Disaster Site Worker Safety

1
Disaster Site Worker Safety

• Module 9
• Safe Work Practices Health Hazards

2
Objectives

• List common airborne health hazards potentially
  present during disaster site and demolition
  operations.
• Give an example of an appropriate decontamination
  procedure for exposure to harmful materials or
  contaminants.
• Identify the stages of heat stress.
• Discuss the significance of ergonomics when
  working at a disaster site.
• List some additional health and safety concerns
  that may be encountered.
• Explain the procedure for correcting health
  safety issues that may expose disaster site
  workers to hazards.

3
Airborne Contaminants

• Silica
• Lead
• Asbestos

4
Silica Exposure

• Silicosis is a disabling, nonreversible, and
  sometimes fatal lung disease caused by
  overexposure to respirable crystalline silica
• 100 percent preventable if employers, workers,
  and health professionals work together to reduce
  exposures
• Associated with other diseases, such as
  bronchitis and tuberculosis

5
Lead Exposure

• In the construction industry, most over-exposures
  to lead traditionally have been found in the
  trades such as plumbing, welding, and painting
• Significant lead exposures can also arise from
  removing paint from surfaces previously coated
  with lead-based paint, such as in bridge repair,
  residential renovation, and demolition

6
Sources of Lead Exposure

• Flame-torch cutting, welding, the use of heat
  guns, sanding, scraping and grinding
• Abrasive blasting of bridges and other structures
  containing lead-based paints
• Use of torches and heat guns, and sanding,
  scraping, and grinding lead-based paint surfaces
• Maintaining process equipment or exhaust duct
  work

7
Asbestos Exposure

• Asbestos is found in products such as
• Sprayed-on fireproofing
• Pipe insulation
• Floor tiles
• Cement pipe and sheet
• Roofing felts and shingles
• Ceiling tiles
• Fire-resistant drywall
• Drywall joint compounds
• Acoustical products

8
Decontamination Procedures

• Physically remove the harmful materials
• Inactivate harmful materials by chemical
  interaction
• Isolate harmful materials by removing protective
  equipment and packaging it in drums or bags for
  future decontamination or disposal

9
Heat Stress

• Heat stress is caused by a number of interacting
  factors, including
• Environmental conditions.
• Type of protective clothing worn, the work
  activity required.
• Individual characteristics of the employee.

10
Heat Exhaustion

• Headaches, dizziness/light headedness, weakness
• Mood changes (irritable, or confused/cant think
  straight)
• Feeling sick to your stomach, vomiting/throwing
  up
• Decreased and dark-colored urine,
  fainting/passing out, and pale clammy skin

11
Humidity and Temperature
Humidity
Temperature
12
Heat Stroke Medical Emergency

• Dry pale skin (no sweating)
• Hot, red skin (looks like a sunburn)
• Mood changes (irritable, confused/not making any
  sense)
• Seizures/fits
• Collapse/passed out (will not respond)

13
Cold Stress

• Cold-related illnesses can slowly overcome a
  person who has been chilled by low temperatures,
  brisk winds, or wet clothing.
• Hypothermia can occur when land temperatures are
  above freezing or water temperatures are below
  98.6oF/37oC.

14
Hypothermia A Medical Emergency

• Normal body temperature (98.6oF/37oC) drops to or
  below 95oF (35oC) fatigue or drowsiness
  uncontrolled shivering cool, bluish skin
• Slurred speech clumsy movements irritable,
  irrational
• Confused behavior

15
Noise

• Any high noise level can damage your hearing
  permanently
• High noise sources include
• Machinery
• Power Tools
• Demolition
• Explosives

16
Basic Types of Hearing Protection

• Ear Plugs Inserted into the ear cavity to
  dampen loud noises
• Ear Muffs Cover the entire ear

Hearing protection devices must provide a
complete seal to be effective.
17
Bloodborne Pathogens

• Workplace Transmission
• Body fluids such as saliva, semen, vaginal
  secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid,
  blood, and other body fluids
• Body fluids DO NOT include sweat and tears.
• Unfixed tissue or organs other than intact skin
  from living or dead humans

18
BBP Safety Rules

• Follow universal precautions.
• Use the required personal protective equipment.
• Wash exposed areas with antibacterial soap.
• Treat all human body fluids items soiled with
  human body fluids as contaminated.
• Report any suspected exposure to your supervisor.
  
• Disinfect all spills of body fluid.

19
Ergonomics

• Reduce stress and eliminate injuries and
  disorders associated with the overuse of muscles,
  bad posture, and repetitive motion.
• Some jobs expose workers to excessive vibration
  and noise, eyestrain, repetitive motion, and
  heavy lifting.

20
Hazard Prevention and Control

• Engineering Controls
• Work Practice Controls
• Training

21
Additional Health Safety Concerns

• Fatigue, chemicals, alcohol and drug use,
  vibration, radiation, psychological and
  physiological stressors are additional health and
  safety concerns for disaster site workers,
  especially due to extended work day or work
  shifts.

22
Fatigue

• Fatigue is a message to the body to rest
• Fatigue becomes distressing and overwhelming
• Some symptoms
• Weariness
• Irritability
• Reduced alertness, concentration, and memory
• Increased susceptibility to illness
• Headache
• Loss of appetite and digestive problems

23
Chemical Hazards

• Amount of exposure needs to be reevaluated to
  ensure that acceptable levels are not exceeded.
• Any method for determining exposure levels for
  the extended workday should be used with caution
  and under supervision.

24
Vibration

• Vibration-induced white finger (VWF) is the most
  common condition among the operators of hand-held
  vibrating tools.
• Vibration can cause changes in tendons, muscles,
  bones and joints, and can affect the nervous
  system.
• Collectively, these effects are known as Hand-Arm
  Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

25
HAVS Symptoms

• Attacks of whitening (blanching) of one or more
  fingers when exposed to cold
• Tingling and loss of sensation in the fingers
• Loss of light touch
• Pain and cold sensations between periodic white
  finger attacks
• Loss of grip strength
• Bone cysts in fingers and wrists

26
Stress

• Physiological
• Psychological
• Behavioral

27
Making Choices and Decisions

• It is the responsibility of each individual to
  make safe choices and decisions in accordance
  with established safety work practices and
  regulations
• The decision of a moment to perform an unsafe act
  may have consequences that last a lifetime

28
Reporting Unsafe Conditions

• Workers should contact their supervisor or the
  site safety officer regarding these conditions in
  order to correct the problem
• Workers, if given the authority and have the
  ability, should correct or minimize the condition
  when it is discovered.
• Actions and steps taken must be reported to the
  supervisor or site safety officer.