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Contents
Page last reviewed: 11/20/2006
Highlights
  • Anthrax. OSHA eTool. Discusses anthrax topics, including who is at risk for anthrax exposure and what to do in case of an anthrax threat.
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Bioterrorism

Bioterrorism is the intentional use of micro-organisms to bring about ill effects or death to humans, livestock, or crops. The use of micro-organisms to cause disease is a growing concern for public health officials and agricultural bodies. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the subsequent bio-terrorist releases of anthrax have led to an increased awareness of workplaces as possible terrorist targets. Specific OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages are available on Plague, Ricin, Smallpox, Tularemia and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs). There is also an OSHA Anthrax eTool. There are currently no specific OSHA standards or directives for bioterrorism.

OSHA Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules) and directives (instructions for compliance officers) related to bioterrorism. For additional information, see the Emergency Preparedness and Response Safety and Health Topics Page.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926)

  • 1926 Subpart D, Occupational health and environmental controls
    • 1926.65, Hazardous waste operations and emergency response

Preambles to Final Rules

Directives

Hazard Recognition

Due to the potential exposure to deadly micro-organisms a bioterrorism incident poses a considerable health risk to those exposed and "first responders". These responders may include public health officials, law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and the military. There are an unlimited number of potential biological agents that could be used in bioterrorism attacks, although some are more deadly and likely to be used than others. Biological agents include bacterial agents, toxins, and viruses.

The following links provide information about recognizing bioterrorism hazards. For more information about specific agents, see OSHA's Anthrax eTool and Botulism, Plague, Ricin, Smallpox, Tularemia, and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) Safety and Health Topics Pages.

Emergency Response

The following references detail the development of methods to determine exposure to biological agents; provide first response information; and link to federal, state, and local contact information in the event of an emergency.

  • Biological and Chemical Terrorism: Strategic Plan for Preparedness and Response -- Recommendations of the CDC Strategic Planning Workgroup. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 49(RR04);1-14, (2000, April 21). Outlines steps to improve public health and health-care response in the case of a biological/chemical attack.

  • Emergency Preparedness and Response: Report an Emergency. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Provides links for local health departments; as well as emergency contacts and procedures for health departments, health-care workers, and emergency responders.

  • Emergency Preparedness and Response: Preparation and Planning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Includes national, state, and local-level strategies for preparation and planning for bioterrorist events.

  • Interim Bioterrorism Readiness Plan Suggestions. Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC), Bioterrorism Working Group, (2002, April). Summarizes suggestions by APIC Bioterrorism Advisors, infection control practitioners (ICPs), members, and agency liaisons to facilitate preparation of bioterrorism readiness plans for individual and regional institutions.

  • Annas, George J. "Bioterrorism, Public Health, and Civil Liberties." New England Journal of Medicine 346.17(2002, April 25): 1337-1342. Discusses possible government responses to bioterrorism and how they would affect public health policy/practice and civil liberties.

  • Hawley, Robert J., and Edward M. Eitzen, Jr. "Biological Weapons - A Primer for Microbiologists." Annual Review of Microbiology 55(2001, October): 235-253. Provides background on bioterrorism and discusses decontamination, protective measures and other key response issues.

  • Hospitals and Community Emergency Response – What You Need to Know. OSHA Publication 3152, (1997). Assists hospitals in preparing for response to an emergency. It presents legal requirements, preplanning and training recommendations, relevant standards and some additional resources.

Control

Due to the time lapse between exposure and the onset of symptoms following a bioterrorist attack, such attacks are difficult to determine and control. With the rapid transit network in the US, people could be exposed in one area and then return home before developing symptoms, potentially exposing hundreds of other people. The following references provide ways to prepare for responding to a bioterrorist attack, including state and federal disease surveillance and epidemiology, stockpiling vaccine for emergency use, mass vaccination of first responders, and training for medical personnel.

Preparedness for Bioterrorism

Additional Information

Related Safety and Health Topics Pages

Other Resources

  • Emergency Preparedness and Response. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

  • Center for Biosecurity. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

  • Products. Iowa State University (ISU), Center for Food Security and Public Health. Includes both human and animal disease information in fact sheets, wall charts, PowerPoint presentations, and other resources.

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