able to recognize the general group in under 15 minutes. The chart provided is a collective group of information that before was scattered among accepted reference sources. The HITS system brings this information together in for easier access. This course addresses competencies in NFPA 470 and designed for experienced technicians familiar with most terms and equipment used in hazardous materials response. The format will be instructor lead, in-class with practical demonstrations. Course is limited to twenty-five students. Target Audience: Fire Service (Hazardous Materials Technician or higher), Emergency Management field response personnel, Law Enforcement, and Industrial Emergency Response Personnel.

Learning Objectives:

  • Class introduction a. An unknown product on scene is a rarity in hazardous materials response but possible. At times, your response team may need to sample and practice the art of wet chemistry, which is perishable skills set for hazardous materials technicians. b. This course is designed for the basic hazardous materials technicians to advance learning to rapid field analysis. c. The course will review the basics of field testing that include testing papers, air monitoring devices, and basic chemistry tests to group hazards into classes the technician is familiar from experience.
  • Review of chemical properties • NFPA 470 11.2.1 (formerly NFPA 7.2.1.1-7.2.1.2 and NFPA 1072 7.2.1) -Analyzing the incident a. Surveying hazardous materials/ WMD incidents i. Using a basic system of known, positive observable field tests the assigned research personnel can process basic chemical hazards from an unknown product through the hazard identification testing system (HITS). b. Identify containers and contents c. Detection, monitoring, and sampling
  • Review of chemical testing and detecting equipment for basic hazmat responders • NFPA 470 11.2.2 (formerly NFPA 472 7.2.2 and NPFA 1072 7.2.2) -Hazard Response Information Collection and Interpretation a. Review of HITS chart i. This functional reference guide can assist with all responses by logically presenting field tests into a systematic follow along guide.