"WHEN you have bacon and eggs for breakfast, the chicken is involved, but the pig is committed!" I don't remember where I first heard that saying, but it humorously portrays the difference between participating in an event and being an intimate part of the action. In that regard, it also applies to spill and splash accidents at industrial sites.
THE firefighter's work of suppressing a blazing structure is the beginning of a string of activities that includes investigation of possible cause and potential criminal prosecution if arson is suspected. Once the flames are finally extinguished and the structure is secured, the work of determining the cause of a fire begins.
INDUSTRIAL safety and first response used to be at least straightforward, if not incredibly simple. One evaluated his or her risks and needs:
Editor's note: Private and public organizations can use NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, to set up effective programs for mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery from disasters and emergencies. NFPA (www.nfpa.org) has made the 2004 edition of the standard freely available on its Web site to allow for widespread use.
CATASTROPHES happen every day. Fires, floods, power outages, and other emergencies can destroy property and threaten lives anywhere, at any time.
IN the past 30 years, the United States has enacted several laws addressing workplace safety, including specific regulations for air, fire, construction, and occupational safety.
AFTER nearly a dozen years of clinical, academic, and administrative work in the then-young EMS System, in the early 1980s, I ventured "outside the box" of "traditional" EMS (albeit, only 10 years old at that point) and began to teach initial emergency care to non-emergency care clinicians as a full-time venture.
THE terrorist threat is all too real. Terrorists can choose from a wide variety of attacks to execute against this country, including kidnapping, murder, cyber, product adulteration, or use of weapons of mass destruction (biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical, or explosive agents).
A risk communication strategy is an important component of the response to any event. Risk communication has two major components: hazard communications to emergency responders and to the public.
IN three years' time, the United States' perspective of public safety has dramatically shifted. Decades of relative stability within our country's borders have been usurped by the threat of violence, illness, and economic uncertainty.
FIRE, tornado, bomb threat, hazardous material spill--all are emergencies that can, and often do, strike without warning. They are disruptive to normal operations. They frequently cause serious injury, property damage, and production downtime.
AT 10:18 a.m., the rumble and roar of a Tuesday morning earthquake has just collapsed a 10-story downtown building housing offices for more than 600 people. You jump when the silence is shattered by the dispatcher toning out a report of a missing 4-year-old child, last seen playing in her backyard.
IN previous articles (March and June 2003), we discussed how companies can evaluate their response to terrorism and provided some insight into the types of weapons that terrorists may use. Some recommendations for hardening the facility were provided in the second article.
SINCE the 9/11 attacks, there have been many media reports on "Dirty Bombs." The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security have fact sheets regarding Dirty Bombs on their Web sites.
HE sounded just like a hundred other managers: "We don't need a trained first aid team for our site. We're only five minutes from the hospital, fer cryin' out loud!" His pronouncement was right up there with "We can't afford to do first aid training in this economy" and "If someone gets hurt we'll just call 911, that's what they're for." These are common proclamations from people who do not necessarily see the value of first aid teams and the associated training.
SINCE Sept. 11, 2001, America has been under the looming threat of another terrorist attack. The country is responding to this threat by increasing its level of awareness and protection on national, local, and individual levels. In particular, security and occupational safety professionals must prepare for and protect against this new threat.
WHILE preventing fires, gas leaks, power failures, chemical spills, collapses, and other disasters is a top priority for safety professionals, it's equally important to have a well-developed evacuation plan that can be put into action at a moment's notice. As a former New York City Fire Department officer, I've seen firsthand just how crucial a well-coordinated evacuation is to save lives, prevent injuries, and even reduce property damage.
IN the post "9/11" era, many businesses have recognized the need for improved security and disaster response. The threats of anthrax, car bombs, bioterrorism, and numerous other hazards have forced business managers to consider the possible risks to their organizations.
OCCUPATIONAL health and safety professionals may be well trained to deal with risks in the workplace, but are we prepared to deal with risks that may confront our own families?