Training Hazardous-Materials Response Teams and Chemistry Students through Practical Experimentation

Abstract

Large quantities of hazardous substances are required to meet the needs of today's industrial society. During the manufacture, transport, and use of these substances – whether they serve as raw materials, intermediate products or energy carriers – accidents and damage cannot be totally excluded despite all the efforts and technical knowledge that may go into their prevention. Incidents involving hazardous chemicals always represent a substantial risk for accident response teams, the general population, and the environment. In order to keep damage to a minimum, special attention must be given to training the specialists involved. It is possible to demonstrate the risks resulting from hazardous materials and the most suitable methods of effectively combating such risks by the use of thought-provoking practical experiments. This is shown with a number of examples.