Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

3.14.3 Hazardous Materials Management

Kern Medical will maintain a list of all hazardous materials and their SDS, locations, and procedures for safe handling, containing and neutralizing them. This list should be kept with the hospital’s Policies and Procedures or other central and accessible location. The list should also be kept in an offsite location. All materials will have their contents clearly marked on the outside of their containers. The location of the storage areas will be indicated on the facility floor plan. See Appendix H.3. In the event of a hazardous material release inside the hospital, hospital staff should: • Avoid attempting to handle spills or leaks themselves unless they have been trained, have appropriate equipment as shown in Appendix N – Patient Decontamination Plan and Personal Protective Equipment and can safely and completely respond. NOTE: Level C protection, or below, is not acceptable for chemical emergency response. • Immediately report all spills or leaks to a supervisor. • Isolate area of spill and deny entry to building or area. Initiate fire or hazmat cleanup notifications, as appropriate. • Obtain further instructions from the hospital Chief Executive Officer or Safety Officer or refer to management guidance maintained at SDS Online. 3.14.4 Kern Medical recognized that once emergency measures are implemented, contracted hazardous waste haulers may not be able to get to the hospital to haul hazardous materials and medical wastes for days thus the hospital has set up a temporary secured storage area during emergencies. The hospital’s normal spill response policy will continue to be followed in addition, storage of hazardous materials and waste management will be temporarily placed in the designated overflow areas until the emergency conditions have been lifted and vendors contracted for hauling are able to get to the hospital and remove materials from the overflow areas. Contaminated water and other waste will be stored as need in designated areas. In the event that the waste become unmanageable for Kern Medical facilities Kern County will be contacted to assist in their removal. 3.14.5 Facilities for decontamination are maintained and coordinated through the Engineering Department, Emergency Department (ED), Security, Safety, Administration, Emergency Management and EOC /Safety Committees. The effectiveness of these equipment and materials are periodically tested and evaluated. Kern Medical is equipped to manage decontamination with specified chemical agents, provided the agent and concentration is known. Kern Medical staff can utilize the external decontamination shower built next to the ED ambulance entrance and/or set up two decontamination areas if the incident warrants. The hospital’s designated decontamination room has a separate ventilation system and a contained water runoff collection system. Kern Medical has personnel trained in the response to radiation or hazardous material contamination. These personnel include medical, nursing and ancillary staff. Kern Medical currently has two designated decontamination areas. The first is external to the west side of the ED ambulance bay entrance and second is on the west side of the ED interior ambulance door entrance Radiological emergencies are responded to in concert with the Radiation Safety Officer. Biological emergencies are responded to in concert with the Infection Control Program Manager or physician. Chemical decontamination situations are responded to in concert with the Safety Officer. Hazmat events including

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