Awareness Level Training for Hazardous Materials
Chapter 3 Terms
Recognizing & Identifying Hazardous Materials
NOTICE: Be sure to review Chapter 6 terms when studying Chapter 3 as many relate to both chapters.
Acid
Compound containing hydrogen that reacts with water to produce hydrogen ions; a proton donor; a liquid compound with a pH less than 2. Acidic chemicals are corrosive.
Air Bill
Shipping document prepared from a bill of lading that accompanies each piece or each lot of air cargo.
Air Inversion
Meteorological condition in which the temperature of the air some distance above the earth's surface is higher than the temperature of the air at the surface. Normally, air temperatures decrease as altitude increases. An air inversion traps air, releases gases and vapors near the surface, and impedes their dispersion.
Air Lift Axle
Single air-operated axle that when lowered converts a vehicle into a multi-axle unit, providing the vehicle with a greater load carrying capacity.
Air Spring
Flexible, air-inflated chamber on a truck or trailer in which the air pressure is controlled and varied to support the load and absorb road shocks.
Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure exerted by the atmosphere at the surface of the earth because of the weight of air. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 14.7 psi. Atmospheric pressure increases as elevation decreases below sea level and decreases as elevation increases above sea level.
Atmospheric Storage Tank
Class of fixed facility storage tanks. Pressures range from 0 to 0.5 psig.
Base
Substance-containing group forming hydroxide ions in water solution; an alkaline (caustic) substance.
Bill Of Lading
Shipping paper used by the trucking industry indicating origin, destination, route, and product. There is a bill of lading in the cab of every truck tractor.
Blow Down Valve
Manually operated valve that has the function of quickly reducing tank pressure to atmospheric pressure.
Bulk Container
Cargo tank container attached to a flatbed truck or rail flatcar used to transport materials in bulk. This container may carry liquids or gases.
Bumper
Structure designed to provide front- and rear-end protection of a vehicle.
Capacity Indicators
Device installed on a tank to indicate capacity at a specific level.
CAS Number
Number assigned by the American Chemical Society's Chemical Abstract Service that uniquely identifies a specific compound.
Cleanout Fitting
Fitting installed in the top of a tank to facilitate washing the tank's interior.
Colorimetric Tube
Small tubes that change colors when air that is contaminated with a particular substance is drawn through them. Also known as Detector Tube.
Combustible Gas Detector
Indicates the explosive levels of combustible gases.
Compressed Gas Trailer
Cargo truck that carries gases under pressure; may be a single container, an intermodal shipping unit, or several horizontal tubes.
Cone Roof Storage Tank
Atmospheric storage tank that has a cone-shaped pointed roof with weak roof-to-shell seams that are intended to break when excessive overpressure results inside.
Connection Box
Contains fittings for trailer emergency and service brake connections and electrical connector to which the lines from the towing vehicle may be connected. Formerly called Junction Box, Light Box, or Bird Box.
Consignee
Person who is to receive a shipment.
Consist
Rail shipping paper that lists by order the cars in the train. The cars containing hazardous materials are indicated. Also included with the consist may be information on emergency operations for the hazardous materials on board. Also called Train Consist.
Container
Article of transport equipment that is: (a) of a permanent character and strong enough for repeated use; (b) specifically designed to facilitate the carriage of goods by one or more modes of transport without intermediate reloading; and (c) fitted with devices permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode to another. The term "container" does not include vehicles. Also referred to as Freight Container, Cargo Container, and Intermodal Tank Container.
Container Chassis
Trailer chassis consisting of a frame with locking devices for securing and transporting a container as a wheeled vehicle.
Container On Flatcar
Rail flatcar used to transport highway transport containers.
Container Ship
Ship specially equipped to transport large freight containers in horizontal or, more commonly, vertical container cells. Containers are usually loaded and unloaded by special cranes.
Container Specification Number
Shipping container number preceded by "DOT" that indicates the container has been built to federal specifications.
Corner Fittings
Strong metal devices located at the corners of a container having several apertures that normally provide the means for handling, stacking, and securing the freight container.
Corner Structures
Vertical frame components located at the corners of a container; integral with the corner fittings.
Crossover Line
Installed in tank piping systems to allow unloading from either side of the tank.
Curbside
Side of a trailer nearest the curb when trailer is traveling in a normal forward direction (right-hand side); opposite to roadside.
Dangerous Cargo Manifest
Invoice of cargo used on ships containing a list of all hazardous materials on board and their location on the ship.
Dedicated Railcars
Car set aside by the product manufacturer to transport a specific product. The name of the product is painted on the car.
Dip Tube
Installed for pressure unloading of product out of the top of the tank.
Doubles
Truck combination consisting of a truck tractor and two semi trailers coupled together. Formerly called Double-Trailer or Double-Bottom.
Drop Frame
Two-level frame section of a trailer that provides proper coupler height at the forward end and a lower height for the remainder of the length.
Dry Bulk Carrier
Cargo tanks that carry small, granulated solid materials. They generally do not carry hazardous materials; however, in some cases they may carry fertilizers or plastic products that can burn and release toxic products of combustion.
Dummy Coupler
Fitting used to seal the opening in an air brake hose connection (gladhands) when the connection is not in use; a dust cap.
Elevated Temperature Materials Carrier
Cargo tank truck or cargo truck carrying large metal pots that transport elevated-temperature materials.
Emergency Response Guidebook
Manual provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation that aids emergency response personnel in identifying hazardous materials placards. It also offers guidelines for initial actions to be taken at haz mat incidents.
Emergency Valve
Self-closing tank outlet valve.
Emergency Valve Operator
Device used to open and close emergency valves.
Emergency Valve Remote Control
Secondary means, remote from tank discharge openings, for operation in event of fire or other accident.
Fifth Wheel
Device used to connect a truck tractor or converter dolly to a semi trailer in order to permit articulation between the units. It is generally composed of a lower part consisting of a trunnion, plate, and latching mechanism mounted on the truck tractor (or dolly) and a kingpin assembly mounted on the semi trailer.
Fifth Wheel Pickup Ramp
Steel plate designed to lift the front end of a semi trailer to facilitate the engagement of the kingpin onto the fifth wheel.
Fill Opening
Opening on top of a tank used for filling the tank; usually incorporated in a manhole cover.
Flame Impingement
Points at which flames contact the surface of a container or other structure.
Flammable Limit
Percentage of a substance in air that will burn once it is ignited. Most substances have an upper (too rich) and lower (too lean) flammable limit. Also called Explosive Limit and Flammable Range.
Flashing
Liquid-tight rail on top of a tank that contains water and spillage and directs it to suitable drains; may be combined with DOT overturn protection.
Flashing Drain
Metal or plastic tube that drains water and spillage from flashing to the ground.
Floating Roof Storage Tank
Atmospheric storage tank that stands vertically. It is wider than it is tall. The roof floats on the surface of the liquid to eliminate the vapor space.
Fork Pockets
Transverse structural apertures in the base of the container that permit entry of forklift devices.
Frangible
Breakable, fragile, or brittle.
Full Trailer
Truck trailer constructed so that all of its own weight and that of its load rests upon its own wheels; that is, it does not depend upon a truck tractor to support it. A semi trailer equipped with a dolly is considered a full trailer.
Gamma Radiation
Electromagnetic wave with no electrical charge. This type of radiation is extremely penetrating; very high energy X rays.
Gas Chromatogram
Chart from a gas chromatograph tracing the results of analysis of volatile compounds by display in recorded peaks.
Gas Chromatograph
Device to detect and separate small quantities of volatile liquids or gases through instrument analysis.
Gas Chromatography
Characterizing volatilities and chemical properties of compounds that evaporate enough at low temperatures (about 120oF) to provide detectable quantities in the air through the use of instrument analysis in a gas chromatograph.
Gladhands
Fittings for connection of air brake lines between vehicles. Also called Hose Couplings, Hand Shakes, and Polarized Couplings.
Gross Weight
Weight of a vehicle or trailer together with the weight of its entire contents.
Hazard Class
Group of materials designated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) that share a major hazardous property such as radioactivity or flammability.
Head
Front and rear closure of a tank shell.
Heating Tube
Tube installed inside a tank to heat the contents. Also called Fire Tube.
Heavy Metal
Generic term referring to lead, cadmium, mercury, and other elements that are toxic in nature. The term may also be applied to compounds containing these elements. Also called Toxic Element.
Hemispherical
Half a sphere in shape.
Hitch
Connecting device at the rear of a vehicle used to pull a full trailer with provision for easy coupling.
Hopper
(1) Any of various receptacles used for temporary storage of material. (2) Tank holding a liquid and having a device for releasing its contents through a pipe. (3) Freight car with a floor sloping to one or more hinged doors for discharging bulk contents.
Horizontal Pressure Vessel
Pressurized tanks characterized by rounded ends. Capacities may range from 500 to 40,000 gallons. Propane, butane, ethane, and hydrogen chloride are examples of materials stored in these tanks.
Horizontal Storage Tank
Atmospheric storage tank that is laid horizontally and constructed of steel.
Hose Tube
Housing used on tank and bulk commodity trailers for the storage of cargo handling hoses. Also called Hose Troughs.
Hygroscopic
Ability of a substance to absorb moisture from the air.
Hypergolic
Chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidizer that causes immediate ignition on contact without the presence of air. An example is the contact of fuming nitric acid and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (UDMH).
Hypergolic Materials
Materials that ignite when they come into contact with each other. The chemical reactions of hypergolic substances vary from slow reactions that may barely be visible to reactions that occur with explosive force.
Intermodal Container
Freight containers designed and constructed to be used interchangeably in two or more modes of transport.
Jacket
Metal cover that protects the tank insulation.
Jackknife
Condition of truck tractor/semi trailer combination when their relative positions to each other form an angle of 90 degrees or less about the trailer kingpin.
Kingpin
Attaching pin on a semi trailer that connects with pivots within the lower coupler of a truck tractor or converter dolly while coupling the two units together.
Labels
Four-inch-square diamond markers required on individual shipping containers smaller than 640 cubic feet.
Lading
Freight or cargo that makes up a shipment.
Leach
To pass out or through by percolation (gradual seepage).
Lifter Roof Storage Tank
Atmospheric storage tank designed so that the roof floats on a slight cushion of vapor pressure. The liquid-sealed roof floats up and down with the vapor pressure. When the vapor pressure exceeds a designated limit, the roof lifts to relieve the excess pressure.
Low Pressure Storage Tank
Class of fixed-facility storage tanks that are designed to have an operating pressure ranging from 0.5 to 15 psig.
Manhole
(1) Hole through which a person may go to gain access to an underground or enclosed structure. (2) Openings usually equipped with removable, lockable covers large enough to admit a person into a tank trailer or dry bulk trailer. Also called Manway.
Manifold
Used to join a number of discharge pipelines to a common outlet.
Material Safety Data Sheet
Manufacturer's document containing information on a hazardous material. Property occupants should have these for all chemicals found on their site.
Miscibility
Two or more liquids' capability to mix together.
Mixture
Substance containing two or more materials not chemically united.
NFPA 704 Labeling System
Identifies hazardous materials in fixed facilities. The placard is divided into sections that identify the degree of hazard according to health, flammability, and reactivity as well as special hazards.
NFPA 704 Placard
Color-coded, symbol-specific placard affixed to a structure to inform of fire hazards, life hazards, special hazards, and reactivity potential.
Nonpressure Intermodal Container
Portable tank that transports liquids or solids at a maximum pressure of 100 psig. Also called IM Portable Tank.
Outage
Difference between the full or rated capacity of a tank or tank car as compared to actual content.
Outlet Valve
In a tank piping system, the valve farthest downstream to which the discharge hose is attached.
Overturn Protection
Protection for fittings on top of a tank in case of rollover; may be combined with flashing rail or flashing box.
Package Markings
Descriptive name, instructions, cautions, weight, and specification marks required on the outside of haz mat containers.
Pickup Plate
Sloped plate and structure of a trailer, which is located forward of the kingpin and designed to facilitate engagement of the fifth wheel to the kingpin.
Pictogram
Drawing or symbol that indicates information.
Piggyback Transport
Rail flatcar used to transport highway trailers. Also called a Trailer-On-Flatcar (TOFC).
Placard
Diamond-shaped sign that is affixed to each side of a vehicle transporting hazardous materials. The placard indicates the primary class of the material and, in some cases, the exact material being transported; required on containers that are 640 cubic feet (18 ml) or larger.
Polar Solvent
Flammable liquids that have an attraction for water, much like a positive magnetic pole attracts a negative pole. Examples include alcohols, ketones, and lacquers.