Using Physical Clues to Identify Unknown 365betÓéÀÖ

Check on scene for physical clues to the presence of hazardous materials.

Examples of Common Physical Clues

  • Unusual odors can indicate the presence of some chemicals that have characteristic odors (such as freshly-cut grass, rotten eggs, or rotten fruit). However, lack of an odor does not mean that no hazardous chemical is present: many chemicals have no odor, and some deaden the sense of smell.
  • Hissing (which can indicate a leak from a pressurized container) and/or a condensationThe change of water or other substances from vapor to liquid phase. Also, a reaction in which two molecules combine to form a larger molecule as a small molecule is split out. The condensation polymerization of amino acids into proteins occurs with the splitting out of water. line on a pressure tank.
  • Gas leaking from a pipe or container.
  • Visible corrosiveLiquid or solid that can destroy human skin or lung tissue or corrode metals. action or a chemical reactionThe change that takes place when two or more substances interact to form new substances..
  • A visible vaporThe gas given off by a substance that is liquid (or solid) at normal temperatures and pressures. cloud.
  • A pool of liquid.
  • A fire; unusual colors of smoke or flame.
  • Irritation to your own eyes or skin, signaling that you may be contacting a hazardous gas.
  • People or animals in the area that appear injured or sick.
  • Company logo or other information indicating that a shipment is from a business likely to transport hazardous materials (for example, paint supplier, chemical manufacturer, agricultural supplier, scientific supply house, or fireworks/explosives dealer).

Container Type Clues

Some hazardous materials are transported in specialized containers. The shape and size of these containers can be clues to the identity of the contents. For example:

  • Cylinders and drums are often used to transport hazardous materials.
  • Tank trucks and cylindrical or elliptical containers: generally, flat (or nearly flat) ends indicate liquids at atmospheric pressure (such as gasoline), and rounded ends indicate pressurized contents (such as liquefied natural gas).
  • Rail tank cars with dome fittings enclosed with a tight cap contain liquid under very high pressure (such as liquefied petroleum gas).

How to Use Physical Clues to Search CAMEO 365betÓéÀÖ

You can use the Advanced Search in CAMEO 365betÓéÀÖ to search for chemicals with descriptions that match the clues you find on scene. The most useful clues are color, physical state (gas, liquid, or solid), and odor.

Here's an example scenario: Inside a warehouse, a red liquid with a rotten egg odor has spilled.

  1. Go to the Advanced Search page.
  2. In the Search Text Fields section, go to the first row and then select General Description from the first drop-down list, select contains from the second drop-down list, and type in rotten red liquid in the text field. An advanced search form with search criteria entered.
    Note: If you use the contains operator, CAMEO 365betÓéÀÖ will find the datasheets whose General Description fields include ALL of the words in your search criteria. It doesn't matter if the General Description includes the words in the same order as your search terms (e.g., rotten red liquid) or in a different order (e.g., red liquid with an odor like rotten eggs). If you use the contains exact phrase operator, it will only find matches where the search term is an exact match (including punctuation and spaces between words).
  3. Click Search. CAMEO 365betÓéÀÖ finds two chemical datasheets that match all of the search criteriaName, identification number, and/or other identifying information for a chemical..
  4. Click View Datasheet to go to the chemical datasheet to see if you can match any chemical identifiers (such as CAS numberOr CAS #. Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number. This chemical identification number, in the format XXX-XX-X, is assigned by the American Chemical Society (www.cas.org/support/documentation/chemical-substances/faqs)., UN/NA numberUnited Nations-North American number. (Also UN number or DOT number.) Four-digit number identifying an individual chemical or group of chemicals with similar characteristics. Required on shipping papers; often shown on placards. The four-digit number is often preceded by UN (such as UN1219)., or placards) to the unknown chemical to try and confirm its identity. Repeat for all found datasheets. Consider having a lab analyze the spilled chemical if its identity can't otherwise be confirmed.
    The Advanced Search finds two chemical datasheets that have rotten, red, and liquid in the General Description field.