Health Monitoring and Surveillance (ERHMS) system
Dr. Riki Ott has persisted with getting policy change done through litigation and bulldog persistence. She has recently met the Health and Safety (H&S) Task Force of the Regional Response Team 10/Northwest Area Committees (RRT 10/NWAC) to include a proactive approach (download report here) to a spill before it happens by suggesting language, which they are now considering, for revisions to the OSHA Health Hazard Criteria (HAZWOPER) standards to support an Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance (ERHMS) system that would:
1. Create health and safety messaging for responders and public regarding oil-chemical
exposures;
3. Create a list of health subject matter experts to be called upon during a spill response; and
4. Evaluate the need for development/use of Public Health Assessment (PHA) Units in
responses under the NWRCP.
Frank could have been saved. We need our RRT-6 to entertain this proactive approach to minimize the health consequences we experienced by not having a response system in place.
Steve Mason, EPA Region 6
214-665-2276
[email protected]
Todd Peterson, USCG District 8
504-671-2232
[email protected]