Version 0 (January 2017) Emergency Responder Health and Safety Manual

Version 2.0

(January 2017)


Emergency Responder Health and Safety Manual



Chapter 9
Chemical and Biological

Agents
Final
Customized for Organization Name on Date

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

LIST OF ACRONYMS 4

1.0 INTRODUCTION 5

1.1 Background Information and Regulatory Basis 5

1.2 Instructions for Users 7

2.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 7

3.0 AWARENESS TRAINING 7

4.0 OVERVIEW OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AGENTS 8

4.1 Chemical Agents 8

4.2Biological Agents 11

4.2.1 BioWatch 13

4.3 Secondary Attacks 13

5.0 SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM ELEMENTS 14

5.1 Medical Surveillance 14

5.2 Hazard Evaluation 15

5.3 PPE—General Information 16

5.3.1 PPE for Chemical Agents 17

5.3.2 PPE for Biological Agents 17

5.4 Decontamination—General Information 19

5.4.1 Decontamination of Chemical Agents 19

5.4.2 Decontamination of Biological Agents 20

6.0 RECORDKEEPING 21

6.1 Training Records 21

6.2 Documentation of Onsite Medical Monitoring 21

1.Ensure that procedures outlined in the Chemical and Biological Agents chapter are followed by all responsible parties. 24

2.Serve as the organization’s health and safety expert (or establish a link to a technical expert) for responses to chemical and biological agents. 24

3.Facilitate and coordinate chemical/biological emergency response health and safety issues for EPA’s emergency responders. 24

4.Implement the Chemical and Biological Agents chapter by: (1) customizing the chapter with organization-specific information, (2) reviewing/updating the customized version annually, and (3) adopting the requirements and practices in the chapter. Post the customized chapter to the manual’s website and inform stakeholders of its availability. 24

5.Attend and complete Chemical and Biological Agent Awareness training. (Note: The awareness training may be provided as a standalone course or as part of initial 40-hour HAZWOPER training or annual 8-hour refresher training.) 24

6.Develop (and/or arrange for) emergency responders to receive Chemical and Biological Agent Awareness training. 24

7.Ensure that emergency responders receive appropriate immunizations or prophylactic treatment, such as antibiotics, before going on site (see the manual’s Medical Surveillance Program chapter). Once in the field, continuously reassess the situation to determine whether chemical or biological hazards are present. Ensure that emergency responders receive appropriate antibiotics or other prophylaxis if the onsite Medical Monitor (see glossary for a definition) deems it necessary. 24

8.Determine whether onsite medical monitoring is necessary. If monitoring is necessary, make arrangements for a trained Medical Monitor (see glossary for a definition) to observe responders on site. 24

9.If onsite medical monitoring is necessary, establish a checkpoint for employees to go through when entering/exiting the work zone. Take vital signs as employees pass through the checkpoint. Alert employees, their immediate supervisors, and the Onsite Safety Officer if monitoring results suggest that an employee may have been exposed to a chemical or biological agent, or other site hazard. 25

10.Determine whether a biological agent poses a risk of infection or a chemical agent poses acute and/or chronic health hazards. Perform environmental monitoring and determine the level of PPE that is to be worn (see the manual's Respiratory Protection Program chapter and PPE Program chapter for guidance on respirator and PPE selection), incorporate information about these controls into the site-specific HASP, and ensure that the controls are implemented in the field. 25

11.Upon request, assist the Onsite Safety Officer in determining/implementing work practice, engineering, or administrative controls. 25

12.Upon request, perform task-specific evaluations to assess the hazards posed by chemical or biological agents. 25

13.Provide emergency responders with the Quick Reference Guide in the Chemical and Biological Agents chapter. 25

14.Ensure that employees have access to emergency medical services in a reasonable time frame. 25

15.Provide technical support to emergency responders to ensure that the HASP addresses management of exposure to chemical or biological agents. 25

16.Ensure that all chemical/biological agent components of the HASP are implemented in the field. 25

17.Retain a certificate (or an equivalent form of documentation) certifying that you have completed Chemical and Biological Awareness training. 25

18.Ensure that training requirements are tracked in the FRM and that the Removal Manager or supervisor is aware of which employees have/have not completed their training requirements. 25

19.Retain copies of onsite medical monitoring records. 25

APPENDIX B

Chemical and Biological Agents:
Documentation of Additional Policies and Procedures 27

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF ACRONYMS

APR Air-purifying respirator

CBRN Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (agents)

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DHS Department of Homeland Security

EMT Emergency medical technician

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FRM Field Readiness Module

HASP Health and safety plan

HAZCOM Hazard communication

HAZMAT Hazardous material

HAZWOPER Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response

HEPA High-efficiency particulate air (filter)

HSPC Health and Safety Program Contact

HQ Headquarters

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NRF National Response Framework

NRT U.S. National Response Team

OLEM Office of Land and Emergency Management (formerly called Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER))

OSC On-Scene Coordinator

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (U.S. Department of Labor)

PAPR Powered air-purifying respirator

PPE Personal protective equipment

SCBA Self-contained breathing apparatus

SHEMP Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Program

USAMRIID U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases

USFA U.S. Fire Administration