NIOSH Publishes Two Documents on Protecting Emergency Response Workers 

NIOSH has released two new documents addressing the health and safety of workers involved in emergency response and recovery efforts. The first, the NIOSH Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance Primer (PDF), provides step-by-step guidance in implementing the Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance (ERHMS) framework. This framework helps organizations, such as state, local, and tribal governments and community partners, ensure that response and recovery workers deployed to all types of emergencies have the necessary medical clearances, credentials, training, and equipment to do their work safely. The ERHMS Primer outlines the actions organizations should take before deployment, such as assessing workers’ fitness, providing training, and ensuring confidentiality; during deployment, such as documenting hazards, exposures, illnesses, and injuries; and after deployment, such as ensuring post-deployment assistance and continued medical monitoring. The appendix provides sample forms that may be used as they are or modified to fit an organization’s needs during each deployment stage. 

The second document, the third edition of Hurricane and Flood Key Messages for Employers, Workers, and Volunteers (PDF), is intended to help employers and workers, including volunteers, anticipate hazards before, during, and after disasters such as hurricanes and floods. This document also refers to the ERHMS framework and directs readers to the ERHMS Primer and EHRMS Technical Assistance Document (PDF). First, the Key Messages document summarizes employers and workers’ responsibilities at all stages of deployment, with links to relevant resources. These responsibilities include medical screening, personal hygiene, and personal protective equipment use. The latter part of this document provides information and resources related to a range of animal, biological, chemical, and physical hazards that workers may encounter when responding to hurricanes and floods. 

Both the NIOSH ERHMS Primer and Key Messages document may be downloaded from NIOSH’s website.