Resources for Emergency Responders
Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

As the number of hydrogen energy projects grows, the frequency of requests for information for Emergency Responders also grows. Officials in this trusted office seek resources with information on the hazards that may be associated with specific equipment and projects, and how to respond to emergencies. The National Hydrogen Association is pleased to provide a brief review of resources in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report.

Emergency Response Guidebook
The US Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT) developed the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004) jointly for use by firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous material. It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in (1) quickly identifying the specific or generic classification of the material(s) involved in the incident, and (2) protecting themselves and the general public during this initial response phase of the incident. The guidebook is available as a PDF file online. Paper copies are also available, without charge to emergency responders, and for a nominal charge to others. For additional information or to download the Guidebook, please visit hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/gydebook.htm.

The NFPA Guide to Gas Safety
This recently published text book is a safety guide for working with compressed gases, including hydrogen. Emergency response principals and issues are included.

This first-edition Guide includes information, applications, and safety requirements for every technical area, from hazards to use, handling, training, engineering, and emergency response. Created for facility managers, engineers, and responders; and written by a team of gas safety experts, the NFPA Guide presents characteristics and guidelines for 48 flammable and toxic gases. The Guide is available for purchase from NFPA. The website is www.nfpa.org.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership Emergency Response Guide - Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Fueling Stations
This essential document covers light duty fuel cell vehicles, fuel cell transit buses, and hydrogen fueling stations. It can be found online at www.fuelcellpartnership.org/
resource-ctr_ermaterials.htm.

The CaFCP is also developing emergency response training materials, and provides first responder training. Please visit the CaFCP website for further information.

ISO TR 15916: Basic Considerations for the Safety of Hydrogen Systems
This published International Technical Report describes the hazards associated with the use and presence of hydrogen, discusses the properties of hydrogen relevant to safety, and provides a general discussion of approaches taken to mitigate hydrogen hazards. The aim of this document is to promote the acceptance of hydrogen technologies by providing key information to regulators and by educating the general public on hydrogen safety issues. It is available for purchase through ISO and several national standard organizations, including ANSI.

Regulators' Guide to Permitting Hydrogen Technologies
This guide currently includes an overview, and modules on Permitting Stationary Fuel Cell Installations and Permitting Hydrogen Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities. A description of this guide, and links to the documents can be found at www.hydrogensafety.info/resources/regulators.html.

Sourcebook for Hydrogen Applications
New technologies, such as the fuel cell, will lead to widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, particularly in transportation. These emerging applications will require hydrogen system designs different from those for established industrial applications. For hydrogen vehicles, onboard hydrogen storage, hydrogen refueling systems and prototype vehicle designs and propulsion technologies are being demonstrated. The Sourcebook for Hydrogen Applications is a unique searchable CD ROM application that provides information to facilitate designing, building, and operating hydrogen systems for these new applications.

The Sourcebook also provides the user with an extensive listing of the Codes and Standards for the U.S., Canada, and other International certifying bodies, a complete look at fuel Cell technology, a robust listing of suppliers and vendors for hydrogen technologies, and an interactive hydrogen sourcebook for kids.

The Sourcebook can be purchased from Tisec at www.tisec.com/products/hydrogen_sourcebook/
hydrogen_sourcebook.htm.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Codes and Standards Matrix and Database
Developed by Kelvin Hecht, and now under contract to NREL, this website presents hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell codes, standards and regulations organized by application and geographic location. The Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Codes and Standards Matrix and Database now has a "Quick Reference" feature. The feature permits a user to get quickly to the database of codes and standards for the specific subject of interest (e.g., fuel cells for stationary applications, etc). The web site for the Matrix and Database is www.fuelcellstandards.com.

Material Safety Data Sheets
PDF files from Air Liquide, BOC and Praxair are all available under the "Technical Resources" tab of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report at www.hydrogensafety.info/resources/mdss/index.html.

NHA C&S Workshop Proceedings
The NHA holds regular workshops to discuss the development of safety codes and standards relating to hydrogen energy systems, including the status of validation work. Proceedings are posted online in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report. To access past proceedings, including presentations from the workshops, visit www.hydrogensafety.info/resources/
proceedings/index.html.