 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Erica Weis, MPH, Division of Environental & Occupational Disease Control, California Division of Health Services, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612, (510) 622-4300, eweis@dhs.ca.gov and Rupali Das, MD, MPH, Occupational Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612.
Based on recent experience in the U.S., a terrorist threat or event will involve workers. In the event of a contaminating terrorist incident, workers, as victims, emergency responders or remediation personnel, can be placed at increased risk for both short and long term adverse health effects. Worker health and safety issues present unique challenges to the terrorism response planning process. Occupational health professionals have important roles investigating occupational illness outbreaks and conducting work-related illness surveillance and work-site hazard investigations. Important aspects that should be included in planning for worker health and safety are consideration of the specific work process and the worker management relationship, occupational epidemiology techniques and industrial hygiene methods. Specific inclusion of worker health and safety protocols into terrorism response planning will strengthen the public health response to terrorism. Incorporating occupational health experience into terrorism response policies and procedures will improve ability to respond rapidly and effectively to worker health and safety issues.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.