Now Available: Free, Online Hydrogen Training for First Responders!

On January 24, 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program launched the Introduction to Hydrogen Safety for First Responders, a free, web-based course for fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel and other individuals. This multimedia tutorial acquaints first responders with hydrogen, its basic properties, and how it compares to other familiar fuels; its use in fuel cells for transportation and stationary power; potential hazards; and initial protective actions responders should take if they witness or are called to an incident.

The six-module course was produced in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Volpentest Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Training and Education Center. To ensure the quality of the modules, hundreds of reviewers from the hydrogen and emergency responder communities were asked to provide suggestions on an initial prototype to refine the original materials into a more comprehensive and precise final product.

This free course may be found online at
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/firstresponders.html

Versions of the course in print or on CD will also be available through the DOE/Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Center by calling 877-EERE-INFO (877-337-3463).

Increase Your H2IQ
The Introduction to Hydrogen Safety for First Responders is part of a larger effort of the Hydrogen Program to educate safety and code officials, potential end users, state and local government representatives, local communities and the public, students, and select communities about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to facilitate the widespread adoption of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Target communities have been prioritized according to their near-term relevance and effect on the use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies today. For more information – or to "Increase Your H2IQ" – visit http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/education/h2iq.html.

DOE Announces Hydrogen Safety Sensors Workshop

DOE's Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies is sponsoring a one-day workshop on April 4, 2007 to develop technical requirements and targets for hydrogen safety sensors. Hosted by LANL and LLNL, we invite you to consider participating in this important meeting.

Workshop Structure
The workshop is a one-day, interactive, participatory workshop with approximately 50 experts from industry, government, national laboratories, and universities.

The workshop will lead with technical briefings on hydrogen behavior, commercial hydrogen sensors, and draft standards/status of specification related to hydrogen.

Next, a panel of end-users (Energy Companies, Fuel Cell Developers, Automotive Manufacturers, Hydrogen Producers, Equipment Manufacturers, etc.) will speak on the application requirements related to hydrogen safety and sensing.

During the working lunch, you will have an opportunity to present up to 3 slides on your hydrogen sensing technology. Please let Cathy Padro (LANL) [padro@lanl.gov] know if you will be participating in this session, and bring your PowerPoint slides on a memory stick to load onto the meeting laptop.

The attendees will then participate in breakout sessions to develop draft technical requirements and performance targets for hydrogen sensors.

Logistics

  • There is no registration fee to attend this workshop, but you MUST preregister. Please limit the participation from your organization to no more than two persons. The deadline for registration is March 16, 2007.
     
  • Hotel reservations are the responsibility of the participants. Please see the Meeting Information Sheet [http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/mpa/mpa11/
    SensorWorkshopInformationSheet.pdf    ] for details on the hotel and the room block set aside for this workshop. The deadline for reservation of accommodations at the Doubletree under the LANL/Hydrogen Sensor Workshop block of rooms is March 13, 2007. 
     
  • Registration materials will be distributed on Tuesday April 3rd from 5:30pm - 7:00pm in the hotel.
     
  • Continental Breakfast will be available at 7:30am on April 4th. You may also pick up your registration materials at this time. 
     
  • The meeting will start promptly at 8:00am and will adjourn by 4:00pm on April 4th.

Information on the workshop, including the draft agenda, logistics and registration forms, can be found at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/mpa/mpa11/sensor.html

2007 Annual Revision Cycle Report on Comments Available Soon

The 2007 Annual Revision Cycle Report on Comments will be available on February 23, 2007. It will contain a compilation of NFPA Technical Committee Reports on Comments.

To obtain a copy of the Report on Comments being presented for action, download the file from NFPA’s Web site athttp://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=817
&itemID=20929&URL . Under the NFPA Regulations, the proposed NFPA Documents addressed in this Report on Comments (ROC) and in the Report on Proposals (ROP) will be presented for action at the June 2007 Annual Association Technical Meeting only when proper Amending Motions have been submitted.

Anyone wishing to make Amending Motions on the Technical Committee Reports (ROP and ROC) must signal their intention by submitting a Notice of Intent to Make a Motion by the deadline of April 6, 2007. Certified motions will be posted by May 4, 2007. Documents that receive notice of proper Amending Motions (Certified Amending Motions) will be presented for action at the Annual 2007 Association Technical Meeting. Documents that receive no motions will be forwarded directly to the Standards Council for action on issuance.

For more information on the rules, see the inside front cover of the ROC and for up-to-date information on schedules and deadlines for processing NFPA Documents, check the NFPA Web site atwww.nfpa.org or contact NFPA Standards Administration:

NFPA Codes & Standards Administration Department
One Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169-7471
USA
Phone: 617-770-3000 (until 5:00 PM EST)
Fax: 617-770-3500 

Update on International Standard on Gaseous Hydrogen and Hydrogen Blends: Land Vehicle Fuel Tanks

Based on the number and nature of comments received to the second Draft International Standard (DIS) of ISO/DIS 15869 Gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen blends - Land vehicle fuel tanks, ISO TC 197 decided to return the comments received to the joint ISO/TC 197, ISO/TC 22 and ISO/TC58/SC 3 working group with the view to prepare the third DIS.

Circulation of the third DIS is now anticipated for March 2008.

NFPA Issues Report on Siting Requirements

The NFPA Research Foundation has issued a technical report on "Siting Requirements for Hydrogen Supplies Serving Fuel Cells in Non-combustible Enclosures."

This report documents a project whose primary goal was to develop technical information to support the creation of new NFPA 55, Standard for the Storage, Use, and Handling of Compressed gases and Cryogenic Fluids in Portable and Stationary Containers, Cylinders and Tanks, requirements for storing less than 3500 cubic feet of hydrogen in metal storage cabinets. The project focused on determining the hazard posed by a variety of scenarios involving the release of hydrogen from a storage enclosure and associated equipment. Results of the hazard determination were used to determine siting requirements for a variety of threats or targets.

The report is available on the NFPA website at:
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/Research/
Hydrogensitingreport.pdf (2Mb PDF)