Which item is a step in the six-step hazmat incident management process?

• A. Zoning
• B. Action plan
• C. Hazard identification
• D. Termination

Answer: (C)

Identifying the hazardous material and its hazards early is essential in hazmat incident management. Knowing what substance you’re dealing with and its properties—toxicity, reactivity, flammability, environmental risk—guides every critical decision: what PPE to use, how far to establish exclusion zones, what containment and decontamination methods to apply, and when to evacuate or seek specialist help. In the six-step process, hazard identification kicks off the response and informs all subsequent steps, making it the best choice. Zoning is a scene-control tactic rather than a standalone initial step, an action plan is a result of planning based on identified hazards, and termination is the concluding step after the response.