Disaster Response Focus of New OSHA QuickCard
Protecting Worker Safety and Health Under the National Response Framework is the title of a new QuickCard posted to OSHA's Web site. Following a disaster, OSHA often serves as the coordinating agency when federal, state, tribal, and local assets are overwhelmed and assistance is needed to protect employees during an emergency.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency can activate OSHA to coordinate the federal worker safety and health resources and technical assistance. Depending upon the scope, complexity, and hazards associated with the incident, the agency's services can include:
- Identifying and assessing worker health and safety hazards present at the incident site and in the environment.
- Assessing the resources needed to protect workers and identifying the sources available to meet these needs.
- Providing technical expertise in industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health, structural collapse engineering, safety engineering, radiation safety, biological and chemical agent response, and occupational medicine.
- Managing the creation and implementation of a sitespecific health and safety plan (HASP).
- Monitoring and managing worker safety and health hazards through on-site identification, evaluation, analysis, and mitigation, including personal exposure monitoring.
- Providing assistance with developing, implementing, and monitoring the personal protective equipment (PPE) program, including the selection, use, and decontamination of PPE.
- Coordinating the collection and management of exposure and accident/injury data to identify trends and facilitate data sharing.
- Coordinating and providing incident-specific response and recovery worker training.
- Assisting with the development and distribution of educational materials on preventing and mitigating hazards.
The card can be viewed and downloaded from the agency's "Publications" or "QuickCards" links at www.osha.gov.