Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098 Flashcards
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
List the incidents where you’d to find expect bio hazards
Nature of incidents to expect bio hazards:
- Polluted water incidents, drainage ditches, stagnant water.
- Sewerage – drains, waste water treatment facilities, floodwaters (drains become over-filled).
- Rubbish – fly tipping, rubbish dumps, waste management centres.
- Incidents at medical facilities, such as hospitals, isolations ward, post-mortem areas, laboratories.
- Incidents at research facilities, such as universities, medical establishments/schools, laboratories.
- Incidents at funeral directors.
- Incidents at animal facilities i.e. veterinary clinics, quarantine areas, abattoirs, farms, zoos, kennels/catteries.
- Casualty handling – road traffic collisions (RTCs), casualties in fires, incidents where body fluids may be encountered.
- Terrorist or criminal activity.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Describe the signs you’d find on premises or vehicle
Yellow triangle with 3 black ‘partial circles’ over one central one
White diamond on vehicles with above icon in top corner
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Biological hazards can be grouped into four different classes:
- Bacteria – (e.g. Escherichia coli (E.coli), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), Salmonella, Legionella).
- Viruses – (e.g. hepatitis B, C, HIV).
- Protozoa – (e.g. ringworm, malaria).
- Fungi and spores – (e.g. Aspergillus).
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
In addition to the biological hazard itself, crews should also be aware that there are additional risks with establishments where these materials are stored or used. These can include:
(9)
- High security arrangements, including electronic locking mechanisms.
- Negative pressure systems where hazard group 3 & 4 pathogens are contained.
- UPS (Uninterrupted power supplies) – particularly to laboratory equipment.
- Regular programme of disinfection over 12 hour periods using gaseous formaldehyde.
- Animals - for research purposes.
- Sharp equipment (i.e. scalpel blades, hypodermic needles etc.) used in treatment and examinations – These will normally be stored in a “sharps” box once used – these are yellow in colour and designed to be sealed once full to prevent accidental spills).
- Cylinders of various gases (e.g. oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium) (Policy number 376 - Cylinder procedure applies).
- Wide range of chemicals (Policy number 796 - Incidents involving hazardous substances applies).
- Radiation sources (Policy number 602 - Incidents involving ionising radiation applies).
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
The methods by which biological materials can enter the body and the means of protecting against them?
Ingestion (Eating or drinking) - Respiratory protection will prevent accidental entry, good hygiene will prevent entry after incidents i.e. during welfare breaks
Inhalation (Breathing in) - Respiratory protection – BA
Injection (Where the skin has been punctured and toxic substances can enter via this route.) - Full PPE can offer some protection but crews need to be aware of the risk of biological risks entering as part of a penetration/ open / uncovered wound. Increased protection to include full body dry suits were level 2 water operations is required.
Absorption (Absorption) - Full PPE – PPE will be increased to include chemical protective clothing (CPC)
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Basic good hygiene can be achieved by…?
- Washing hands (and arms if necessary) before eating, drinking, smoking.
- Cover all new and existing cuts and grazes with waterproof dressings and/or gloves before starting work. If cuts and/or grazes occur, wash immediately with soap and running water and apply a waterproof dressing.
- Avoid hand to mouth or hand to eye contact.
- Take rest breaks and meal breaks away from the area of risk.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Colour of clinical waste bags:
Black
Yellow
Yellow with a black band
Light blue (or transparent with light blue inscriptions)
Describe the type of waste associated with each.
Black - Normal household waste
Yellow - All waste destined for incineration
Yellow with a black band - Waste (e.g. home nursing waste) which preferably should be disposed of by incineration but may be disposed of by landfill when separate collection and disposal arrangements are made.
Light blue - Waste for autoclaving (or equivalent treatment) before ultimate disposal.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
What should be included in 7.2(d) inspections?
(8)
(a) Processes carried out on site e.g. materials reprocessing or simply storage.
(b) The nature of the materials, that are currently stored.
(c) The site operator’s on site tactical or emergency plan and out of hours contacts.
(d) Firefighting facilities available e.g. location of hydrants and water sources, available plant and staff for separating materials etc.
(e) Identify extent of hazard zones and optimum locations for branches, ground monitors, aerials etc.
(f) Environmental controls – personnel should identify if any containment is available, what drainage systems are available and whether they are suitable to cope with water run-off from fire service operations?
(g) Identify neighbouring sites of ecological/biodiversity value such as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and determine appropriate tactics and resources for effective environmental protection.
(h) Recommending that the attendance of a HMEPO as part of the pre-determined attendance (PDA) of known sites.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Who should ensure that station personnel are aware of facilities within their station area which contain biological hazards?
SM
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
What 5 things help affect a safe approach to a biohazard incident?
- Wind direction.
- Gradient of ground.
- Adjacent risks – such as SSSI’s.
- Initial cordons.
- Rendezvous points (RVP) for additional / support/specialist vehicles.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
If an appliance commander believes that biological risks may be present, what additional measures can be taken to guard against these risks?
(5)
- Avoid dirty water – such as drainage ditches.
- Protection of new or existing open cuts or wounds.
- Wearing disposable gloves inside fire gloves when handling potentially “dirty” material.
- Being vigilant and to report any form of possible contamination issue to the IC.
- The need to wash off equipment at scene.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
Explain the IC’s on arrical tactics
- Parking appliances upwind and uphill and o/s initial cordon
- STEP 123 plus – Safety Triggers for Emergency Personnel
- Priority message to control “BIOHAZARD INVOLVED. Control will mobilise the level 2 Hazmat attendance
- Message - location of the RVP and the route of approach to be taken
- HMEPO automatically ordered at known biological hazard incidents. Request HMEPO if biohazards encountered otherwise
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
After arrival, what are the initial actions at incidents involving biological hazards (difference between life risk/no life risk)?
- Crews – as far as possible – not to come into contact with the materials.
- If contact is inevitable, minimum crews in appropriate PPE.
- No life risk? No entry without full information from ORD + onsite specialists. This is then passed to HMEPO or SA who will assist IC in formulating a plan.
- Life risk? Consult with HMEPO/SA (or on-site specialists) where possible. None available? Minimum time & personnel. Maximum PPE. Appropriate chemical protective clothing (CPC). For the purposes of this policy CPC refers to any protective clothing provided in addition to normal fire gear.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
What actions should the IC take at incidents where casualties are infected with highly contagious diseases and where isolation is an essential requirement.
In these cases, and where life is immediately at risk, the IC may consider “holding areas” where casualties can be kept safe until arrangements are in place.
Early consideration should also be given to alerting the ambulance service and their respective Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) who are able to wear CPC and may be able to give a greater level of support.
Fires and incidents involving biological risks - PN 098
If onsite specialists are reluctant to provide information required by the IC to formulate a plan (some high security establishments), what should the IC do?
In these instances an inter agency liaison officer (ILO) should be requested.
