Emergency management is the organization and management of the resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies (preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery). The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of all hazards, including disasters.
The World Health ...
Topic: Disaster Management
Emergency management is the organization and management of the resources and
responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies (preparedness, response,
mitigation, and recovery). The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of all hazards, including
disasters.
The World Health Organization defines an emergency as the state in which normal procedures
are interrupted, and immediate measures (management) need to be taken to prevent it from
becoming a disaster, which is even harder to recover from. Disaster management is a related
term but should not be equated to emergency management.
Emergency planning ideals
Emergency planning is a discipline of urban planning and design; it aims to prevent emergencies
from occurring, and failing that, initiates an efficient action plan to mitigate the results and
effects of any emergencies. The development of emergency plans is a cyclical process, common
to many risk management disciplines such as business continuity and security risk management:
Recognition or identification of risks
Ranking or evaluation of risks
Responding to significant risks
Tolerating
Treating
Transferring
Terminating
Resourcing controls and planning
Reaction planning
Reporting and monitoring risk performance
Reviewing the risk management frameworkThere are a number of guidelines and publications
regarding emergency planning, published by professional organizations such as ASIS, National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the International Association of Emergency Managers
(IAEM).
,Health and safety of workers
Cleanup during disaster recovery involves many occupational hazards. Often, these hazards are
exacerbated by the conditions of the local environment as a result of the natural disaster.
Employers are responsible for minimizing exposure to these hazards and protecting workers
when possible, including identification and thorough assessment of potential hazards, application
of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and the distribution of other relevant
information in order to enable safe performance of work.
Physical exposures
Flood-associated injuries
Flooding disasters often expose workers to trauma from sharp and blunt objects hidden under
murky waters that cause lacerations and open and closed fractures. These injuries are further
exacerbated with exposure to the often contaminated waters, leading to increased risk for
infection. The risk of hypothermia significantly increases with prolonged exposure to water
temperatures less than 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Non-infectious skin conditions may also occur
including miliaria, immersion foot syndrome (including trench foot), and contact
dermatitis.Earthquake-associated injuries
The predominant injuries are related to building structural components, including falling debris
with possible crush injury, burns, electric shock, and being trapped under rubble.
Chemical exposures
Hazardous material release
Chemicals can pose a risk to human health when exposed to humans at certain quantities. After a
natural disaster, certain chemicals can become more prominent in the environment. These
hazardous materials can be released directly or indirectly. Chemical hazards directly released
after a natural disaster often occur at the same time as the event, impeding planned actions for
mitigation. Indirect release of hazardous chemicals can be intentionally released or
unintentionally released. An example of intentional release is insecticides used after a flood or
chlorine treatment of water after a flood. These chemicals can be controlled through engineering
to minimize their release when a natural disaster strikes; for example, agrochemicals from
inundated storehouses or manufacturing facilities poisoning the floodwaters or asbestos fibers
released from a building collapse during a hurricane. The flowchart to the right has been adopted
from research performed by Stacy Young et al.Exposure limits
Below are TLV-TWA, PEL, and IDLH values for common chemicals workers are exposed to
after a natural disaster.
Mold exposures: Exposure to mold is commonly seen after a natural disaster such as flooding,
hurricane, tornado or tsunami. Mold growth can occur on both the exterior and interior of
residential or commercial buildings. Warm and humid conditions encourage mold growth. While
the exact number of mold species is unknown, some examples of commonly found indoor molds
are Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Alternaria and Penicillium. Reaction to molds differ between
individuals and can range from mild symptoms such as eye irritation, cough to severe life-
threatening asthmatic or allergic reactions. People with history of chronic lung disease, asthma,
allergy, other breathing problems or those that are immunocompromised could be more sensitive
to molds and may develop fungal pneumonia.
Some methods to prevent mold growth after a natural disaster include opening all doors and
windows, using fans to dry out the building, positioning fans to blow air out of the windows,
cleaning up the building within the first 24–48 hours, and moisture control. When removing
molds, N-95 masks or respirators with a higher protection level should be used to prevent
inhalation of molds into the respiratory system. Molds can be removed from hard surfaces by
soap and water, a diluted bleach solution or commercial products.
Human remains: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "There is
no direct risk of contagion or infectious disease from being near human remains for people who
are not directly involved in recovery or other efforts that require handling dead bodies.” Most
viruses and bacteria perish along with the human body after death. Therefore, no excessive
measures are necessary when handling human remains indirectly. However, for workers in direct
contact with human remains, universal precautions should be exercised in order to prevent
unnecessary exposure to blood-borne viruses and bacteria. Relevant PPE includes eye protection,
face mask or shield, and gloves. The predominant health risk are gastrointestinal infections
through fecal-oral contamination, so hand hygiene is paramount to prevention. Mental health
support should also be available to workers who endure psychological stress during and after
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