ERG (Emergency Response Guidebook)
A guidebook intended for use by first responders during the initial phase of a transportation incident involving dangerous goods/hazardous materials

HOW TO USE TABLE 2 – WATER-REACTIVE MATERIALS WHICH PRODUCE TOXIC GASES

Table 2 lists materials which produce large amounts of Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) (PIH in the US) gases when spilled in water and identifies the TIH gases produced.

The materials are listed by ID number order.

These Water Reactive materials are easily identified in Table 1 as their name is immediately followed by "(when spilled in water)".

Some Water Reactive materials are also TIH materials themselves (e.g., Bromine trifluoride (UN1746), Thionyl chloride (UN1836), etc.). In these instances, two entries are provided in Table 1 for land-based and water-based spills. If the Water Reactive material is NOT a TIH and this material is NOT spilled in water, Table 1 and Table 2 do NOT apply and safety distances will be found within the appropriate orange guide.

Materials classified as a Division 4.3 are substances that, on contact with water, are liable to become spontaneously FLAMMABLE or give off FLAMMABLE or sometimes TOXIC gases in dangerous quantities. For the purpose of this table, water reactive materials are materials that generate substantial quantities of TOXIC gases rapidly after a spill into water. Therefore, a material classified as a Division 4.3 will not always be included in Table 2.