Who must approve moving an area from the hot zone to the cold zone?

Who must approve moving an area from the hot zone to the cold zone?

• A. Incident Commander.
• B. Public health nurse.
• C. Building manager.
• D. Security guard.

Answer: (A)

In hazmat response, moving from the hot zone to the cold zone is a scene-control decision that protects responders and others from exposure. The authority to change zone boundaries rests with the Incident Commander, who has overall responsibility for safety and operations at the incident. The IC evaluates hazards, ensures decontamination and safety measures are in place, and coordinates resources and personnel assignments. Once conditions are deemed safe and decontamination is completed, the IC can authorize entry into the cold zone and reallocation of work. Other roles like public health staff, building managers, or security guards support the response, but they do not have the authority to approve changing zone boundaries because that decision directly affects overall safety and containment.

In hazmat response, moving from the hot zone to the cold zone is a scene-control decision that protects responders and others from exposure. The authority to change zone boundaries rests with the Incident Commander, who has overall responsibility for safety and operations at the incident. The IC evaluates hazards, ensures decontamination and safety measures are in place, and coordinates resources and personnel assignments. Once conditions are deemed safe and decontamination is completed, the IC can authorize entry into the cold zone and reallocation of work. Other roles like public health staff, building managers, or security guards support the response, but they do not have the authority to approve changing zone boundaries because that decision directly affects overall safety and containment.