Human Decontamination - Hospital Decontamination

Hospital Decontamination

Most hospitals in the United States are prepared for handling a large influx of patients from a terrorist attack. Volunteer hospital decontamination teams are common. These teams are specially trained to set up showers or washing equipment, to wear personal protective equipment, and to ensure safety of both the victims and the community during the response. From a planning perspective it must be remembered that first responders in Level A or B PPE will have limited working duration, typically 20 minutes to 2 hours. Typically these teams use decontamination showers built into the hospital or tents which are set up outside in order to decontaminate individuals. Beyond terrorism incidents, common exposures may be related to factory spills, agricultural incidents, and vehicle accidents. Incidents are common in both urban and rural communities. Hospital decontamination is a component of the Hospital Incident Command System and required in the standards set forth by the Joint Commission.