Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
f. Personnel data should be recorded on
HAZMAT Medical Monitor
•
Bio-hazard trash can contents
These trash cans will contain soaps, sponges,
scrub brushes, towels, and other items used
by patients during the decontamination process.
These bags must be sealed and segregated for
later removal by contract waste haulers.
form (see
attached).
7. Post-entry Medical Monitoring
a. Vital signs repeated every 10 minutes
until return to less that 85% of maximum
pulse rate.
b. Oral rehydration started immediately upon
completion of personal decon.
c. IV hydration and more aggressive medical
evaluation shall be initiated for victims
displaying medical illness and/or unstable
vital signs.
8. The completed Hazmat Medical Monitoring
form shall be forwarded to Employee Health
for review and decision, if further evaluation is
needed. The assessment form is to become part
of the individual's occupational health file.
•
Towel discard bins
These bins will hold the towels discarded by
patients who have completed the decontamina-
tion process just prior to their entry into the
healthcare facility. These bags must be segre-
gated for possible laundering or later removal
by contract waste haulers.
•
Wastewater effluent
In the event that mass decontamination efforts
are required, the importance of life safety
concerns supercedes the potential environ-
mental impact of contaminated effluent. Every
attempt should be made to direct this effluent
into the sanitary sewer, with immediate noti-
fication of the proper municipal agencies. In
those cases in which only limited numbers of
patients are involved, every attempt should be
made to contain this effluent using “baby pools”
or similar methods. Such collected water must
then be properly disposed of under the direction
and supervision of the appropriate municipal
agencies and contract waste haulers.
Any area outside of the healthcare facility
that was used in the mass decontamination
process and was inside of the warm or hot zones
must be cordoned off until such time as it is
verified by hazardous materials experts that no
risk of contamination exists.
Equipment/Supply Acquisition
If needed equipment and supplies are not avail-
able in the ED, the ED charge physician should
be notified immediately. This information should
be immediately forwarded to the
disaster support
center
, which can help procure needed materials.
If all on-site resources have been exhausted, the
Inova Health System
disaster command center
will be contacted by the hospital Disaster Support
Center in order to identify location of needed
supplies and additional logistical support.
Clean-up and Recovery
Upon completion of the decontamination process,
immediate consideration must be given to the
following issues:
References
•
Personal belongings and valuables of patients
These items will be in tagged, sealed red
biohazard bags kept outside of the health-
care facility under the direct supervision of
the hospital Safety and Security staff, or local
law enforcement personnel. These items may
not be returned until they are deemed safe for
handling and their evidentiary content has been
evaluated.
1. C. G. Hurst. Decontamination, in
Textbook of Mili-
tary Medicine: Medical Aspects of Chemical and
Biological Warfare
, Office of the Surgeon General,
Department of the Army, 1997.
2. www.ezem.com.
3. M. G. Hamilton, J. Conley, and N. Nation. Effect of
the Canadian Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion
on Non-occluded Porcine Epidermal Wounds.
