This document helps first responders in planning and responding to dangerous goods incidents. It presents three types of practical worksheets, which can be adapted to fit your local needs.
Each section contains:
- A brief description of the use of the worksheet
- The worksheet
- The instruction guidelines to aid in filling in the information.
Use the 3 worksheets during training and exercises to become familiar with them, adapt them to your local needs and be better prepared for an incident involving dangerous goods in your community.
On this page
- Introduction
- Section 1: Aide-mémoires for First Responders
- Section 2: Dangerous Goods Incident Worksheet
- Section 3: Dangerous Goods Incident Pre-plan Worksheet
Introduction
In the years following the tragic derailment at Lac-Mégantic, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Directorate has been working on the development of awareness materials for first responders to help them respond to rail incidents involving flammable liquids. The You're Not Alone! emergency response planning document for rail incidents involving flammable liquids provides information on tools and resources accessible to first responders in case of a rail incident involving flammable liquids (e.g. crude oil, diesel or gasoline).
As part of the tools developed to guide first responders through the critical steps of responding to a rail incident involving flammable liquids, an aide-mémoire was created. This checklist was developed based on recommendations from the Emergency Response Task Force (ERTF) and the Vulcan full-scale exercise in British Columbia in 2016. The checklist was also used and tested as part of the Athena full-scale exercise in Quebec in 2017.
TDG continues working to improve responses to rail incidents involving flammable liquids as well as improving the response to incidents involving other dangerous goods in transport.
The purpose of this document is to provide practical tools to help first responders and local communities plan, prepare and respond to incidents involving dangerous goods in transport. It includes three practical sheets that can be adapted to fit local needs:
- Aide-mémoires for First Responders: checklists developed for different classes and divisions of dangerous goods, for use on site of an incident;
- Dangerous Goods Incident Worksheet: to log important information when using the Aide-mémoire for first responders; and,
- Dangerous Goods Incident Pre-plan Worksheet: a pre-planning tool.
This document is divided into three sections with descriptions and instructions to help fill out and use the checklist and worksheets mentioned above.
It is suggested that these sheets are used during training and exercises in order to help first responders familiarize themselves with the sheets and adapt them to their needs. Changes can be made to the sheets to suit a variety of different situations, and they will help ensure communities are prepared for an incident involving dangerous goods.
Most importantly, remember: You’re not alone!
Section 1: First Responders Aide-Mémoires
The Aide-mémoires for First Responders provide a step by step approach for dealing with transport incidents that involve dangerous goods. They are available for 15 classes and divisions of dangerous goods that contain products for which an Emergency response assistance plan (ERAP) may be required.
Each Aide-mémoire is a two-page checklist or quick reference sheet that summarizes the most important considerations for this specific class or division of each dangerous good. They also outline the five key steps to follow when dealing with an incident involving dangerous goods.
The five key steps are:
- Do not rush
- Secure the scene
- Identify the hazards and assess the situation
- Get help
- Respond
The Aide-mémoires are tools that can also be used during the development of a local emergency plan as well as during training and exercises. Knowing the most important steps will help first responders be better prepared for an incident involving dangerous goods in their community.
The Aide-mémoires available are:
- Class 1 – Explosives
- Class 2.1 – Flammable Gases
- Class 2.2 – Non-flammable, non-toxic gases
- Class 2.2 (5.1) – Oxygen and oxidizing gases
- Class 2.3 – Toxic gases
- Class 3 – Flammable liquids
- Class 4.1 – Flammable solids
- Class 4.2 – Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
- Class 4.3 – Water-reactive substances
- Class 5.1 – Oxidizing substances
- Class 5.2 – Organic peroxides
- Class 6.1 – Toxic substances
- Class 6.2 – Infectious substances
- Class 7 – Radioactive materials
- Class 8 – Corrosives
The Aide-mémoires for First Responders are not intended to replace the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) but should be used in combination with it: they are quick reference tools that outline the most important considerations and steps to follow during an incident and should be used with the ERG.
How to use the Aide-mémoires for First Responders
Each Aide-mémoire lists actions and considerations in five key steps:
- Do not rush
- Secure the scene
- Identify the hazards and assess the situation
- Get help
- Respond
Each step includes a list of elements that should be considered, alongside check boxes that can be marked when each step is complete.
Each section below explains how to use the Aide-mémoire. If any step in the list is unclear, then non-intervention is the safest approach until more information is available to ensure a safe response.
Note: When using the Aide-mémoires, if at any step of a response conditions change or new information arises, it is a good idea to go back to Step 1 to make sure all important elements have been considered. This form is meant to be flexible.
Initial considerations
This section contains a list of the most important elements that should be considered before planning a response. The list presents the most important hazards, concerns or issues when responding to the specific class of dangerous goods. It does not list all the hazards. Once the specific dangerous goods have been identified, more information can be found in the ERG, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), or through CANUTEC.
CANUTEC
This box contains CANUTEC’s telephone numbers. CANUTEC can be called at any point during any step of an incident involving dangerous goods.
Step 1: Do not rush
This section lists the elements to think about before arriving to the site of an incident. The priority should be keeping both first responders and the public safe. Make sure to keep a safe distance, approach from uphill and upwind where possible and avoid contact with any vapours, fumes, spills and site safety hazards.
Always consider: What if we don’t know if dangerous goods are involved? The answer: Always consider it a possibility and be ready, just in case.
Some situations may involve dangerous goods, but may not be obvious at first. These could include when:
- Trucks or railcars carrying dangerous goods have no placards or don’t have the correct dangerous goods placards
- There is poor visibility or when the placards are the same colour as the trailer or railcar
- Placards aren’t visible, for example, when snow has covered them
- A truck or railcar is not properly placarded on four sides and is laying on the side that has the placard
If dangerous goods are involved, regardless of the type it’s critical to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). First responders should be familiar with the level of protection that the PPE can offer. For example, with standard fire-fighting response PPE, bunker gear offers limited skin protection against the hazards from toxic or corrosive vapours, fumes or gases, but the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) can protect the respiratory system against those same hazards.
Questions to consider regarding Step 1:
- Could dangerous goods be involved and which dangerous goods?
- The placards may not be visible, or missing due to the impact.
- Trucks or railcars may not have the right placards.
- What amount of dangerous goods could be involved in this incident?
- Tanker trucks of flammable liquids carry approximately 38,000 litres when full and a rail tank car carries approximately 100,000 litres when full.
- A tractor-trailer can carry various quantities of dangerous goods in different sizes of means of containment (mixed loads).
- What is the terrain of the area surrounding the incident? What is the wind direction? Where can first responders approach safely from uphill and upwind where possible?
- Make sure to get information on the topography as well as the wind direction so that it is easier to plan an approach.
- What are the hazards of the dangerous goods involved and what is the risk of each hazard?
- At this initial stage, the Guide number provided in the Aide-mémoire for the ERG may be the quickest way to access the information. CANUTEC can also provide assistance during any step of an incident involving dangerous goods.
- What kind of PPE is available to the crew?
- If dangerous goods are involved, regardless of the type it is critical to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). First responders should be familiar with the level of protection that the PPE can offer and its limitations.
- What gases are the detectors capable of measuring?
- First responders should be familiar with detection equipment, its limitations and the necessary correction factors.
Step 2: Secure the scene
Isolate the area and secure the perimeter by limiting access to the area surrounding the incident. For a rail incident or a road incident close to a railway, it is important to contact the Rail Traffic Control Centre so that they can close rail traffic. If this is not done, trains could approach at any moment and because trains are not easily stopped, this could make the situation even worse.
Step 3: Identify the hazards and assess the situation
When dealing with a dangerous goods incident, the safest approach is to wait until the information and the resources needed to respond safely are available. Information that should be gathered by observing from a safe distance and, if available, from the shipping document is listed in this section. Shipping documents can be found:
- For road, the shipping document is usually located in the power unit. It could also be in a waterproof receptacle on the trailer, for example if the cargo unit has been disconnected from the power unit in an unsupervised area.
- For rail, the shipping document is usually with the train crew. It could also be in the first locomotive, if no member of the train crew is present.
- For marine, the master of the vessel will have the shipping document available on or near the bridge of the vessel.
The shipping document will provide the details on each product transported including: the UN number, the name of the dangerous goods, the quantity transported and the means of containment.
Once the dangerous goods are identified, more information on the specific hazards for each product can be gathered and an evaluation of the other hazards present at the scene can be performed.
Hazards could include:
- Chemical hazards – the result of contact with a product (includes decomposition, reaction, combustion) by routes of entry, such as inhalation, ingestion or skin contact
- Physical hazards – level of light, noise, temperature, pressure
- Safety hazards – projectiles, fires, explosions, unstable loads or hazards related to mechanical equipment
- Site safety hazards – electrical lines, pipelines, bent rails
Once information on the hazards has been obtained at the scene the isolation zone can be reviewed according to the new information collected.
Step 4: Get help
When dangerous goods are involved, extra help may be needed. Different levels of assistance are available and important information can be found on the shipping document.
- The 24-hour telephone number is where the consignor can be reached to get technical information about the dangerous goods in transport. The line may be answered by CANUTEC or someone who can provide technical information. Anyone can call this telephone number, free of charge.
- For some higher-risk dangerous goods, an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) may be required. If a shipment requires an ERAP, the shipping document will show the plan’s reference number (2-XXXX-YYY) and the ERAP telephone number.
- The ERAP telephone number is an emergency number where technical and emergency response advice is provided as soon as possible by the person who has the ERAP.
- This person is an expert in the dangerous goods and means of containment that require the ERAP and can provide assistance on actions to be taken to respond to a release or anticipated release. They can help by implementing their plan and sending emergency response resources to the incident site.
- Anyone can call the ERAP telephone number.
- If the shipping document is not available, if the information is not legible or if it is unclear what is written, CANUTEC can provide assistance in finding the right contacts and help with communication between multiple organizations.
The larger the incident, the more organizations that will be involved. Good coordination and organization are the keys to making the response safe and efficient. Working with other organizations under an incident command structure is the best way to coordinate the response.
Step 5: Respond
Before responding it is important to review the critical considerations, confirm the information and coordinate all resources. The response actions taken should take into account the capabilities of the resources on site. Defensive and offensive operations should only be attempted when it is safe to do so, and when the appropriate resources are on site. Until then, non-intervention is the safest approach.
Once a response has been put in place, it needs to be re-evaluated when the conditions of the incident change, including progress made by the response teams, change in weather, new hazard presents itself, etc.
Section 2: Dangerous Goods Incident Worksheet
The Dangerous Goods Incident Worksheet works hand-in-hand with the Aide-mémoires for First Responders. It contains the same five key steps as the Aide-mémoires and provides a template to collect all the important information at any step of an emergency situation involving dangerous goods. Make sure to use it on-site of an incident with the Aide-mémoires.
A sample dangerous goods incident worksheet is available in the following formats, which you can customize to meet your needs:
How to use the Dangerous Goods Incident Worksheet
This worksheet complements the Aide-mémoire for first responders. By following the five key steps, it allows the Authority Having Jurisdiction or Community Officials to gather and record information about the:
- Initial details of the incident that can be communicated to the carrier, the shipper and response organizations
- Weather conditions and how they could affect the response
- Means of containment, using the identification marks, initials and numbers
- Hazards presented by the dangerous goods or the incident site
- Carrier, the shipper, the response organizations, local authorities and other participants
- Response strategies and details of the Incident Action Plan
Step 1: Do not rush
This box is where the emergency planner or scribe for the incident would outline the initial details of the incident including when the first notification went out, the location of the incident, the arrival of the first unit on scene, the initial details of what is involved and any information on the weather and terrain at the incident site.
Example:
Step 1: Do not rush - Initial incident details
| Time and location | Date | January 1st 2019 | Location of incident | Crossing Number 123456 (Clark Road Crossing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time activated | 03:00 | |||
| Time on site | 03:30 | Location of IC | Corner of Road 22 and Road 11, with uphill vantage point. | |
| Time left site | TBD - still on-going | |||
| Weather at incident site | Time | Wind Speed and Direction | Temperature (°C) | Other information (e.g., initial isolation perimeter, conditions) |
| 03:00 | 10 km/h out of the NW | -17 | It is a level crossing and should be no issues with access | |
| 03:30 | 15 km/h out of the NW | -20 | Icy conditions at the site | |
| Notes | Train collided with a truck at a level crossing and has derailed a number of rail cars. Dangerous goods involved. No information on casualties | |||
Step 2: Secure the scene
This is where the information on the local authority and carrier (or carriers) should be documented.
Example:
Step 2: Secure the scene - Contacting local authorities and the carrier
| Local authority | Organization | RCMP | Name/position | Lt. Dave Smith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telephone | 1-123-456-7890 | |||
| Carrier information | Organization | 123 Rail Inc. | Name/position | Conductor - Lawrence Jameson |
| Telephone | 1-888-123-RAIL 1-987-654-3210 |
|||
| Rail incident: Has the Rail Traffic Control Centre been contacted to ensure shut down of the rail line(s)? | ||||
| Rail Traffic Control Centre | Name | John | Position | Rail company advisor |
| Telephone | 123-456-7891 | |||
Step 3: Identify the hazards and assess the situation
Information on the hazards should be documented here. List the dangerous goods involved in the incident, including the ERG Guide reference and the recommended evacuation distance, so that the information can be given quickly to other first responders when they arrive.
Record any ordered evacuations and their time, as well as a draft layout of the incident in this section.
Example:
Step 3: Identify the hazards and assess the situation - From a safe distance
| Signs | Fire | Smoke | Fumes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vapours | Leaks | Spills | ||||||
| Container damage | Risks of: | Heat induced tear | BLEVE | |||||
| Site safety hazards | Electrical lines | Pipelines | Bent rails | |||||
| Is the shipping document obtained? Yes/No | ||||||||
| Dangerous goods | Container ID | UN# | Class | Shipping name | ERG Guide | Hazards | Evacuation distance (m) | |
| Initial | Fire | |||||||
| UUGX7801 | 1267 | 3 | Petroleum | 128 | Flammability | 300 | 800 | |
| NOFX1234 | 1202 | 3 | Diesel Fuel | 128 | Flammability | 300 | 800 | |
| TTHX1138 | 1789 | 8 | Hydrochloric Acid | 157 | Corrosivity | 50 | 800 | |
| DCJX0477 | 1075 | 2.1 | Liquefied Petroleum Gases | 115 | Flammability | 800 | 1600 | |
Step 4: Get help
This section is where the emergency planner or scribe would list the emergency response units that are responding to the incident, and show where they’ve been assigned under the Incident Command (IC) structure. It can also be used to list the contact information for both those on site, as well as those who aren’t present but are still relevant to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for response.
Example:
| Step 4: Get help - Communicate, inform and prepare to coordinate resources | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Have they been contacted: CANUTEC / 24h Emergency number or ERAP telephone number? | ||||
| CANUTEC: 1-888-CAN-UTEC (226-8832), 613-996-6666 or *666 on a cellular phone. | ||||
| Units responding | Unit ID | Origin | Position under IC | |
| Fire 1 | Jonesville FD | Incident Commander | ||
| Pumper 1 | Jonesville FD | Operations ER Branch, Fire Suppression Division | ||
| Pumper 2 | Jonesville FD | Operations ER Branch, Confinement Division | ||
| Resources | Organization | Origin | Personnel and equip | Position under IC |
| ERAP Team 1 | Closest City | 48 feet trailer, pumps, hoses, PPE | Operations ER Branch, Response Operations Division | |
| Rail Team 1 | Big City | Wrecking equipment | Operations ER Branch, Response Operations Division | |
| ERAP Team 2 | Further City | En route to incident site - Not yet assigned | ||
| Contact information | Name | Organization | Cell Phone Number | Email Address |
| Chief Wilson | Jonesville Fire Department | 1-987-123-4567 | chief@jonesvillefd.com | |
| Deputy Chief Brown | Jonesville Fire Department | 1-987-654-1234 | deputychief@jonesvillefd.com | |
| William Smith | Technical Advisor for Big Petro Inc.'s ERAP | 1-587-789-0012 | Will.smith@bigpetro.com | |
| Virgil Hilts | HazMat Responders 123, Team Leader for Big Petro Inc.'s ERAP | 1-587-998-1875 | vhilts@hazmat123.com | |
Step 5: Respond
The emergency planner or scribe should use this section to draw a simple diagram of the scene. It should show the wind direction and the location of any means of containment or exposures that are important to the response.
Below the diagram, this section should include which strategy the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is using and any details on the response.
It should also be used to make notes on things that are relevant to the response that haven’t been covered yet on this form. This information could relate to the:
- dangerous goods themselves
- available resources
- government agencies
- logistics or planning
- documentation
- whatever is deemed important by the scribe or the AHJ/IC
Example:
Step 5: Respond - Incident size up and strategy employed
| Incident layout |
Container(s), location, safety zones, wind direction, etc. 
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Have all the critical considerations been included in the assessment? | |||
| Are all the resources part of a timely, appropriate, safe and coordinated response? | |||
| Strategy | Non-intervention | Defensive | Offensive |
| Notes on strategy | Defensive strategy employed with local fire teams ensuring spilled dangerous goods are contained. Waiting on arrival of resources from rail and the ERAP before reassessing the strategy. | ||
| Other important information |
|
||
Section 3: Dangerous Goods Incident Pre-Plan Worksheet
This worksheet helps to identify the dangerous goods moving through the community and available resources to better prepare a response to an incident. The worksheet should be used as a template for pre-planning a response to an incident.
The main steps of pre-planning are:
- Conducting a hazard identification and risk assessment (HIRA) for dangerous goods by identifying the carriers that go through the community and the dangerous goods that they transport.
- Identifying the community's response resources, including mutual aid agreements with other organizations.
- Networking with carriers, shippers and response organizations to gauge their respective response capabilities.
- Developing the knowledge and skills so that local response organizations can respond to incidents.
Identifying carriers and dangerous goods that go through the community will take time. Rail carriers are the easiest to identify and information on volumes is available through CANUTEC upon request by community emergency planning officials under Protective Direction 36.
For all other modes of transport, emergency planning officials can start by contacting the manufacturers, transport companies and terminal facilities in the area.
Transport companies should be able to give a general overview about what they’re transporting including the amount of material and the routes that they typically use. They will welcome the outreach. To find out about the other dangerous goods in transit through a jurisdiction, observing and taking notes of carriers’ names and dangerous goods placards may allow emergency planning officials to contact these transport companies directly to find out what dangerous goods companies ship with them and the nature of the dangerous goods.
A sample dangerous goods incident pre-plan worksheet is also available in the following formats, which you can customize to meet your needs:
How to use the Dangerous Goods Incident Pre-plan Worksheet
The Dangerous Goods Incident Pre-Plan Worksheet will help when planning ahead, so as to be prepared if an emergency happens.
Section 1: Fire Department/Municipality
This box is where the emergency planner would list their municipality and all of the fire departments within their jurisdiction.
Example:
| 1. Fire Department/Municipality | Breslow County Fire Department, City of Garrison Fire Department / Breslow County |
|---|
Section 2: Carriers that transport dangerous goods
This section is where the emergency planner will fill in specific information for all the carriers of dangerous goods that travel through their jurisdiction.
- Mode refers to the type of transportation the carrier uses. For example: road or rail. A carrier may use more than one mode.
- The carrier's name is the carrier's legal name or the name that they use to do business.
- The contact name is the person working for the carrier who can be easily reached in case of emergency. They should know about the carrier’s fleet and the dangerous goods that are being transported.
- The non-emergency phone number is the office or cell phone number for the contact.
- The emergency phone number is the after-hours phone number where the contact can be reached directly as such. This could be a cell phone, or an indirect line, such as a call centre.
Example:
| 2. Carriers that transport dangerous goods | Mode: rail, road, marine, air | Carrier's name | Contact name | Non-emergency phone number | Emergency Phone number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road | Number 1 Trucking Ltd. | Robert Paulson | 1-975-578-0546 | 1-888-NUMBER1 | |
| Rail | 123 Rail Inc. | Tyler Durden | 1-987-456-7098 | 1-888-123-RAIL |
Section 3: Local resources and mutual aid
This section is where the emergency planner should list all the organizations in the area that have agreed to help in case of incidents involving dangerous goods.
- The name of the organization goes in the organization column, and could include:
- trade organizations
- responsible CAER (Community Awareness and Emergency Response) groups
- members of industry
- other first responders from nearby communities
- The contact name is the person working for an organization who can be reached easily in case of emergency. They should know about the means of containment and the dangerous goods that are being transported. They may also have access to resources that would help in a response.
- The non-emergency phone number is the office or cell phone number for the contact.
- The emergency phone number is the after-hours phone number where the contact can be reached directly as such. This could be a cell phone, or an indirect line, such as a call centre.
Example:
| 3. Local resources and mutual aid | Organization | Contact name | Non-emergency phone number | Emergency Phone number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Haverbrook CAER Group | Lyle Lanley | 1-867-543-2100 | 1-888-NHCAER1 |
Section 4: Dangerous goods in transport through the community
This section is where the emergency planner should list all the dangerous goods that are moving through their community, and the related Response Guide in the ERG.
- In the mode column, note what mode(s) of transport is moving each dangerous good.
- Write the unique four-digit identifier of each dangerous good in the UN Number column.
- The class refers to the primary class of each dangerous good, and includes any subclasses in parentheses. Classes for each dangerous good can be found in the Schedule 1 of the TDG Regulations.
- The shipping name refers to the name commonly used when shipping a dangerous good with that UN number. The shipping name can be found in the Schedule 1 of the TDG Regulations, and other shipping names can be found in the ERG.
- The ERG Guide refers to the relevant Response Guide from the Emergency Response Guidebook.
- The notes column is where the emergency planner can note any other important information. This could include:
- which carriers are transporting dangerous goods
- where the dangerous goods are being shipped to or from
- how often shipments happen
- the volume of a typical shipment
- the means of containment that is typically used
- whether or not the dangerous good may require an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) while in transport
- the roadway/railway/waterway where the dangerous goods are being transported
Example:
| 4. Dangerous goods in transport through the community | Mode | UN number | Class | Shipping name | ERG Guide | Notes (e.g. level of hazard, estimated volume, frequency of shipment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road | 1203 | 3 | Gasoline | 128 | High hazard, high volume, daily shipments of tanker TC-406 from various carriers to deliver to Northern communities through town on Highway 14, requires ERAP only by rail. | |
| Rail and Road | 1267 | 3 | Petroleum Crude Oil | 128 |
Requires an ERAP if shipped by rail. Carried by 123 Rail Inc. in DOT117A100W1 rail tank cars by rail (96,528 L volume) Carried by Peppy Petroleum Products Ltd. in DOT 406 tank trucks by road (34,068 L volume) |
Section 5: Map of the area
This section allows the emergency planner to add a map to the planning document. This map could show locations where dangerous goods are being moved to or from. It could also show where the resources from previous sections are located. This section can be tailored to meet the needs of the area.
Example:
The following map shows the locations of fire stations in downtown Ottawa.
5. Map of the area
