Hospital emergency department personnel face many risks and difficult tasks when dealing with patients involved in hazardous materials incidents. Therefore, it is essential that all personnel who come in contact with patients have a general awareness of the issues and concerns in dealing with hazardous materials incidents. This course is designed to prepare hospital personnel to analyze hazardous materials situations, take the necessary steps to assure medical provider safety, and identify appropriate resources for decontamination and medical care. However, additional training is required in order to diagnose and treat patients who have been involved in hazardous materials incidents. This course alone does not fulfill all of OSHA's requirements for hazardous materials training at the awareness level. This self-study course is a prerequisite for the Hospital Emergency Department Management of Hazardous Material Accidents (HMA) Parts One and Two classroom courses. This course will provide you with a general understanding of the terms and concepts related to hazardous materials and radiation. It also covers some basic principles regarding hospital personnel's response to hazardous materials incidents. This course, An Orientation to Hazardous Materials for Medical Personnel, contains five units, a final examination, and several appendices including a glossary. Words in boldface are defined in the Glossary.