Hazardous materials handling standards issued

Triage and rescue of casualties from accidents involving hazardous materials is a challenge for many emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. With very toxic materials, the untrained and unprepared rescuer may become a victim. In addition, few hospitals in the United States have decontamination units attached to their emergency departments and emergency department personnel may become exposed if the casualty is not decontaminated. Many environmental cleanup teams, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) team, are well trained in materials handling but are not immediately available when a hazardous materials spill with personal injuries occurs.

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Hazard Communication and Hazardous Materials Handling

Developing a Safety and Health Program, Second Edition ◽

10.1201/b15109-3 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 5-12

Keyword(s):

Hazardous Materials ◽

Materials Handling ◽

Hazard Communication

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Hazard Communication and Hazardous Materials Handling

Developing a Safety and Health Program ◽

10.1201/b15109-6 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 25-32

Keyword(s):

Hazardous Materials ◽

Materials Handling ◽

Hazard Communication

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DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTONOMOUS OMNIDIRECTIONAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS HANDLING ROBOT

Transactions of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering ◽

10.1139/tcsme-2016-0014 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 169-190

Author(s):

Nicholas Charabaruk ◽

Scott Nokleby

Keyword(s):

Human Exposure ◽

Hazardous Materials ◽

Test Results ◽

Radioactive Materials ◽

Adaptive Monte Carlo ◽

Robot Operating System ◽

Materials Handling ◽

Monte Carlo Localization ◽

The Individual ◽

Design And Testing

This paper describes the design and testing of an autonomous omnidirectional robot to be used for moving radioactive materials while minimizing human exposure. The robot, called the OmniMaxbot, uses the Robot Operating System (ROS) to allow the individual components to communicate as well as to control the movement. Details about the hardware and software used in the OmniMaxbot are explained. Test results are presented for the navigation system based on the ROS packages: Global Planner, Base Local Planner, and Adaptive Monte Carlo Localization (AMCL). The test results confirm that the OmniMaxbot is capable of autonomously navigating to a mock ash can, lifting it, navigating to a drop-off location, putting the mock ash can down, backing away until the forks are clear of the mock ash can, and navigating to a standby location. These actions can be performed in areas with both static and dynamic obstacles.

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