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Lost Knowledge – The General Hazardous Materials Behavior Model (GEBMO)

In the early 1970’s, Ludwig Benner, a chemical engineer working for the National Transportation Safety Board identified a model of container behavior in hazardous materials incidents that provides impact points for risk reduction actions and provides a model for container and product behavior to help guide emergency response. The General Hazardous Materials Behavior Model (GEBMO) is a chain of events from the start of an incident through remediation and at each point there are opportunities for risk reduction activities to minimize the occurrence and impact of the incident. Unfortunately, as the first generation of hazardous materials responders has left the trade, the knowledge of GEBMO has not been passed on as well as it should have been. Below you will find a brief summary of GEBMO and you are encouraged to click the link to access the story of GEBMO to learn more about the process and how you can apply it to your planning and emergency response.

GEBMO Overview

Incident Events	Examples of Factors Determining Occurrence	Examples of Emergency Response Strategies	Examples of Possible Response Options
Overstressing Event Occurs	Type of Stress · Thermal · Mechanical · Chemical · Human Intensity of Stress · High · Low Duration of Stress · Short time · Long time	Cool Wash off Neutralize Minimize impact time Protect container from damage	Move impingement Shield Move container
Container System Breach Occurs	Nature of stress System failure	Change the breach size	Cool Limit pressure Ventilate
Material and/or Energy Escapes	Chemical and physical properties · Solid · Liquid · Gas Location of breach Force of release Flow of release	Limit the quantity released Limit the energy of the release	Change position Minimize pressure Cap breach
Escaping Material Engulfs Danger Zone	Quantity Dispersion characteristics · Driving force · Path · Pattern · Distance Wind, weather, and topography	Influence size of danger zone	Controlled ignition D*** and dam Dilute Redirect vapors Suppress vapors
Material and/or Energy Impinge on Exposures	Physical state Warning time Mobility	Influence impinged people and property	Shielding Evacuate Shelter-in-Place
Material and/or Energy Cause Harm	Duration Intensity Velocity	Influence severity	Decontamination Reduce time of exposure Shielding Increase distance
Restoration	Size of impact Environmental factors	Influence restoration time	Pre-stage restoration Pre-incident planning

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