ABSTRACT
Th is chapter reviews the terms and defi nitions that should be familiar to hazardous material technicians based on recommendations by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and others. Th ese terms are part of the NFPA competencies recommended for emergency responders who must respond to a hazardous material threat and must possess the knowledge and skills needed to safely perform tasks related to the response. Th ese recommendations are pertinent to other workers, such as hazardous waste technicians, laboratory technicians, and anyone in need of a rapid laboratory triage process. You should be
able to describe the terms listed in Table 1.1 and explain their signifi cance in risk assessment.
