FBI Handbook of Crime Scene Forensics by Federal Bureau of Investigation Page B

other necessary equipment.
Never attempt a rescue unless part of a designated rescue team.
Ensure that personnel certified in first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) are on-site.
For additional information, refer to the OSHA standard for Permit-Required Confined Spaces , 29 CFR 1910.146. 7
    Excavation Safety
    All excavations must meet the requirements set forth in OSHA’s standards for excavations, 29 CFR 1926.650, 8 1926.651, 9 and 1926.652. 10 Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.652(b) or 29 CFR 1926.652(c), 10 unless excavations are less than five feet in depth and examination of the ground is made by a competent person to prevent cave-ins. A competent person is someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees and who has the authorization to take prompt corrective action to eliminate those hazards.
    As with all excavations, personnel should be aware of buried utilities and control standing water, hazardous environments, confined spaces, and oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
    X-Ray Safety
    Portable, handheld X-ray machines, often used to identify the contents of unknown packages, pose a risk for exposure to X-ray radiation at crime scenes.
    Keep X-ray exposure as low as reasonably achievable by adhering to the following:
Shield the X-ray device, the questionable object, and the operator.
Remove all nonessential personnel from the X-ray field.
Limit the time that personnel must be in the area of operation.
Always wear assigned monitoring devices appropriate for X-ray radiation.
Ensure that standard X-ray operating procedures are in place and followed and that adequate training has been provided in accordance with federal and state regulations.
    Personal Protective Equipment
    At all crime scenes, the selection of personal protective equipment must be done in coordination with a hazard risk assessment completed by trained and qualified personnel. The hazard risk assessment should identify the possible contaminants as well as the hazards associated with each product. Depending on the outcome of the assessment or uncertainty of the hazards associated with the given scene, OSHA’s standard for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response , 29 CFR 1910.120, 11 may need to be applied. Entry into these types of scenes will depend on each law enforcement organization’s available equipment, situational training, and qualified personnel.
    Hand Protection
    Hand protection should be selected on the basis of the type of material being handled and the hazard(s) associated with the material. 12, 13 Detailed information can be obtained from the manufacturer. The following list provides information about glove material types and functions:
Nitrile provides protection from acids, alkaline solutions, hydraulic fluid, photographic solutions, fuels, lubricants, aromatics, petroleum, and chlorinated solvents. It also offers some resistance to cuts and snags.
Neoprene offers resistance to oil, grease, acids, solvents, alkalies, bases, and most refrigerants.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is resistant to alkalies, oils, and limited concentrations of nitric and chromic acids.
Latex (natural rubber) resists mild acids, caustics, detergents, germicides, and ketonic solutions. Latex will swell and degrade if exposed to gasoline or kerosene. When exposed to prolonged, excessive heat or direct sunlight, latex gloves can degrade, causing the glove material to lose its integrity.
Using powder-free gloves with reduced protein content reduces the risk of developing latex allergies. Personnel allergic to latex usually can wear nitrile or neoprene.
    Guidelines for glove use include the following:
Prior to donning gloves, inspect them for holes, punctures, and tears. Remove rings or other sharp objects that can cause punctures.
When working