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Who
is at risk for anthrax exposure?
In October 2001, five workers
died from inhalation anthrax and an additional
13 developed cutaneous or inhalational disease
as a result of intentional terrorist activity.
In most cases seen so far, the disease was linked
to unexpected workplace exposures to anthrax spores
contained in letters mailed through the United
States Postal Service. Fortunately, the number
of workplaces contaminated with the spores has
also been quite limited. Nevertheless, employers
and workers are concerned about possible exposure
to Bacillus anthracis in
the workplace.
Use the following link to help you decide if there
is a credible risk of anthrax exposure at your
worksite:
The following categories
of employees could potentially be exposed to anthrax:
The anthrax exposures that
occurred as a result of the criminal/terrorist
acts received a great deal of media attention. However,
anthrax exposure is most common in animal handling
and related occupations, where Bacillus
anthracis spores can exist naturally. The
following link provides more information regarding
other occupations that are at-risk of anthrax exposure:
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| Anthrax
Risk Reduction Matrix |
This
matrix was developed to offer basic advice
and suggest protective measures that OSHA
believes will reduce the risk of exposure
in light of current concerns about the
presence of anthrax spores in the workplace.
To help employers determine appropriate
precautions, OSHA categorizes worksites
into three risk zones - green, yellow,
and red - based on the likelihood of contamination
with anthrax spores.
- Green Zone: Workplaces
where contamination with anthrax spores
is unlikely
This
zone covers the vast majority of workplaces
in the United States. Since October
2001, anthrax spores have been discovered
only in a very limited number of workplaces.
If your workplace falls into the Green
Zone, it is unlikely that specific
measures to protect against anthrax
exposure are necessary.
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- Yellow Zone: Workplaces
where contamination with anthrax spores is
possible
Examples
of workplaces in the Yellow Zone may include:
- Workplaces that handle bulk mail (especially,
working near equipment such as high-speed
processors/sorters that could aerosolize
anthrax spores),
- Workplaces that handle mail from other
facilities that are known to be contaminated,
- Workplaces in close proximity to other
facilities known to be contaminated, and
- Workplaces that may be targets of bio-terrorists.
The following link provides
additional information for workplaces that
fall into the Yellow Zone:
- Red Zone: Workplaces
where authorities have informed you that contamination
with anthrax spores has been confirmed or is
strongly suspected
Red Zone
guidance addresses two situations:
- Workplaces where authorities have informed
you that contamination with anthrax spores
has been confirmed or is strongly suspected,
and
- Sites where emergency response workers
are engaged in emergency response to, and
cleanup of, bio-terrorist releases of anthrax
spores.
Actions taken by an
employer under these circumstances may vary
depending on the specific facts and the nature
of the incident. Employers should follow
instructions given by law enforcement and public
health agencies and convey appropriate information
to employees.
The following links
provide additional information for workplaces
that fall into the Red Zone:
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| Workers
Exposed Through Criminal/Terrorist Acts |
- Workers whose jobs would not ordinarily
involve anthrax exposure could be exposed
through acts of terrorism.
- Conventional thinking is that terrorists
are likely to target places where large
populations can be found such as large
buildings, sporting events, or mass transit
systems.
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- Recent events have shown that there is a
wider range of physical locations that could
be targeted and this expands the range of employees
who could be exposed.
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| Emergency Response Workers |
- Emergency responders, including police,
firefighters, emergency medical services
workers, and others who are responsible
for responding to acts of terrorism may
be exposed to anthrax.
- Health and safety precautions, including personal
protective equipment (PPE) and
respirators, used by emergency response
workers will help protect them against
anthrax exposure.
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The following link will
help you determine if your normal health and safety
precautions will protect you or your employees
against anthrax exposure during an emergency response.
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| Healthcare
Workers |
- Health care workers in occupational
settings such as hospitals, clinics,
and medical laboratories may be exposed
to anthrax as a result of contact with
patients whose skin, clothing, or personal
effects are contaminated with anthrax
spores, or through contact with contaminated
equipment.
- Anthrax is not a contagious disease.
- Because the most likely exposure route
for health care workers is dermal contact,
normal health and safety precautions
(such as wearing latex/nitrile examination
gloves) will protect these workers against
cutaneous anthrax exposure.
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The following links will
provide additional emergency response information
for health care workers:
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| Animal Handling
Occupations |
- Anthrax is most common in occupations
involving animals, animal hides, or fibers.
Grazing animals such as cattle, sheep,
goats, and horses are chief animal hosts
of anthrax.
- Occupations susceptible to exposure
include shepherds, farmers, butchers,
handlers of imported hides or fibers,
weavers, veterinarians, and veterinary
pathologists.
- Anthrax can be found globally. However,
it is more common in developing countries
or countries without veterinary public
health programs.
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Employers in animal-handling
occupations who anticipate exposure may find the
following information useful:
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