NOTE: This resource has been updated and transferred to the Center for Hydrogen Safety, our partner organization. The link will direct you to the AIChE Academy for taking the course. For nonmembers of AIChE, you will need to register as a guest to take the course.

Increasing availability and adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) presents new safety challenges for First Responders (FR). The Center for Hydrogen Safety (CHS) in collaboration with AIChE has developed a microtraining learning plan as part of the Hydrogen Safety for First Responders training.  This 4-part multimedia course aims to better inform incident responders and support the safe handling and use of hydrogen in a variety of fuel cell applications.

The completion of this learning plan qualifies for a certificate with 1.5 Professional Development Hour credit.

NOTE: This resource has been updated and transferred to the Center for Hydrogen Safety, our partner organization. The link will direct you to the AIChE Academy for taking the course. For nonmembers of AIChE, you will need to register as a guest to take the course.

Introduction to Hydrogen Safety for First Responders is a Web-based course that provides an "awareness level" overview of hydrogen for fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel. This multimedia tutorial acquaints first responders with hydrogen, its basic properties, and how it compares to other familiar fuels; hydrogen use in fuel cells for transportation and stationary power; potential hazards; initial protective actions should a responder witness an incident; and supplemental resources including videos, supporting documents, and links relevant to hydrogen safety.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory collaborated to develop a national hydrogen safety training resource for emergency responders. The resource provides a single repository of credible and reliable information related to hydrogen and fuel cells that is current and accurate and eliminates duplicative efforts among various training programs. This approach will enable government and private training organizations nationwide to develop their own training programs with consistent hydrogen and fuel cells content and standards.

The increasing role of hydrogen as an energy carrier in the transition to clean energy is driving an increase in research and development related to hydrogen and laboratory experimentation involving hydrogen. To assure the safest possible environment for researchers, it’s critical to understand and follow best practices, particularly in academic settings and in organizations that may lack experience in working with hydrogen. This eLearning course is intended to help the learner understand the hazards of hydrogen and apply best practices for creating and maintaining safe laboratories and safe experiments.