Implement international agreements into national laws.
Selected international agreements include:
· IHR (2005) – a legally binding agreement providing a framework to better prevent, prepare for and respond to public health events and emergencies of potential international concern, including chemical events (20).
· The ILO Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention (C174) (81).
Environment, health, other sectors
National
Regulation
UGL.VB.ZZ&UBG
Capacity building in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
UGL.WJ.ZZ&UBG
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Develop or update national policies and plans for prevention, preparedness, response, detection and recovery for chemical incidents, including for chemical incidents arising from natural hazard events (e.g. earthquakes, floods and cyclones) (80).
Health, environment, other sectors
National
Regulation
UGL.WJ.ZZ&UBG
Policy change in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
+
UGL.WJ.ZZ&UBF
Policy change in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Natural events
(20, 77)
Establish designated focal points for IHR (2005) in all authorities that have an important role in the management of chemical events, for coordination and communication; establish a multisectoral national chemical emergency coordinating body; ensure adequate capacity for health- sector preparedness for prompt and adequate response to chemical events.
Health, environment
National
Governance
UGL.VN.ZZ&UBG
Establishing health services or health-related services in relation to chemicals and chemical products Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Implement a tested surveillance system for the detection, verification and risk assessment of chemical events of (potential) international health concern as part of a multi-hazard surveillance strategy and accompanied by a surveillance plan.
Important sources of chemical incident notification and alert include:
· poison centres;
· hospital emergency departments;
· primary health care facilities;
· toxicology laboratories;
· non-health sector sources such as agencies for consumer protection and food safety, environmental agencies, chemical plant operators, first responders and the public.
Environment, health
National
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VN.ZZ&UBG
Establishing health services or health-related services in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Implement tested emergency response plans taking into account possible event scenarios, addressing priority chemicals, hazardous sites and vulnerable populations. (Detailed information for the development of an emergency response plan is provided in the Manual for the public health management of chemical incidents (80).
Environment, health
National
Other management and control
UGL.VL.ZZ&UBG
Environmental remediation in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Ensure access to expertise, that is, maintaining an updated list and roster of experts and specialized centres, including poison centres, for:
· risk assessment
· exposure modelling
· chemical fate and transport assessment
· biological and environmental monitoring
· (clinical) toxicology
· diagnosis and treatment
· health surveillance.
Environment, health
National
Information, education and communication
UGL.VA.ZZ&UBG
Capacity building in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Ensure access to specialized drugs and equipment to be used by experts and/or specialized centres and to be placed strategically to ensure national coverage, including:
· Antidotes
· PPE
· decontamination equipment
· equipment for biological and environmental monitoring.
Health, environment
National
Infrastructure, technology and built environment
UGL.RD.ZZ&UBG
Provision of goods in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Ensure access to toxicological and environmental laboratories, that is, laboratories are prepared to accept and analyse human and environmental samples at the time of a chemical emergency and arrangements are in place to ship the samples.
Health, environment
National
Information, education and communicati on, other management and control
UGL.VA.ZZ&UBG
Capacity building in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Conduct chemical event scenario analysis including the modelling of adverse impacts for guiding the building of surveillance and response plans and to develop related capacities.
Environment, health
National
Other management and control
UGL.TB.ZZ&UBG
Planning in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Avoid locating chemical facilities in hazard-prone or densely populated areas.
Land use planning
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.ZZ&UAN
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Products and technology of land development
Enforce a minimum set of safety standards and building regulations for all chemical facilities.
Environment
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.ZZ&UA
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings for public use
Restrict and control chemical transportation and storage, including the requirement of licensing of hazardous sites and transport routes.
Environment
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.ZZ#ISIC Section
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Transportation and storage
UGL.WI.ZZ&UAN
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Products and technology of land development
Implement labour, health and safety regulations including minimum levels of training, chemical protection and medical surveillance.
Labour
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.ZZ&VCB
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Control waste disposal sites.
Environment
National
Regulation
UGL.WI.ZZ&UEV
Restrictions through laws or standards in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Waste collection and disposal services, systems and policies
Implement inspections of hazardous sites and transportation.
Environment
National
Regulation
UGL.VC.ZZ#CPC Class 5326#ISIC Section H
Public health surveillance in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Mines and industrial plants
Transportation and storage
Implement early-warning systems for weather- related natural events.
Health, environment
National
Regulation
UBF.VF.ZZ&XBO8.6
Alerting about natural events Community
Raise awareness about potential exposures, vulnerabilities to and health impacts from chemicals.
Health
National, community
Universal health coverage
Information, education and communication
UGL.VB.ZZ
Awareness raising concerning chemicals and chemical
products
Establish databases on hazardous sites, contents of transportation, chemical information, health care resources and emergency contact information.
Environment, health
National
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VA.ZZ#CPC Class 5326
Capacity building in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Mines and industrial plants
Implement an incident management system, that is, a standardized approach to the command, control and coordination of emergency response.
Environment, health
National
Other management and control
UGL.VA.ZZ&UEI
Capacity building in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Civil protection services, systems and policies, not elsewhere classified
Stop the release of the chemical, prevent the spread of contamination and limit exposure.
Industry, environment, health, other sectors
National, community
Universal health coverage
Other management and control
UGL.VL.ZZ&UBG
Environmental remediation in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Provide an initial risk assessment and advise and alert health care services.
Health, environment
National, community
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.AA.ZZ&UBG
Assessment in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
UGL.VF.ZZ&UBG&UET
Alerting in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Health services, systems and policies
Disseminate information and advice to responders, the public and the media.
Health, environment
National, community
Universal health coverage
Information, education and communication
UGL.PN.ZZ&UBG&XBO8.6
Advice in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Community
Register all individuals exposed during the incident. Collect appropriate human and environmental samples (this may include blood, urine, soil and water samples).
Health, environment
National, community
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VO.ZZ&UBG
Marshalling health services in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Conduct investigations during the incident.
Health, environment
National, community
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VC.ZZ&UBG
Public health surveillance in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Provide victim support such as medical care and a single point of contact for information and advice.
Health
Health care, national, community
Universal health coverage
Information, education and communicati on, other management and control
UBG.VO.ZZ&UBG
Marshalling health services in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Register exposed persons for follow-up and surveillance.
Health
Health care
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VC.ZZ&UBG
Public health surveillance in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Conduct risk and health outcome assessments and environmental assessments.
Health, environment
Health care, national, community
Universal health coverage
Assessment and surveillance
UGL.VC.ZZ&UBG
Public health surveillance in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Implement rehabilitation actions including remediation and restoration of the environment, actions to prevent a further occurrence through causative factor analysis and emergency response evaluation, and to improve the affected community’s health.
Health, environment
Community, national
Universal health coverage
Other management and control
UGL.VL.ZZ&UBG
Environmental remediation in relation to chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Contribute to the information of the international community.
Health, environment
National
Information, education and communication
UGL.PM.ZZ&UBG&XBO8.7
Education about chemicals and chemical products
Human-caused events, not elsewhere specified
Political system
Chemical incidents
· WHO 2018: Chemical releases caused by natural hazard events and disasters. Information for public health authorities (82) contains a guide to important resources and tools for chemical incidents and emergencies in general (Annex D).
· WHO 2015: International Health Regulations (2005) and chemical events (77)
Natural incidents
· WHO 2018: Chemical releases caused by natural hazard events and disasters. Information for public health authorities (82)(82)(82)(81)(81)(81)
· WHO Regional Office for Europe 2017: Flooding: managing health risks in the WHO European Region (83)
General
· WHO 2019: Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework (79)
· WHO 2002: Environmental health in emergencies and disasters: a practical guide (84)