Fentanyl Exposure Risks for Law Enforcement and Emergency Response Workers
Posted on June 22, 2017 by Jennifer Hornsby-Myers, MS, CIH; G. Scott Dotson, PhD, CIH; and Deborah Hornback, MS
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that is similar to morphine and heroin, but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Fentanyl and its analogs, such as carfentanil, can pose a potential hazard to law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and firefighters who could come into contact with these drugs through the course of their work day. While there are important questions about the risks of different types of exposures (and resultant health effects) that might occur during law enforcement and emergency response activities, workers involved in these types of activities leading to potential exposures should take prudent precautions. NIOSH provides interim recommendations for routine law enforcement activities following an arrest or execution of a search warrant—such as evidence collection—that may lead to potential exposures to fentanyl or related compounds.
Exposure routes are likely to vary based on the form of fentanyl and the circumstances of the event. Exposure through the skin, inhalation, and ingestion are all possible routes of exposure. Inhalation exposures can quickly result in respiratory depression. Recent news reports point to law enforcement officers being exposed to fentanyl through skin absorption while on the job. Additional research is needed to better understand the possible routes of exposure and means to prevent those exposures. Fentanyl and its analogs do not have established occupational exposure limits (OELs).
Standard safe work practices must be applied to all operations where fentanyl or its analogs are known or suspected to be present, just as they are applied to any law enforcement operation involving potential narcotics, such as a methamphetamine lab or heroin. Law enforcement officers should not eat, drink, or smoke in the area of the suspected fentanyl and should wash their hands and inspect clothing for contamination after performing any activity potentially involving fentanyl. It is important that a job hazard analysis be performed to determine the most appropriate level and type of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect against respiratory and dermal hazards for specific tasks. At a minimum, NIOSH recommends the use of a P-100 half-mask filtering facepiece respirator (or higher), gloves, eye protection, and protective clothing to protect against possible fentanyl exposure. In the event of a large spill or release of fentanyl, NIOSH recommends that law enforcement vacate the area and call a hazardous materials incident response team for support.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recommends that law enforcement do not field test drugs if fentanyl is suspected (https://www.dea.gov/divisions/hq/2016/hq061016.shtml). Wearing the appropriate PPE, the suspected substance should be collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Questions remain about the risks of exposures to fentanyl and its analogs. For example do dermal exposures represent a significant health risk for first responders, should an OEL be established for fentanyl, and are there other activities that would benefit from NIOSH providing best work practices?
Would your workplace benefit from a Health Hazard Evaluation specific to the issues surrounding fentanyl? The NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program has previously conducted research on possible workplace hazards and provided recommendations to law enforcement and emergency responders to protect against possible drug-related exposures other than fentanyl. Below are a few examples of evaluations conducted with law enforcement. For more information on the Health Hazard Evaluation program including how to request an evaluation visit the website.
2014-0039-3246 Evaluation of Law Enforcement Agents’ Potential Exposures during a Raid of a Clandestine “Spice” Lab
2011-0146-3170 Evaluation of Potential Employee Exposures During Crime and Death Investigations at a County Coroner’s Office
2010-0017-3133 Evaluation of Police Officers’ Exposures to Chemicals While Working Inside a Drug Vault
99-0252-2831 State of Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement
We would like to hear from law enforcement and emergency services personnel about the safety procedures and practices that you use when you suspect the presence of fentanyl or carfentanil. Do you have information on the effectiveness of your safety procedures and practices or other issues related to fentanyl that you’d like to share with the broader law enforcement community? Please provide your input in the comment section below and let us know if you’re interested in hearing more about the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program.
Jennifer Hornsby-Myers, MS, CIH, is a Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist in the NIOSH Emergency Preparedness and Response Office.
Scott Dotson, PhD, CIH is a Lead Health Scientist in the NIOSH Education and Information Division.
Deborah Hornback, MS, is a Health Communication Specialist in the NIOSH Education and Information Division.
EPA Proposes Further Cleanup of Lead-Contaminated Residential
Properties in West Deptford, N.J.
EPA to Hold Public Meeting in West Deptford
Contact: Elias Rodriguez, (212) 637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov
(New York, N.Y. – June 22, 2017) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed an expansion in a cleanup plan to continue removing lead-contaminated soil from a residential development previously owned and built by the Tempo Development Group in West Deptford, (Thorofare), N.J. EPA added the Tempo development to the Matteo & Sons, Inc. Superfund site in October of 2016 after finding that residential properties on nearby Birchly Court, Woodlane Drive, Oakmont Court and Crown Point Road were impacted by lead contamination from the disposal of crushed battery casings. Lead is a toxic metal that can impact a child’s ability to learn and cause a range of other serious health problems.
“It is unfortunate that years before the homes were built there, a prior entity apparently dumped crushed battery casings on the property,” said Acting Regional Administrator, Catherine McCabe. “The EPA has moved quickly to address contaminated areas and to help home owners understand the risks from the lead underneath and around their homes. EPA has removed nearly 2,000 tons of lead-contaminated material from three residential properties and we will continue the work until the job is done.”
In November 2015, during sewer repair excavation work at a residential property on Birchly Court, buried battery casings were discovered. In March 2016, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection referred the discovery to EPA for further investigation. EPA collected soil samples from the yards of the affected properties and confirmed lead contamination in the soil at levels above health based standards. Former operations at the Matteo site included crushing and recycling batteries, scrap metal recycling, and landfilling.
Under the EPA’s proposed cleanup plan, soil in yards contaminated at levels that pose a potential risk to people’s health will be removed and disposed of properly at a facility licensed to handle the waste. Excavated areas will be covered with clean soil. EPA will work to minimize any potential disruptions to residents during the cleanup. It is possible that some residents may need to be temporarily relocated while work is performed. The cleanup proposal requires deed restrictions be placed on public right-of-way areas, such as roads, to ensure that future construction or road work activities do not disturb the battery casings and contaminated soil buried below the roads. Under the proposal, the EPA will conduct a review of the cleanup every five years to ensure its effectiveness.
The investigation and cleanup of the Matteo site has been conducted in stages by EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The current cleanup proposal addresses additional residential properties in and around the former Tempo Development area of the Matteo site. The nearby Matteo & Sons, Inc. facility on Crown Point Road is undergoing a long-term investigation of the nature and extent of contamination, including potential impacts to surface water and sediment in Hessian Run. Hessian Run will be addressed in a later phase of work.
The EPA will hold a public meeting on July 6, 2017 to explain the cleanup proposal and other options considered and to take public comments. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the RiverWinds Community Center, 1000 RiverWinds Drive, West Deptford. Comments will be accepted until July 24, 2017.
Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:
Thomas Dobinson, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. EPA, Superfund, 290 Broadway, 19th fl.
New York, NY 10007
Tel: (212) 637-4176
Dobinson.thomas@epa.gov
The cleanup proposal is available at: www.epa.gov/superfund/matteo-and-sons
Erin Johnson, 27, of Anchorage, was identified by her family and
troopers Thursday as the person killed Monday by a black bear while she
was doing contract work for Pogo Mine in Interior Alaska.
Johnson, a geologist, and other contractors were working at an
exploration site several miles from Pogo's main camp when the mauling
occurred. A second employee injured in the attack was identified by
troopers as Ellen Trainor, 38 of Fairbanks.
At the direction of Alaska Wildlife Troopers, the bear was killed.
Johnson and Trainor worked for Alaska Biological Research Inc. Both
women are biologists (earlier it said geologists!); they were collecting
soil samples at the time of the mauling, said ABR president Stephen
Murphy.
Johnson's death was the second fatal black bear
mauling in two days. On Sunday, 16-year-old Patrick Cooper was killed by
a bear during a mountain race near Anchorage.
In a
statement, Johnson's family said she was a lifelong Alaskan, studied at
the University of Montana and University of Alaska Anchorage, and was
married less than two weeks before her death.
Johnson attended Chugiak High School, graduating in 2007, said husband Abe Schmidt.
"Being outside, exploring wild and remote places with her best friend
and husband Abe, her parents Barb and Steve, and her extended family of
friends and loved ones was one of her favorite joys," the family said.
Erin Johnson was killed by a bear while working at the Pogo Mine on Monday, June 19, 2017. (Courtesy of Abe Schmidt)
Ken Marsh, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said
the animal responsible for the attack was an adult male black bear. The
carcass of the animal, which mine officials said was shot at the scene,
was retrieved.
A preliminary examination of the case, Marsh
said, appeared to rule out any sign that the mauling was the result of a
surprise encounter or a defensive attack by the bear.
"Initial indications, the information we have, are consistent with a predatory attack," Marsh said.
Fish and Game regional management coordinator Doreen Parker McNeill
said department officials and wildlife troopers are continuing to
investigate the mauling.
A necropsy has been completed,
McNeill said, and little material was found in the black bear's stomach.
But officials are waiting for the entire set of lab results to release
more information, she said.
Murphy, the ABR president, said employees told him the fatal mauling involved an "extremely aggressive, predatory black bear."
"The bear appears to have stalked them," Murphy said the employees told him. "It came up from behind them and attacked."
It happened so fast that neither woman had time to deploy bear spray
initially, Murphy said. Trainor reportedly sprayed the black bear twice,
he said, which likely saved her life.
The bear retreated for a short time but returned, Murphy said. It came back more than once, he said.
"There was some duration to the attacks. Erin suffered the brunt of it," Murphy said.
"Both women were amazingly courageous during the attack," he said,
adding he wanted to see the official report before commenting further on
the mauling.
In the history of ABR Inc., the company has
never experienced a fatal bear attack or even one resulting in injuries,
the president said. Pogo Mine has contracted the company to perform
work there in previous years; crews frequently go into bear country, he
said.
There were six employees working at Pogo Mine, separated
into pairs, when the mauling happened. The pairs of workers, who had
been dropped off in different areas by a helicopter, were in radio
contact, Murphy said. All six employees were carrying bear spray, he
said.
ABR
employees are offered bear awareness training. Johnson and Trainor had
gone through the most recent training in April, Murphy said. And the
company allows employees to carry firearms in the field as long as they
undergo instruction, he said.
Pogo Mine left the decision of field safety to ABR, and the crew opted for bear spray, Murphy said.
Pogo Mine external affairs manager Lorna Shaw said all direct employees
and contractors are required to go through bear training, including a
hands-on portion where trainees deploy bear spray. The mine also
provides shotgun training, she said.
"We also ensure that when
working in the field, employees are paired up or working with a group.
We do not permit field employees to work alone," Shaw said.
As field work is resumed, Pogo Mine will use dedicated bear guards as a standard practice, she said.
================= Black bear kills mine worker, injures another in Interior Alaska
Author: Jerzy Shedlock
An official for Pogo Mine in Interior Alaska said a contract employee
died in a black bear mauling that happened several miles from the mine's
main camp Monday.
Pogo is an underground gold mine in the Interior of Alaska. The mine produces gold 365 days a year.
A
second contract employee sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is
being taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, said Pogo Mine external
affairs manager Lorna Shaw.
The employees who were mauled by
the bear worked for a contractor hired to take geological samples; they
were working at an exploration site several miles from the main camp
when the bear attacked, Shaw said.
The mine is about 38 miles northeast of Delta Junction.
"A mayday was called and in accordance with site emergency response
procedures, a helicopter responded with a paramedic and a physician's
assistant on board," Shaw said. The medical team responded at 10:40
a.m., she said.
All field workers were called back to camp. At the direction of wildlife troopers, the black bear was killed, Shaw said.
Megan Peters said Alaska Wildlife Troopers are responding to investigate.
An official with the U.S. Mine & Safety Administration said the
agency is also on its way to the worksite. The safety officials will
conduct an initial investigation to determine whether it falls within
their legal jurisdiction. Pogo Mine runs year round, and workers live at
a remote camp where they mine gold and process ore, according to the company's website.
===========
Pogo Mine contractor is killed in second Alaska Bear attack in two days
Posted: Mon 3:57 PM, Jun 19, 2017
Two victims have been killed in Bear attacks in Alaska in the past two days.
On Sunday, 16-year-old Patrick Cooper of Anchorage was mauled to death while running at Bird Ridge in Anchorage.
On Monday, Alaska State Troopers also reported that a contracted employee of Pogo Mine had been killed following a Bear attack.
The fatal incident has been reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration and to the Alaska State Troopers.
The mine is cooperating with the appropriate agencies to investigate.
Authorities say a black bear killed Patrick Cooper while he was competing in an Alaska race outside Anchorage on Sunday.
The
teenager was a participant in the juniors division of the Robert Spurr
Memorial Hill Climb race between Anchorage and Girdwood.
The
race director says the runner had apparently made it to the halfway
point turnaround on Bird Ridge trail and was on his way down when he
texted his mother that he was being chased by a bear.
Officials
responded up the mountain to locate the boy, whose body was found about a
mile up the path, at about 1,500 vertical feet.
=========
DELTA JUNCTION, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska State Troopers are investigating a deadly bear attack at Pogo Mine.
On
Monday, at around 10:40 a.m., employees at the mine contacted Fairbanks
police to report two of their contract employees had been attacked by a
black bear.
A short time later, they called back to report one
employee was dead and the other had non-life-threatening injuries in the
same incident.
Two Alaska Wildlife Troopers and an ADF&G
employee from Fairbanks were transported to the exploration site to
investigate the scene to transport the victim’s remains and to remove
the bear.
The other injured employee was transported by
ambulance to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for treatment and was released
the same day.
The name of the deceased is being withheld until the person is identified by the State Medical Examiner.
“Right
now we have more questions than answers. Everyone on site is concerned
for those involved,” said Chris Kennedy, general manager at Pogo Mine.
“Our condolences have been shared with our contractor and our hearts go
out to the individuals, their colleagues, and their families.”
The
employees involved in the attack worked for a contractor hired to take
geological samples, according to Lorna Shaw, a spokesperson for the Pogo
Mine.
They worked at an exploration site about 5 miles away from the main camp.
Shaw
says all field work was immediately shut down and all personnel working
in the area were evacuated and brought back to the main camp as a
safety precaution.
A team from the Mine Safety & Health Administration is currently on site investigating.
This is the second deadly bear mauling in two days.
MINING
Pogo
is an underground mine with a vast network of more than 90 miles of
underground roads winding to depths more than 1,000 feet below the
surface. The quartz veins of the deposit yield an average of ½ troy
ounce of gold per ton of rock, which makes Pogo a high-grade gold mine.
Ore is drilled, blasted, loaded onto underground haul trucks and
delivered to an underground ore bin. From there, the ore is transported
along a 2,500-foot-long conveyor belt to the surface ore bin. The mill
pulls ore from the surface ore bin for processing.
Pogo’s
underground mining method requires mined-out areas to be backfilled with
paste to help provide ground support while the adjacent ore panel is
mined. Mill tailings mixed with cement (paste backfill) provide part of
the necessary support.
Animal control worker charged after leaving dog in hot van
By: Josh Cascio, FOX 13 News
Updated: Jun 22 2017 10:30PM EDT
PALMETTO (FOX 13) - A longtime animal services employee in Manatee County is under arrest for animal cruelty after allegedly leaving a dog in a hot work van overnight.
The dog died, and the now-former employee - Frederick Browning – says it was a tragic mistake.
Browning told deputies he simply forgot to take the dog out of the van, so it was trapped in the scorching heat for hours, back on May 17.
Randy Warren with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Browning picked up three dogs that day. Two were already dead. The third was a brown female mixed breed, called in as a stray.
“He unloaded those, cleaned out the van, and went back into the office, clocked out, went on vacation. It wasn't until the next day they were looking for a dog, they couldn't find him,” Warren said.
The workers were looking for that brown mixed breed and when they found her, she was dead; still locked inside the van Browning used the day before.
“Browning was very upset,” Warren explained. “He's been cooperative and explained many times that he just had his mind on other things.”
A necropsy determined the dog died of heat stroke. The high temperature that day was a blazing 97° F outside. Inside the van, it was even hotter.
“He had this animal in his custody and needed to make sure this animal was taken care of and unfortunately it was a tragic accident," Warren said.
Browning worked with animal services since 2005. Following the dog's death he was put on unpaid leave and later resigned on May 25.
He turned himself in Thursday on animal cruelty charges.
In the wake of this incident, Manatee County Animal Control has put in a new policy: When an employee comes back, a second worker will check the truck to make sure no animals are left inside.
Melvin C. McLaurin of Chicago died in a rollover accident while working
on the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project near North Pole, Alaska.
The accident is under investigation. (Photo Courtesy of Army Corps of
Engineers)
Officials ID worker who died in construction accident near North Pole
Author: Chris Klint
An equipment operator died Monday afternoon in a rollover accident near North Pole, according to police and federal officials.
The victim, Melvin C. McLaurin of Chicago, was a U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers employee, Corps spokesperson Dena O'Dell said in a statement.
McLaurin worked as a lead engineering equipment operator with the Corps'
Chicago District; he was on temporary assignment in Alaska, O'Dell
said.
McLaurin is survived by his wife and son, O'Dell said.
"The accident occurred at about 3:50 p.m. on the Chena Flood Control
Project Road and involved a piece of construction equipment," O'Dell
wrote. "The North Pole Police Department, Alaska State Troopers and
North Pole Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene. The victim
was declared dead at 4:18 p.m. by medical personnel."
O'Dell said McLaurin was working on the Chena River Lakes Flood Control
Project, a $200 million dam and levee system built near Fairbanks in
the wake of a devastating 1967 flood. Crews were installing relief wells
at the time of his death.
"He was operating a roller-compactor on a stability berm," O'Dell said. "It was a single-vehicle rollover."
The accident is being investigated by the Corps and the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, O'Dell said.
==================================Army Corps worker dies in Alaska construction accident
The Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska
The Army Corps of Engineers says one of its employees died at a construction site at North Pole, Alaska.
The
agency says the accident involved construction equipment and occurred
just before 4 p.m. Monday at the Chena River flood control project.
North
Pole police, Alaska State Troopers and North Pole Fire Department
paramedics responded to the scene. The worker was declared dead by
medical personnel about a half hour after the accident.
The name of the worker has not been released pending notification of family.
The agency says an investigation is underway.
North Pole is 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks.
==============
Updated: Tue 4:46 PM, Jun 20, 2017
A construction worker died Monday at a job site off of Laurence Road in North Pole.
The accident involved a piece of construction equipment.
The job site was located North of the Richardson Highway along Laurence Road on the way to Chena Lakes Recreation Area.
The name of the worker is being withheld until next of kin have been notified.
We will have more on this accident as information becomes available.
=========
Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project
Welcome
to the northernmost flood risk mitigation project operated by the Corps
of Engineers in North Pole. Authorized by Congress after the
devastating 1967 flood, Moose Creek Dam and associated features reduce
flooding to the interior Alaskan city of Fairbanks, as well as providing
local residents and visitors a myriad of recreational opportunities on
nearly 20,000 acres of public land.
Dam Safety Program
Moose
Creek Dam at the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project in North Pole
underwent a safety review indicating the public is exposed to an
unacceptable risk during an impoundment of flood waters from the Chena
River.
These findings present an urgent and compelling
requirement for interim risk-reduction measures and long-term solutions.
Current actions include modifying flood control operating procedures,
updating emergency response plans, and conducting engineering
evaluations and analyses. Check here for updates when new information becomes available.
Activities and Recreation
Chena Lakes Recreation Area
Operated
by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation, amenities
consist of a playground, cross country trails, picnic area, natural
area, volleyball court, camping sites, boat launch, swimming, no-alcohol
park and restrooms.
Special Use Permits
Special
use permits are issued to various groups and individuals who use project
lands for particular events and activities. Some examples are the
Fairbanks Retriever Club, Santa Claus Half Marathon, Yukon Quest 1,000
mile sled-dog race and Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers. Please call
907-488-6359 for more information.
Check out the Chena Project at Recreation.gov
Resources
For additional information be sure to visit the following sites.
Chena Project homepage
Dam Safety Program
Activities and Recreation Information
Recreation.gov
