Basic Responder Decon

1. Basic Responder Decon

2. Process of removing contaminates from People Equipment Structures Environment or Anything that may be contaminated Decontamination Defined

3. Purpose of Decontamination • Minimize exposure to hazardous substances • Limit the spread of contamination

4. Methods of Decontamination Discarding Dilution Absorption Neutralization

5. Methods of Decontamination • Generally, discarding and dilution are preferred methods • Easy to implement, effective and inexpensive • Water is generally plentiful

6. Types of Decontamination • Emergency • FRO Emergency Decon • Mass Decon • Precautionary • Responder • Respiratory • Equipment

7. Emergency Decontamination Emergency Decontamination Urgent & expedient

8. Emergency Decontamination • First Responder Emergency Decontamination • Done to civilians or response personnel who have had direct exposure to hazardous substances • Displaying related symptoms. • Generally required for a few people

9. Emergency Decontamination • Mass Decontamination • Generally required for large groups of people • (Note: This is covered by a separate course. We won’t cover it today.)

10. Precautionary Decontamination Provided to civilians who are displaying related symptoms and may have been through emergency decontamination. May also be appropriate for those who may have been exposed but are not displaying related symptoms

11. Precautionary Decontamination • May involve use of tents, trailers, tarps, containment basins and/or showers • May be first step if Emergency Decontamination not required • Ensures no suspected contamination leaves the incident site

12. Responder Decontamination Provided to personnel working in Exclusion Zone at a Hazmat/WMD event

13. Responder Decontamination • Hazmat Entry and Decon Teams • May include Law Enforcement Force Protection Squads and EMS personnel working in CPC • Primary focus of this course

14. Respiratory Decontamination Provided to persons who have had an exposure to toxic gas that poses little or no risk of secondary contamination May be required on an emergent basis for victims displaying symptoms

15. Respiratory Decontamination • Involves removing victims from hazardous environment & relocating them to clean & safe location • May include the administration of oxygen • Remove bulky clothing capable of trapping gas prior to turning the victim over to EMS

16. Used to clean equipment so that it can be returned to service May refer to cleaning of equipment contaminated during incident or Additional cleaning of PPE post incident EquipmentDecontamination

17. What Method to Select? Hazmat Group Supervisor will decide

18. Hazardous Materials Zones

19. Hazardous Materials Zones • Refuge Area • Area within incident for assembly of individuals

20. Hazardous Materials Zones • Safe Refuge Area (SRA) • Safe area within Contamination Reduction Zone (CRZ) for assembly of individuals who were on site at time of spill • Separate potentially contaminated or exposed persons from non-exposed persons in SRA

21. Control Zone Layout

22. Varies by methods selected & incident needs Decontamination Equipment

23. Brushes – various Buckets Decontamination pools Decontamination showers Disposable blankets Ground cover (plastic sheeting or tarps) Hoses (including garden hoses) Modesty protection Typical Decon Equipment

24. Nozzles Plastic bags Red barrier tape Small hose adapters Soap Sponges Stools Towels Traffic cones Typical Decon Equipment

25. Typical Decon Equipment List not all encompassing May include items you don’t need

26. General Decon Guidance Avoid unnecessary contact with potentially hazardous substances Don’t touch or walk through areas of obvious contamination Protect monitoring and sampling instruments by bagging or wrapping

27. General Decon Guidance • Wear disposable outer garments and use disposable equipment when possible • Place all discarded contaminated equipment in a designated area. • Contain all rinse water until tested (when possible and practical)

28. General Decon Guidance • Set up the Contamination Reduction Zone and decontamination prior to personnel entering the Exclusion Zone • Minimize contact time with contaminants • Stay upwind & upgrade from contaminant

29. Managing the Decon Process

30. Hazmat ICS

31. Decontamination Leader Assigned to Hazardous Materials Group Supervisor/Branch Responsible for all activities in CRZ Responsible for decontamination of persons and equipment that leave Exclusion Zone and maintenance of Decon Unit records

32. Decon Leader Training FROs may be Decontamination Leader Usually filled by a hazmat team member trained to Hazmat Technician level

33. Hazmat Group Supervisor Assigned to the Operations Section Or Hazardous Materials Branch (if activated) Implements phases of IAP dealing with Hazardous Materials Group operations

34. Hazmat Group Supervisor • Assigns resources within Hazardous Materials Group • Directs overall operations of Hazardous Materials Group

35. Size of Decon Unit (or Team) Decon leader plus two or more members Keep in mind: Decontamination workers may also have to go through the decon process If they are contaminated, having more decon members means having more workers that may need to be decon’d

36. Why 2 at a Minimum? OSHA HAZWOPER requires IC to use “buddy system” when sending people into hazardous areas Decon Leader supervises the process Does not don PPE Does not enter the zone to assist with decon

37. Performing Responder Decon Many different ways to perform Responder Decontamination We’ll describe principals & guidelines

38. Protective Clothing Does not have to be the same level as for Entry Team What is threat of secondary contamination? Will the materials that the entry workers are contaminated with get on the decon workers?

39. For Example Entry Team is wearing Level A PPE Decon Team can be in Level B PPE Unless extremely hazardous materials are present

40. Basics of PPE Selection • ASO and Hazmat Group Sup will decide • OSHA Policy • Level of PPE for the decon team is the same or one level below that of the entry team

41. At least two people to perform actual decontamination activities Person 1: initial washing and scrubbing Person 2: rinse and assist with removing clothing/outer garments If more people are used they may help remove SCBA and assist as necessary Personnel Needed

42. Hazmat team’s standard decon plan should allow for deviation and flexibility Setting Up the Decon Area

43. Typical Decon Set Up Basic set up Isolated area w/access to water Ground cover used Large enough to allow for a work area

44. Typical Decon Set Up Ground covering in place, Pools are placed on top of the ground covering Hoses and brushes Commonly garden type hoses Put in place at edge of pool

45. Typical Decon Set Up Undress area Adjacent to pools Entry workers doff PPE With assistance from decon workers

46. Other Optional Areas Sample decon area Equipment drop off area Waste area Discard over-boots and/or over-gloves that have been grossly contaminated Gross decon pool No washing just rinsing

47. Other Optional Areas • SCBA cylinder change area • SCBA removal station • An area to decontaminate patients, victims and/or non-ambulatory persons • Other • Any needed based upon situation

48. The Process As worker moves from one pool to another He/she becomes cleaner each step until completely cleaned by last pool Exact process will vary!

49. The Process • Contaminated worker goes from one pool to the other getting washed and rinsed along the way • Worker washed from top to bottom • Pay close attention to areas such as feet or hands

50. The Process Exit last pool Remove SCBA