Household Chemical Emergencies
Nearly every household uses products containing hazardous materials or chemicals. Knowing what these products are and what to do in case of an emergency is extremely important for reducing their risk to homes and individuals.
- What to Do Before, During and After a Household Chemical Emergency
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Fixed Site Incidents
Hazardous material sites are all around us; from chemical manufacturers to service stations, hospitals to hazardous materials waste sites. Most of these products when used and handled properly pose no danger to the public.
Collin County has a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) that ensures residents and workers in Collin County are aware and informed of their right to know what chemicals are being stored, used, released and discarded in the county.
- What to Do Before, During and After a Fixed Site Incident
Request additional information by completing an Open Records Request at the Collin County Public Information website.
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Identification Standards
The National Fire Protection Association 704 (NFPA 704) provides a recognized and understood standard for identifying specific hazards and their severity.
- Applicable to industrial, commercial and institutional facilities that manufacture, process or store hazardous materials.
- Characterized by the diamond, “square-on-point” shape.
- Identities the degree of severity for the health, flammability and instability of hazards.
- Indicates severity by a numerical rating from zero, indicating a minimal hazard, to four, indicating a severe hazard.
Hazard placards should be posted on the two exterior walls of a facility, access to a room or area or each principal means of access to an exterior storage area. Placards provide quick hazard information for first responders and should be visible in case of an emergency near entrances.
- Health is arranged at the nine o’clock position and color-coded blue.
- Flammability is arranged at the 12 o’clock position and color-coded red.
- Instability is arranged at the three o’clock position and color-coded yellow.
- Special hazards are located in the six o’clock position with a white color-coded background. The special hazards in use are W, which indicates unusual reactivity with water, and OX, which indicates that material is an oxidizer.
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