Environmental pollution, protection, quality and sustainability
Specific Objectives
• To increase the knowledge and awareness of personnel on chemical management.
• To educate the personnel on the potential adverse health effects of chemical exposure.
•
...
To educate the personnel on the existing laws pertaining to handling of hazardous
chemicals.
• To promote safe and healthy work practices among personnel during chemical handling.
• To guide the personnel on transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
more
The WHO continuously reviews available data on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. For this version, the global epidemiological
situation of the COVID-19 pandemic as of 21 January 2022 – at a time when the Omicron VOC had been identified in 171
countries across all six WHO Regions
...
and was rapidly replacing Delta worldwide – was considered Omicron has a substantial growth advantage, higher secondary attack rates and a higher observed reproduction number than Delta.
There is now significant evidence that immune evasion contributes to the rapid spread of Omicron. Other factors may be a shorter
serial interval (by about 0.8 to 1.2 days compared to Delta) and potential increased intrinsic transmission fitness . There is
growing evidence that with Omicron, there is lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection and symptomatic disease soon after vaccination compared to Delta. There is also evidence of accelerated waning of VE over time of the primary series against infection and symptomatic disease for the studied vaccines. Further studies are required to better understand the drivers of transmission and declining incidence in various settings. These factors include the intrinsic transmission fitness properties of the virus, degree of immune evasion, vaccination coverage and level of vaccine-derived and post-infection immunity, levels of social mixing and degree of application of public health and social measures (PHSM).
more
22 April 2022, This document provides updated interim recommendations on the use of masks by health workers providing care to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. This update is prompted by new evidence around mask use
...
and COVID-19 transmission, as well as the emergence of variants of concern including Omicron. Masks continue to be a critical tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These interim guidelines supersede the recommendations provided in the WHO recommendations on mask use by health workers, in light of the Omicron variant of concern published on 22 December 2022.
WHO continually evaluates the emerging evidence and will review these interim recommendations within two months and issue new guidance as needed.
more
A training manual for identifying, assessing, preventing and controlling the risks of pandemics in the workplace. This training manual has been developed for both medical and non-medical personnel
...
who may be called upon to lead emergency response, (eg epidemic outbreak, etc), ensure effective containment whiles work continues and essential goods and services continue to be supplied.
The manual provides insight into some of the local epidemics experienced in Ghana such as Cholera, Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) and Influenza(s), the causes, signs and symptoms and preventive measures with a view to increasing knowledge among management, staff and their families as well as immediate communities within which they work.
more
"Patient decontamination principles are set forth here from a strategic perspective, rather than a tactical
one. The principles are meant to guide, but not specify, operational practices. The guidance is evidencebased
to the extent possible and th
...
e supporting evidence is documented and briefly discussed."
more
This document aims to provide guidance to healthcare facilities and healthcare providers in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK) on preparedness
...
and infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for the management of possible and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In addition, this document addresses the management of clinical diagnostic specimens at laboratories in the EU/EEA. This is the sixth update of the ECDC guidance on ‘Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings’, and replaces the document dated 6 October 2020.
more
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Recommendations and Reports: July 7, 2006 / Vol. 55 / No. RR-9
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has produced a three-volume series entitled Managing Hazardous Material Incidents. The series is designed to help emergency response and
...
health care professionals plan for and respond to hazardous material emergencies.
- Volume I Emergency Medical Services: A Planning Guide for the Management of Contaminated Patients
- Volume II Hospital Emergency Departments: A Planning Guide for the Management of Contaminated Patients
- Volume III Medical Management Guidelines for Acute Chemical Exposures
Volumes I and II are planning guides to assist first responders and hospital emergency department personnel in planning for incidents that involve hazardous materials.
Volume III is a guide for health care professionals who treat persons who have been exposed to hazardous materials.
more
The Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008, presents evidence-
based recommendations on the preferred methods for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of pa
...
tient-
care medical devices and for cleaning and disinfecting the healthcare environment. This document
supercedes the relevant sections contained in the 1985 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guideline for
Handwashing and Environmental Control. 1 Because maximum effectiveness from disinfection and
sterilization results from first cleaning and removing organic and inorganic materials, this document also
reviews cleaning methods. The chemical disinfectants discussed for patient-care equipment include
alcohols, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, iodophors, ortho-phthalaldehyde, peracetic
acid, phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds, and chlorine. The choice of disinfectant,
concentration, and exposure time is based on the risk for infection associated with use of the equipment
and other factors discussed in this guideline. The sterilization methods discussed include steam
sterilization, ethylene oxide (ETO), hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and liquid peracetic acid. When
properly used, these cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization processes can reduce the risk for infection
associated with use of invasive and noninvasive medical and surgical devices. However, for these
processes to be effective, health-care workers should adhere strictly to the cleaning, disinfection, and
sterilization recommendations in this document and to instructions on product labels.
LAST UPDATE 2019
more
The purpose of this guidance is to provide emergency planners with nuclear detonationspecific
response recommendations to maximize the preservation of life in the event of
an urban nuclear detonation. This guidance addresses the unique effects and
...
impacts of a
nuclear detonation such as scale of destruction, shelter and evacuation strategies,
unparalleled medical demands, management of nuclear casualties, and radiation dose
management concepts.
more
"This document has been developed for outpatient oncology
facilities to serve as a model for a basic infection
control and prevention plan. It contains policies
and procedures tailored to these s
...
ettings to meet minimal
expectations of patient protections as described
in the CDC Guide to Infection Prevention in Outpatient
Settings."
more
ECDC Technical Report, Fourth Update 3 July 2020
A tutorial for trainers in healthcare settings
Version 2: 2 Dec 2014
"The document focuses on an extended set of PPE components, which includes goggles, respirators, gloves,
coveralls and footwear. Used properly, these PPE components can provide
...
effective protection even from airborne
transmission. The presented PPE components can be used in a variety of settings and also in different
combinations. At the same time, the tutorial shall encourage trainers and users to understand the rationales behind
the different approaches. "
more
"The Emergency Response Guidelines for Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride (Guidelines) were prepared
by the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Hydrogen Fluoride Panel (Panel). This document is
intended to provide general information to persons addressing an emergency response in the course
of handling
...
and transporting anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF)."
more
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Clinical Practice Guidelines
January 1010