Organize and direct hazardous material incident response activities: detection and monitoring; spill response; victim, technical, and emergency decontamination; and
facility and equipment decontamination.
Update Secondary Person Responsible:
Documents/Tools:
• Incident Action Plan
• Hospital emergency operations plan
• Hospital organization chart
• Hospital telephone directory
• Radio/satellite phone
• OSHA First Receiver’s Checklist
• Decontamination area drawings, procedures, and documentation logs
1. Receive appointment and briefing from the Operations Section Chief. Obtain packet containing Hazardous Materials Branch Job Action Sheets.
2. Read this entire Job Action Sheet and review incident management team chart (HICS Form 207). Put on position identification.
3. Notify your usual supervisor of your HICS assignment.
4. Determine need for and appropriately appoint Hazardous Materials Branch Unit Leaders; distribute corresponding Job Action Sheets and position identification. Complete the Branch Assignment List (HICS Form 204).
5. Document all key activities, actions, and decisions in an Operational Log (HICS Form 214) on a continual basis.
6. Brief the Hazardous Materials Branch on current situation, incident objectives and strategy; outline Branch action plan and designate time for next briefing.
7. Ensure Branch personnel comply with safety policies and procedures.
8. Obtain hazardous materials agent information and notify Hazardous Materials Branch Unit Leaders, hospital emergency department, and other treatment areas.
9. Evaluate special response needs to include:
• coordination with local or area external hazardous materials teams
• level and type of decontamination needed (e.g., dry, radiological, technical, gross)
10. Ensure hazard monitoring in open and enclosed spaces; coordinate with the Safety Officer.
11. Ensure hospital's internal spill response plan is activated, as appropriate.
12. Ensure the set-up and staffing of decontamination areas, as appropriate to incident.
13. Ensure mass decontamination system is functional and meets decontamination needs.
14.Ensure appropriate antidote supplies are delivered to the decontamination area. Coordinate with the Supply Unit Leader and Clinical Support Services Unit.
15. Review antidote administration procedure(s) with decontamination personnel, if needed.
16. Establish medical monitoring of decontamination team members; coordinate with the Employee Health & Well-Being Unit Leader.
17. Document all communications (internal and external) on an Incident Message Form (HICS Form 213). Provide a copy of the Incident Message Form to the Documentation Unit.
18. Ensure patient valuables are collected and secured; coordinate with the Security Branch Director.
19. Determine special equipment and supply needs; request from the Supply Unit Leader and report of Operations Section Chief.
20. Notify local water authority of situation, as appropriate, and determine if containment of any run-off is required.
21. Ensure proper wastewater collection and disposal, in compliance with recommendations from water authority, emergency management, and/or local hazardous material team/fire department.
22. Make requests for external assistance as needed, in coordination with the Liaison Officer.
Ongoing Duties:
1. Meet regularly with Operations Section Chief for status reports, and relay important information to Branch staff.
2. Ensure staff are rotated and replaced as needed.
3. Track results of medical monitoring of staff, in collaboration with the Employee Health and Well-Being Unit Leader.
4. Activate supplemental staffing plan as indicated.
5. Ensure hazard monitoring continues and issues are addressed; coordinate with the Safety Officer.
6. Continue to maintain chain of custody of all patient valuables and contaminated clothing in coordination with the Security Branch Director.
7. Ensure decontamination supplies and PPE are replaced as needed.
8. Ensure contaminated materials are disposed of properly.
9. Prepare for the possibility of evacuation and/or the relocation of the decontamination area as needed.
10. Receive regularly updated reports from Hazardous Materials Branch Team Leaders.
11. Consult with Medical/Technical Specialist as needed to provide updated clinical management information to appropriate areas as available.
12. Communicate status with external authorities, as appropriate, in coordination with the Liaison Officer.
13. Coordinate internal repair activities, consulting when needed with Infrastructure Branch Director.
14. Develop and submit a Branch action plan to the Operations Section Chief when requested.
15. Advise Operations Section Chief immediately of any operational issue you are not able to correct or resolve.
