BIOHAZARD
Living haz mats can cause disease in improperly protected responders.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Biological hazards aren’t often a factor in fire response, but when they are, they may go unrecognized at the cost of a firefighter’s health.
These hazards are various pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which vary as to their health risk. Plant pathogens, for instance, are of little concern to humans; others are deadly, such as the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
Biohazardous substances are often found in hospitals, various types of industrial processes, and university and private research laboratories of several types—biology, biochemistry, microbiology, virology, and medical. Not all such labs will contain biohazards; conversely, biohazards may be found in such seemingly innocent places as environmental science and dairy science labs. Even some high school and community college labs contain small quantities.
Potential problems are complicated by the fact that the same facility may also contain radioactive and flammable substances that are used with the biological materials.
The type and place of use determine which federal agency regulates the biohazard—the Transportation Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Agriculture Department, National Institutes of Health, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In a laboratory, biohazards are indicated by the symbol shown above. During transit, however, there might be no immediately visible warning. They’re usually not carried in placarded vehicles or shipped in large quantities.
And exposure may not produce immediate results; instead, the disease might take days, weeks, or months to become evident.
In preincident planning, the only way to be sure of where a biohazard exists is to talk with lab directors or university safety officials. The location, type, and potential danger of the biohazard should be clearly noted on the plan so firefighters are informed before they enter a fire building.
During the planning, firefighters should note the presence of any biohazard placards on hallway doors. The name of the lab being inspected or the department of which it’s a part may provide a clue to unplacarded hazards. Finally, the astute firefighter may note the presence of special lab devices associated with some biohazards, such as a laminar flow head (see Photo 1 on page 50) or an incubator (see Photo 2 on page 50). Ask what they’re used for as well as what risks might be created under fire conditions.
Research and industrial processes using potential biological hazards must follow appropriate safety measures, depending upon the organism being used. These measures range from simply closing the lab door to working in elaborate chambers that have negativepressure airlocks. Most biological research uses relatively simple, yet effective, methods of handling the hazard. These include gloves, facial masks, and biosafety hoods. The latter are identical to laminar flow hoods, with the addition of a piece of plastic hanging from the front to protect the user’s face.
As a rule, only small amounts— less than an ounce—of a particular biohazardous substance are ever being used at a given time. And most are stored in sealed incubators or refrigerators during both working and nonworking hours.
Never touch the biohazardous material, even when you’re wearing gloves.
However, in a fire, the fire itself and water from sprinklers or hoselines might scatter the material in the air. Although the heat of the fire could render the biohazard harmless, there’s no way for the incident commander to know. Therefore, it should be assumed that a biohazard is indeed a hazard during firefighting, until a responsible authority determines it’s not. Even then, the incident commander should be aware that the average scientist isn’t trained to handle an emergency situation, including evaluating fire damage.
When in doubt, firefighters must take full protective measures. If an interior attack is necessary, all personnel should wear full turnout gear, including positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus. Use of disposable, chemicalresistant clothing will protect both turnout gear and personnel during overhaul and in nonfire situations. Even if they’re wearing chemicalresistant gloves, firefighters should never touch the biohazardous material, either solid or liquid, or its container.
Exercise judgment when opening the door to any incubator, refrigerator, or other container that may contain a biohazard, even if the device was involved in the fire. Examine the door of the device for warning labels or the remains of such labels. Wait, if at all possible, until it has been determined what’s in the storage unit, especially since any liquid cultures may have ruptured because of the heat.
Water flow should be kept to a minimum, because runoff may have to be contained. If a biohazard is suspected, the fireground commander should contact the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. This may be done directly or through the Chemical Manufacturers’ Association’s Chemtrec (Chemical Transportation Emergency Center). The CDC will be able to provide information on the particular hazard encountered and methods for its disposal, which should be handled by employees of the facility using the material.
Spills of biohazardous substances at the institutions using them aren’t uncommon, but they’re rarely reported to the fire service, since they’re small and are better handled by in-house authorities. However, firefighters may encounter a spill of a biohazardous substance that’s in transit.
Although there probably won’t be a placard on the vehicle, the box or packing slip should identify the material. Inform Chemtrec of the incident, especially since chemicals may also be involved, and consult the CDC.
Unless several boxes in the same shipment are damaged, the quantities involved will be small. Since shipments are carefully packaged, the risk to properly protected fire service personnel should be minimal. Nonessential personnel should stay out of the immediate vicinity of the spill—standard procedure at any haz-mat incident.
If the vehicle is on fire, keep water flow to a minimum and out of sewers and waterways.
Decontamination might include sterilization or disposal of clothing, SCBA, tools, and apparatus. The CDC and officials of the facility responsible for the accident should be consulted about the best means of decontamination; sterilization by heat, radiation, or chemicals may be necessary. Items that may have come in contact with the biohazard should be placed in sealed bags by personnel wearing protective clothing. The incident commander should also make sure all personnel involved get a medical examination.
In the end, a biohazard incident isn’t much different from a “regular” haz-mat incident. The best thing for firefighters to do is to wait, gather data, obtain opinions, and then proceed only if indicated.
