White powders have become the automatic fire alarm of hazmat.  Just like fire alarms, they almost always turn out to be a false alarm.  The real challenge is taking them seriously and not becoming complacent.   Just like fire alarms, if you don’t fully investigate them, you risk having it blow up in your face.

What does it really mean when a hazmat team, “tested” a substance. Across the country, hazmat teams have each developed their own set of rules on how they handle a white powder.  In these homegrown systems, a few buzz words get tossed around, often with different meanings.   (more…)