Advanced Chemical Safety

Plant and Facility Security has become a serious issue for everyone.� in keeping with Advanced Chemical Safety's philosophy of providing pragmatic solutions to EH&S problems, this page is devoted to helping you and your employees "be vigilant."

Advanced Chemical Safety will try to keep this SECURITY link current, but e-mail or call us (858 874 5577) if you want more assistance.

Risk Assessment Tool for small to medium size businesses.� Government agencies are devoting their attention to large scale chemical risks.� Small to medium size businesses and academic institutions are being left to their own resources.� Advanced Chemical Safety has developed this Security RAT to assist.� Download it and its instructions.� Contact us if you need assistance or if you want training for your people.

SECURITY is the watchword of the day. Since September 11, many EH&S professionals have donned the additional hat of security. The press has published many articles on security in the chemical industry. It is worth organizing one's thoughts and understanding the issues. It is necessary to examine the security at your site and test it against the new paradigm. Prevention of chemical incidents is still central to EH&S activity; it is just that now all of us must protect against criminal activity as well as against spills, over-exposures, and fires.

Security means different things to different types of chemical use locations. The chemical production industry (CPI), with major sites in New Jersey, Delaware, Texas, and California, among others, generally have high level security. Plants have controlled perimeters, controlled access, and employee turn-over tends to be low. The latter reduces the access to the site by people without a known, and acceptable, history. CPI plants tend to have large buffer zones around them which helps prevent criminal activity at their fences. The CPI has long recognized the high risks presented by their facilities and have taken steps to reduce those risks.

The transportation system is also part of the chemical industry. Railroads in particular carry bulk shipments of chemicals. Aircraft carry small shipments, but frequently those are of moderate to high hazard. Trucks carry a wide variety of both bulk and small shipments. The transportation system is generally secure against theft, but not against the types of criminal activities at which we are now focusing attention. Railroad right-of-ways are vulnerable. Trucks are vulnerable both on the highways and when stopped. Aircraft are now proved to be vulnerable. The various modalities of transportation are aware of their own vulnerabilities. These are being addresses. But shippers are also part of the solution. You must make absolutely certain that the Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Shipping Regulations are used when ever chemical commodities are shipped. You must make certain that you customer chain is secure by selling to established customers only upon receiving a valid purchase order and by vetting new customers sufficiently to be certain they represent bonafide purchasers. Improvements are being made throughout the chemical transportation industry.

Mid-level plants have lower risks, but also have a lower established security infrastructure. A mid-level plant includes a plant using bulk chemicals for manufacturing and smaller chemical producers or distributors. A major food processing plant, using ammonia for refrigeration is a mid-level plant. An agricultural chemical distributor is a mid-level plant. These plants have a history of spill and release prevention, but have historically paid less attention to perimeter control and access. Food processors have excellent controls to prevent the release of ammonia to the atmosphere and to prevent the contamination of product by sodium hydroxide (used for clean-in-place sanitation). They generally restrict visitors to the site. But they have higher employee turn over and usually do not have a buffer zone adjacent to their plant. Farm chemical distributors often store portable bulk tanks of ammonia and propane behind chain-link fences.

Small plants have a markedly reduced risk of being the target of criminal activity, but also have a markedly reduced security program. Security usually is a intrusion alarm system that reports to an alarm service during off-hours. Effectively the same security as is used in the home.

The situation can be improved. Each plant must examine its own operations for security lapses. You must decide if you need to examine the background of new hires in more detail. You need to review perimeter control. Do you need a real time camera feed to a security firm of your perimeter? As in all areas of EH&S, there must be a balance between risk and cost.

Every chemical use facility can immediately improve security by bringing its current employees into the security program. Bring the issue to all of your employees. Have them become the eyes and ears of security. Employees will notice an unfamiliar face. Visitors and Contractors who do not require an escort must wear a visible badge, just like every employee. Persons violating this policy should be reported and challenged. Packages from unexpected sources, packages that do not belong in the work area, and packages that are leaking or otherwise in unacceptable condition should be isolated and managed by appropriately trained people. Suspicious vehicles and suspicious activity should be reported and investigated.

The area around a bulk tank should be examined to determine the location or locations from which a criminal action could be initiated. Such locations should be controlled, even if the control is limited to television monitoring of an area by a security service.

The chemical use industry also includes laboratories. Here the risks are quite different. Commercial laboratories generally have high security attained via restricted access and good perimeter control. Many commercial labs use security patrol services in addition to alarm systems. Academic laboratories however, are at the other extreme. Computer systems are secured with locks, but chemicals are usually unsecured. Fortunately, risk is managed by limiting the quantity. However, only very small amounts of some chemicals are needed for a significant criminal activity.

Laboratories need to perform the same security review as everyone else. Campuses must review the "open campus" policy. The open, unhindered environment nurtured and cherished by academia may need to be tightened by security concerns. Academic councils must look at this and must make their contribution to the increased security demands following September 11.

The safety professional has long been a source of information employees use in their day to day lives. Human resources has traditionally provided information about wellness programs to employees. Safety has always provided training about safety away from work. Now is the time to extend these services to include security. Whether it is addressing bioterrorism and anthrax, safety and security during business or recreational travel, or chemical terrorism, the EH&S professional can reassure employees and provide guidance and leadership. This function will enhance security at work and will reduce some of the anxiety associated with these unsettled times.

The risk of becoming a victim of criminal activity has impacted everyone. Each must evaluate their own tolerance for such risk and act accordingly. Each must decide what level of personal and family security is needed. There has been a run on gas masks. People are demanding supplies of antibiotics. People are unable to sort out the talking head experts on the news media from the reasoned statements from our political leadership. Certainly the EH&S professional can reach out and help their employees and their families address this issue. Provide open workshops at the plant to discuss these issues. Address those things each person can do, easily, to reduce their own risk of being a victim of criminal activity. Explain the actual risks of becoming a victim, based on your work place and the day-to-day work activity and life style of your employees. Explain the risks associated with unnecessary antibiotic treatment. Explain the basic exposure, signs and symptoms of chemical or biological agents to your employees. Be prepared to assist your employees with addressing tough decisions in an emotional and frightening setting. The EH&S professional has a real opportunity to provide leadership.

There are many valuable sources of information to assist you. The Centers for Disease Control has valuable and accurate information on biological agents on its website. The Department of the Army has excellent information on chemical agents on its website. Local Departments of Health have excellent information. You can become highly informed quickly. Those who look to you for information and leadership will appreciate your guidance.

The American Chemistry Council website is an excellent location for more information on plant security.

http://webcasts.sph.unc.edu/�� to view the archived version anytime following the broadcast.

Video Tape To order a video tape of this broadcast, call the Public Health Foundation at 1-877-252-1200 (US) or 301-645-7773 (International) (9:00AM �5:00PM EDT) or e-mail [email protected]. When emailing a request for a videotape, please indicate CDC Responds: The Role of the Laboratorian in the subject line.

This (live) satellite and web broadcast presents an update on laboratory guidelines and procedures for addressing threats or actual events related to bioterrorism. Included will be a summary of the current investigation, an overview of the public health and clinical laboratory system, and preparedness guidance for all laboratories. A panel of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and sponsoring organizations will provide an overview of laboratory issues for responding to bioterrorism incidents. A question and answer session will enable participants nationwide to pose questions to panelists in advance for response during the program.

Evaluation of Bacillus anthracis Contamination Inside the Brentwood Mail Processing and Distribution Center ___ District of Columbia, October 2001

�Additional Options for Preventive Treatment for Persons Exposed to Inhalational Anthrax

Atlanta, Georgia � The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released "Interim Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines," which outlines CDC's strategies for responding to a smallpox emergency.

The plan, which is a working draft, has been sent to all state bioterrorism coordinators, state health officers, state epidemiologists, and state immunization program managers for review and comment.

The plan identifies many of the federal, state, and local public health activities that would need to be undertaken in a smallpox emergency, including response plan implementation, notification procedures for suspected cases, CDC and state and local responsibilities and activities, and CDC vaccine and personnel mobilization.

"The global public health community in a landmark effort 21 years ago eradicated smallpox from the planet," said CDC Director Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan. "Today, we find ourselves preparing for a difficult_to_imagine event, an intentional release of smallpox. Although such a release might be unlikely, we must prepare for it so that the spread of illness will be minimized."

The plan also provides state and local public health officials with a framework that can be used to guide their smallpox planning and readiness efforts as well as guidelines for many of the general public health activities that would be undertaken during a smallpox emergency.

The plan was developed in conjunction with state epidemiologists, bioterrorism coordinators, immunization program managers, and health officials. Many of the strategies and concepts were used successfully in the global eradication of smallpox, which was declared globally eradicated in 1980.

The "Interim Smallpox Plan" will remain a working document that will be updated regularly to reflect changes in overall public health resources for responding to a smallpox emergency.

State, local, and private health officials are being asked to: 1) identify additional tools that would be useful to their state and local plans; 2) identify and describe gaps in the overall plan, proposed activities, and guidelines; 3) identify concepts, approaches,

activities or guidelines that need clarification or further explanation; 4) assess the proposed strategies and guidelines with respect to state and local plans; 5) assess resources and resource needs; and 6) identify additional elements, steps, or activities that should be undertaken in response to a smallpox emergency.

The foremost public health priority during a smallpox outbreak would be control of the epidemic. Doctors, health care workers and hospital personnel have been trained to identify infectious diseases, verify their diagnosis and then respond appropriately. The same system would identify any possible outbreak of smallpox.

The plan does not call for mass vaccination in advance of a smallpox outbreak because the risk of side effects from the vaccine outweigh the risks of someone actually being exposed to the smallpox virus.

The Center for Disaster Preparedness at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has developed a site on bioterrorism.� It offers free continueing education units to clinicians.� The URL is www.bioterrorism.uab.edu

Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced a new model to assist employers and employees in dealing with possible workplace exposures to anthrax in mail handling operations today. The Anthrax Matrix http://www.osha.gov/bioterrorism/anthrax/matrix/index.html guides employers in assessing risk to their workers, providing appropriate protective equipment and specifying safe work practices for low, medium and high risk levels in the workplace.

"Most employers and employees face little or no risk of exposure to anthrax and need only minimal precautions," Chao said. "But some may have to deal with potential or known exposures, and we want to make sure they have all possible information available to protect Americans at their workplace."

Chao pointed out that there have been only four deaths and 17 confirmed cases of anthrax infection but indicated that the department wants to be proactive in assisting employers and workers concerned about anthrax and other potential terrorist threats.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration developed the matrix in consultation with the U.S. Postal Service, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Environmental Protection Agency and the FBI. OSHA expects to continually update information on anthrax and other terrorism threats as new guidance becomes available.

"The OSHA information is easy to access and understand," Chao said. "We are providing needed guidance, not creating new requirements. The world has changed since September 11. Threats to our national security now can clearly involve the workplace."

John L. Henshaw, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA said, "OSHA's role remains the same _ assuring the safety and health of America's workers _ but the paradigm has shifted. We must shift with it to provide the best possible guidance to help employers and employees address new threats."

The Anthrax Matrix, shaped like a pyramid, includes three sections: green for low, yellow for medium and red for high risk of exposure. Each section links to useful information and practical guidance to help determine an appropriate response.

The matrix is available on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov. There is also general information on anthrax and mail handling procedures on the agency's website, links to detailed information from CDC, the U.S. Postal Service, the FBI and other sources of information on biological and chemical hazards and emergency preparedness.

Explore these sites