Katrina disaster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Katrina disaster - Essay Example The paper addresses planning and implementing of the rescue work, workers safety and hazards, equipment and protective gear required, hazardous materials inside the hospital and their removal. Keywords: Personal Protective Equipment – PPE, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - NIOSH, Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA, High efficiency particulate absorbing – HEPA, Occupational Safety and Health Association - OSHA, contaminants, hazards, hygiene. Evaluation of a large New Orleans Hospital after Hurricane Katrina and resultant flooding is taking place directed by Incident Commander, lead by Industrial Hygienist of the hospital with a team comprising of Hospital’s Safety Supervisor (Programs & Training), the Environmental Manager (physical plant, wastes and regulatory issues), two technicians (IH and environmental sample collection and testing) and 25 other employees. The recovery team is given the name ‘Rescuers†. Teams would be organized by phases in the recovery mission. Phase one would be to make second floor safe and clean for working environment as per set standards. Second phase would be initial evaluation of the building further breaking down into sub-phases according to building levels. Then third phase would be removal of hazardous material from basement and 1st level. Fourth phase would be reconstruction and rehabilitation of the floors. Final phase would be testing and monitoring for safety prior to opening the hospital fro operation. Team would be housed on site in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers powered by generators. Team’s offices would be on the 2nd floor of the building (since below levels are waterlogged) along with surgical suites, clinical laboratory and pharmacy. Pharmacy has been looted and trashed. Since communication means through land line is impossible and few cell phone networks are working, hence radio satellite would be installed for reliable mean of