Contents
- Emergency Management Unit
Ministry of Health
Hazardous Substance Response Project
Health care workers are at risk of occupational exposure to chemical, biological, or radiological materials when receiving patients contaminated during a hazardous substance event. Incidents that could result in patient contamination include drug use, accidents and criminal activity. Hospital staff are considered “first receivers” and are at particular risk during mass-casualty incidents, or when contaminated individuals arrive at the emergency department without having received screening and decontamination through ambulance or fire services.
A key health emergency management priority is to develop, refine and deliver an integrated and sustainable, province-wide health system Hazardous Substance Response Program (HSRP). The ultimate aim of the program is to ensure that all health facilities that may receive patients contaminated with hazardous substances have the plans, equipment and training needed to provide care in a safe manner.
The BC Guidelines for Decontamination of Patients in Health Facilities (PDF 23M) were developed during the first phase of the program and address a range of decontamination scenarios from one patient to mass decontamination. They provide recommendations on:
- Risk-based preparedness and decontamination capacity levels;
- The basic functions to be performed during patient decontamination;
- Decontamination zones, infrastructure and equipment;
- Decontamination personnel needs, training and exercising;
- Steps in preparing health facilities for patient decontamination; and
- Disaster psychosocial health as it relates to patient decontamination.
The next phase of the HSRP is aimed at ensuring health facilities have the necessary equipment, training and education to respond to a hazardous substance incident.
Top