Aftermath of Katrina - Returning to a Workplace - Essay Example

Aftermath of Katrina: Returning to a Workplace Hurricane Katrina brought destruction and carnage to large areas of the New Orleans on 29th August 2005. We, the technical staff of New Orleans Hospital, were evacuated to Baton Rouge and six weeks after the event I, being Industrial Hygienist, was given the responsibility to supervise a team engaged in evaluating the situation and planning the reestablishment of medical needs for workers involved in recovery effort. The team comprised a Safety Supervisor, an Environmental Manager, and two technicians. Our preliminary investigations revealed that there was public intrusion and all the testing supplies and equipments were strewn around. Basement and much of first floor occupying the administrative office, emergency room, operations, and cafeteria were flooded to about six feet. When we inspected the premises to put up a temporary office along with surgical suites and clinical laboratory on the second floor, which was not affected by flood water, we noticed heaps of trash and debris. The task I was assigned, to guide Incident Commander on the safe entry, cleanup procedure, appropriate PPE for all recovery works, and hazard assessment for the most critical items or operations that can cause acute or chronic health effects, illness or disease, was most challenging. We recognized that without organizational skills and knowledge of time tested processes we will achieve little with manpower, massive resources, and technical expertise. Only through a definite written plan, adequate training and basic safety knowledge of the workers engaged in cleaning, and a centralized control and coordination such a herculian activity could be materialized. To achieve the goal, following broad overview of the duties and recommendations has been chartered, according to priority, and submitted to the Incident Commander: Break-up plans to different groups and set target date for completion. Secure the campus as well as all hospital equipments. Get power to the hospital- even temporary arrangement through a generator. Drain the water from buildings Protect undamaged areas from humidity Recover vital documents from main administrative office Remove debris and discard porous and water damaged materials. Identify and attend to environmental health and infrastructure issues. “Industrial hygienists recognize that engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are the primary means of reducing employee exposure to occupational hazards. Engineering controls minimize employee exposure by either reducing or removing the hazard at the source or isolating the worker from the hazards.” (NOSH interim recommendations for the cleaning and remediation of flood-contaminated HVAC system: A guide for building owner and managers, 2004). Being a hospital, the main Industrial Hygiene concerns for our team and the clean-up recovery workers were exposure to skin and respiratory disorders. It is possible that during flooding the systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) could be submerged in flood water leading to contamination with various types of micro-organisms, such as bacteria and fungi. The contaminated air will affect the workers adversely and molds can cause severe health problems when large numbers of airborne spores are inhaled. All components of HVAC system which were contaminated with flood water or moisture should be thoroughly inspected, cleaned, and disinfected by a qualified professional. “High efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA) should be used to maintain negative pressure around construction areas.” (NOSH interim recommendations for the cleaning and remediation of flood-contaminated HVAC system: A guide for building owner and managers, 2004). Air sampling for microbial contaminants should be done before and after opening the hospital, to guarantee healthy environment as well as ensuring mold clearance criteria prescribed by the government. Air quality testing equipments are integral to achieve this objective. Safe entry of recovery workers, officials and staff members is also of paramount importance. Adequate resources and equipments should be employed to address environmental health issues prevailing in the hospital. Draining flood water from the building premises and keeping the building dry and clean should be the first step in the cleaning operation. It will allow access for assessment and repair of all basic services and enhance habitability in the premises. Simultaneously security around the hospital complex should be beefed up and an environment conducive for the workers should be ensured. Effort should also be made to retrieve records from the administration block. There is a hazard of electrocution to workers involved in cleaning work and without power supply and communication facility further work will be jeopardized. Key buildings in which cleaning work is to be started first, and their location and proximity to power loop should be identified. Thus, individual electric vaults in each building should be cleaned and put back on line. Off-site power plant should be brought to working condition and critical health care equipments in operation for service of the employees in emergency need. Communication net-work should be repaired and made functional at the earliest, to facilitate monitoring and assessment of work in progress. Much precaution has to be taken to protect the health of workers engaged in cleaning and recovery work. “Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHAs role is to assure the safety and health of Americas working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health.” (Key fact about Hurricane and flood recovery, 2006). Special care should be taken to prevent illness from flood water contamination and spread of disease through mosquitoes. Workers should be instructed to maintain personal hygiene and treat wounds and injuries promptly. Precaution should be taken to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, electric and fire hazards. Chemical and hazardous materials in the hospital laboratory should be kept safely. Physical capability of workers to determine their ability to wear respirator should be ensured, and continued surveillance of work area condition for their exposure to skin and respiratory problems should be tested frequently. Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) are necessary to safeguard the workers engaged in hazardous job, particularly cleaning work after flood. Special protective clothes, gloves, hard hats, heavy work goggles, water tight boots with steel toes and insoles, earplug or protective head phone to reduce risk from equipment noise, and right type of respirators should be supplied immediately to each worker according to their job assignment. Later, in the recovery effort, workers should be provided with appropriate skin, eye, and hearing protection for the safe performance of their duties. (Personal protective equipment, 2007). Creating different groups and assigning target date for completion will help in executing an activity with ease. The services of Safety officer could be used to impart basic safety knowledge to the workers, and in collection and disposal of hazardous waste materials. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines on “disaster recovery hazards” should be transmitted to workers. Environmental Manager could be assigned with the duties of physical inspection of various plants and their repair, disposal of waste, and coordinating with government agencies for regulatory issues. One technician should head collection and testing of environmental samples and the other should lead Industrial Hygiene activities. Workers will be categorized according to their experience and knowledge about identified clean-up activities through a questionnaire. If necessary, the first day will be earmarked for training in sorting and identifying debris and imparting basic safety information. Duties to individual group leaders will be assigned based on their expertise and in consultation with Incident Commander. Progress in the work assigned to each group will be monitored through daily report and weekly performance chart. With the concerted effort of group members and adhering to different time frame set to bring various infrastructures on line with varying degrees of capability, the hospital will be functional within a short period. Works cited NOSH interim recommendations for the cleaning and remediation of flood-contaminated HVAC system: A guide for building owner and managers. (2004). National institute for occupational safety and health. Retrieved October 25, 2007, from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flood/Cleaning-Flood-HVAC.html Personal protective equipment (PPE). (2007). U.S. department of labor. Retrieved October 25, 2007, from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/ Key fact about Hurricane and flood recovery. (2006). Centers for disease control and prevention. Retrieved October 25, 2007, from http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/recovery.asp Read More