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Summary
of Activity Sampling Data and
Safety and Health Monitoring Information
Introduction |
Part
I: OSHA Situation Report/Fatality Information |
Part
II: Air and Noise Sampling Results
This summary of hurricane recovery workers’ safety
and health experience is divided into three parts across
individual pages:
Introduction
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina,
Rita, and Wilma, OSHA personnel, including volunteers from our
State Plan and On-Site Consultation Program partners, were deployed to the impacted
areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas
to assist emergency responders, search and rescue personnel,
power restoration crews, and other response and recovery workers entering the area
to conduct initial response operations. OSHA visited
staging areas and talked to them about the hazards they would
likely encounter during disaster response work and the types
of work practices and protective clothing to use to protect
themselves. OSHA coordinated with employers to identify and
visit work sites to observe response operations and to further
characterize site conditions throughout the impacted region.
OSHA also coordinated with employers and Federal, State, and local officials
at key interagency coordination centers in all five States. OSHA provided technical
assistance on safety and health issues for the initial response workers
and for employees initiating debris collection and reduction, entering damaged
and/or flooded buildings, tarping damaged roofs, and conducting other critical
operations. A large part of this effort involved visiting work sites, and observing
operations, characterizing site conditions, identifying operations-specific hazards
and exposure controls, and providing information to employers and employees.
OSHA personnel collected safety and health monitoring
information and exposure data throughout the agency’s response and recovery assistance efforts.
This document summarizes OSHA’s observations about working conditions and
the safety and health of individuals involved in hurricane response and recovery
activities during the specific time frames noted in the individual parts (although
OSHA’s assistance to employers continued beyond those dates).
This summary of hurricane recovery workers’ safety and health experience is divided into two independent parts:
Part I: Summary of Safety and Health Intervention Information from OSHA Situation Reports
- Summarizes safety and health monitoring data recorded
in the Situation Reports submitted by OSHA staff in Alabama, Mississippi,
and Florida only.
- Compiles information from reports submitted between
August 31, 2005 to March 10, 2006.
- Identifies the operations, hazards, and deficiencies
in exposure controls that OSHA observed most frequently during this time
frame.
- Highlights employee fatalities that occurred during response
and recovery operations within the entire impact area (all five States) between
August 31, 2005 to March 21, 2006.
Part II: Summary of
Air and Noise Sampling Results Representing Actual or Potential Exposures
for Response and Recovery Workers Involved in Hurricane Response and Recovery Activities
- Summarizes the results of employee exposure monitoring
conducted throughout the Gulf Coast, but is primarily focused in Louisiana
and Mississippi.
- Summarizes the results of samples collected for noise,
dust, silica, asbestos and other fibers, gases and vapors, and metals.
- Compiles samples collected between September and mid-December
2005.
- Indicates which hurricane response and recovery employee
groups were exposed to hazardous substances and noise at the action level
(typically defined as half an established exposure limit) or above OSHA’s
permissible exposure limit (PEL).
OSHA used multiple formats to record the observations
and information on which this document is based. The information summarized in
Part I was compiled from OSHA internal Situation Reports, which summarize OSHA
personnel’s daily activities, observations, and interventions. Sampling
results, discussed in Part II, were drawn from OSHA's publicly
available site.
The data at this site are updated periodically as additional results become available.
Limitations and Disclaimer
The Matrix does not provide an in-depth analysis of OSHA standards and regulations and cannot address all hazards. It does not increase or diminish any OSHA requirement or employer obligation under those requirements. It is intended as a guide and quick reference for employers and response and recovery workers. The Matrix captures major activities involved in hurricane response and recovery, highlights many of the hazards associated with them, and recommends "best practices." Employers must evaluate the specific hazards associated with the job/operation at the site where the work is being performed.
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.
The Hazard Exposure and Risk Assessment Matrix for Hurricane Response and Recovery Work provides a general overview of particular topics related to current OSHA standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or the equivalent State Plan standards and requirements. Because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, you should consult current OSHA/State Plan administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements. Employers should modify their procedures as appropriate when additional, relevant information becomes available.
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