The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new guidance document, Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders During Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases (pdf), designed to help employers protect emergency medical service (EMS) workers in situations involving the release of hazardous substances. According to a press release, the compliance guide helps employers determine the type of training and personal protective equipment (PPE) needed in emergency situations by anticipating the EMS responder's role in a worst-case scenario, identifying hazards associated with the responder's assigned duties, and developing an emergency response plan detailing safe accomplishment of those duties.

The first section of this 104-page guide provides suggestions on how employers can assess the hazards their workers may face in the event of a hazardous substance release incident while on the job. This section also provides advice for employers to use in evaluating the roles their employees play in emergency response situations. The next two sections outline best practices for training and equipping EMS responders during the treatment and transport of potentially contaminated victims. The final section focuses on hazardous substance decontamination.

This guidance document is intended as a companion to Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers, a guide released in 2005 for healthcare facilities that receive and treat victims of hazardous substance exposure.

Photo credit:  MargoJH