Which hazmat zone is designated for decontamination activities?

• A. Cold zone
• B. Warm zone
• C. Hot zone
• D. Public area

Answer: (B)

Decontamination is done in the zone that sits between the contaminated area and the clean, safe area. This middle zone acts as the buffer where people and equipment are cleaned and decontaminated before moving into the safer area. It’s designed to prevent any contaminant from spreading into areas where care is provided or to the public. The hot zone is the actual contaminated area where exposure risk is highest, and the cold zone is the clean area where operations and treatment can proceed with minimal risk. Public areas lie outside these zones. So, the decontamination activities occur in the warm zone.