You are an Industrial Hygienist for a large New Orleans Hospital who was evacuated to Baton Rouge after the Katrina

 You are an Industrial Hygienist for a large New Orleans Hospital who was evacuated to Baton Rouge after the Katrina disaster. It is 6 weeks after the event and you have been given the responsibility to supervise a team that will return to the hospital, evaluate the situation and participate in a plan tore-establish basic medical needs for the workers involved in the recovery effort. Your team is composed of the hospital’s current Safety Supervisor (programs and training), the Environmental Manager (physical plant, wastes and regulatory issues), and two technicians (versed in IH and environmental sample collection and testing). Your offices are on the second floor of the building, along with the surgical suites and clinical laboratory. In your offices, there is a considerable amount of trash and debris scattered about with ample evidence of the public’s intrusion to the area after the event. There are muddy footprints and open cabinets, along with testing supplies and equipment strewn about your team’s office area. The basement and much of the first floor were flooded to a level of about 6 feet. The main administrative offices, emergency room operations, and cafeteria were on the first floor. THE BOSS NEEDS….: The Incident Commander (person in-charge of recovery) for this operation is looking to you for guidance on the safe entry, safe clean up procedures, appropriate PPE for all recovery workers, and a hazard assessment for the most critical items or operations that can cause acute or chronic health effects, illness or disease. THE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED: 1. What recommendations and guidance would you make to the Incident Commander to address his concerns and needs? 2. What are the main Industrial Hygiene concerns for your team and the clean-up recovery workers? 3. How would you organize your team? 4. What tasks would you assign to them? 5. What PPE would you require for your team members and the recovery workers…short term and then later in the recovery effort? 6. What testing equipment would you require for your team members? 7. What information would you require from the different members of your team? 8. How would you delegate certain duties to your team members? 9. Any other pertinent information you feel is important and necessary.