Emergency Treatment Program - Organizing Local Hospital Support

An Emergency Treatment Program requires specific support from (and communication with) local hospitals. This will protect hospital personnel and hospital patients. It will also decrease any delays in emergency response and treatment which, without proper planning, could potentially cause delays related to concerns over hospital safety or contamination.

Prior to work on the site, employers should take care of the following tasks:

• Plan appropriately for emergency treatment at a nearby medical facility (including transportation to the facility, treatment at the facility, and any necessary contamination control procedures).
• Inform both the local emergency transportation services and the local hospital personnel about potential on-site medical problems
• Inform both the local emergency transportation services and the local hospital personnel about the types of hazards and their consequences
• Inform both the local emergency transportation services and the local hospital personnel about potential for exposure
• Make sure transportation and hospital personnel understand both the scope and function of the site medical program
• Assist the hospital in developing proper procedures related to possible site emergencies

Note that depending on the site's location and potential hazards, it may be important to identify additional medical facilities capable of sophisticated responses to chemical or other exposures.

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