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Emergency Response Guidebook
The Emergency Response Guidebook: A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of a Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident (ERG) is used by emergency response personnel (such as firefighters, paramedics and police officers) in Canada, Mexico, and the United States when responding to a transportation emergency involving hazardous materials. First responders in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia have recently begun using the ERG as well. It is produced by the United States Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (Mexico).
The first iteration was published by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in December 1973, as Emergency Services Guide for Selected Hazardous Materials. This first document was 63 pages long, containing information for only 29 chemicals. The next version, appeared in May 1976, as Hazardous Materials - Emergency Action Guide. A revised version would be released in January 1977, which added an image of the relevant, newly adopted hazardous material placards to each substance's entry. These early documents were very barebones, containing only 29 to 43 materials, mostly flammable substances, corrosives and toxic gases.
1980 saw the first year of the Emergency Response Guidebook in its modern form. The book grew significantly from 87 pages in prior editions, to just over 140 pages, introducing the color coded sections, alongside general guide pages that described the response to a wide number of similar substances, replacing the specific entries for individual substances. Placard charts for devising responses when the exact substances isn't known and Chemtrec as an advice resource would also make their first appearances in 1980. New editions would be published in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993. The 1996 edition would be a turning point, released as North American Emergency Response Guidebook, this edition would see formal involvement of Transport Canada (TC) and he Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) of Mexico for the first time, with their national emblems appearing alongside the USDOT logo and contact information in the rear of the book. This would also see the start of the four year refresh cycle. The book's title reverted to the previous Emergency Response Guidebook in the 2000 edition.
From the 2004 edition, information on responding to terrorism involving hazardous materials was included. 2004 would also mark the involvement of the Chemistry Information Center for Emergencies (CIQUIME) of Argentina assisting in development of the guidebook. New editions have been published in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and most recently 2024.
It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material(s) involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident.
— Emergency Response Guidebook (2012)
The Emergency Response Guide is intended to give first responders (firefighters, police officers) prompt advice during the initial stages of an emergency, such as a fire or chemical leak resulting from a transportation accident, such as a train derailment or crash involving a truck. It is primarily intended to respond to transportation accidents involving railroads, highways and pipelines. While it can be used with incidents involving aircraft, ships and permanent structures, the advice may not be suitable. First responders are expected to transition away from using the ERG as soon as possible, consulting better information sources, such as emergency response resources through the manufacturer or shipper, or emergency response organizations such as ChemTrec, Canutec, Cenacom, etc.
Since the 1980s, the ERG has used a layout that divides the book into six color-coded sections (white [uncolored], yellow, blue, orange, green, and a second white [uncolored]). The blue and yellow sections assist in connecting a substance to a specific "Guide" which provides appropriate response to the substance in question. The Orange Section, consists of 62 "Guides", that identify the primary hazards associated with the applicable general category of hazardous material and general guidance on how to respond to incidents involving that general category of hazardous material. Substances that are hazardous enough to demand a widespread evacuation, such as chlorine, are listed in the Green Section. The white sections provide other information to support the guidebook, such as contact numbers for expert chemical information sources, glossary, decontamination and protective clothing.
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Emergency Response Guidebook
The Emergency Response Guidebook: A Guidebook for First Responders During the Initial Phase of a Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident (ERG) is used by emergency response personnel (such as firefighters, paramedics and police officers) in Canada, Mexico, and the United States when responding to a transportation emergency involving hazardous materials. First responders in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia have recently begun using the ERG as well. It is produced by the United States Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (Mexico).
The first iteration was published by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in December 1973, as Emergency Services Guide for Selected Hazardous Materials. This first document was 63 pages long, containing information for only 29 chemicals. The next version, appeared in May 1976, as Hazardous Materials - Emergency Action Guide. A revised version would be released in January 1977, which added an image of the relevant, newly adopted hazardous material placards to each substance's entry. These early documents were very barebones, containing only 29 to 43 materials, mostly flammable substances, corrosives and toxic gases.
1980 saw the first year of the Emergency Response Guidebook in its modern form. The book grew significantly from 87 pages in prior editions, to just over 140 pages, introducing the color coded sections, alongside general guide pages that described the response to a wide number of similar substances, replacing the specific entries for individual substances. Placard charts for devising responses when the exact substances isn't known and Chemtrec as an advice resource would also make their first appearances in 1980. New editions would be published in 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993. The 1996 edition would be a turning point, released as North American Emergency Response Guidebook, this edition would see formal involvement of Transport Canada (TC) and he Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) of Mexico for the first time, with their national emblems appearing alongside the USDOT logo and contact information in the rear of the book. This would also see the start of the four year refresh cycle. The book's title reverted to the previous Emergency Response Guidebook in the 2000 edition.
From the 2004 edition, information on responding to terrorism involving hazardous materials was included. 2004 would also mark the involvement of the Chemistry Information Center for Emergencies (CIQUIME) of Argentina assisting in development of the guidebook. New editions have been published in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and most recently 2024.
It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material(s) involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident.
— Emergency Response Guidebook (2012)
The Emergency Response Guide is intended to give first responders (firefighters, police officers) prompt advice during the initial stages of an emergency, such as a fire or chemical leak resulting from a transportation accident, such as a train derailment or crash involving a truck. It is primarily intended to respond to transportation accidents involving railroads, highways and pipelines. While it can be used with incidents involving aircraft, ships and permanent structures, the advice may not be suitable. First responders are expected to transition away from using the ERG as soon as possible, consulting better information sources, such as emergency response resources through the manufacturer or shipper, or emergency response organizations such as ChemTrec, Canutec, Cenacom, etc.
Since the 1980s, the ERG has used a layout that divides the book into six color-coded sections (white [uncolored], yellow, blue, orange, green, and a second white [uncolored]). The blue and yellow sections assist in connecting a substance to a specific "Guide" which provides appropriate response to the substance in question. The Orange Section, consists of 62 "Guides", that identify the primary hazards associated with the applicable general category of hazardous material and general guidance on how to respond to incidents involving that general category of hazardous material. Substances that are hazardous enough to demand a widespread evacuation, such as chlorine, are listed in the Green Section. The white sections provide other information to support the guidebook, such as contact numbers for expert chemical information sources, glossary, decontamination and protective clothing.