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Worker Safety

Anthrax as a Biological Weapon

During an anthrax event, certain workers could be exposed to B. anthracis either during the initial attack or when responding to the emergency. The workers that could be at risk include mail handlers (if spores are sent through the mail), law enforcement personnel, healthcare workers, decontamination workers, and critical infrastructure workers who could be exposed to airborne (aerosolized) spores, depending on how the spores were disseminated.

Learn More

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Anthrax Worker Safety

Early Response
Dept. of Homeland Security:Guidance for Protecting Responders’ Health During the First Week Following A Wide-Area Aerosol Anthrax Attack
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene Anthrax letters in an open office environment: effects of selected CDC response guidelines on personal exposure and building contamination

Protection Equipment 
NIOSH: Recommendations for the Selection and Use of Respirators and Protective Clothing for Protection Against Biological Agents
NIOSH: Protecting Investigators Performing Environmental Sampling for Bacillus anthracis – Personal Protective Equipment

Clean up and Decontamination
Guideline for Isolation Precautions (2007): Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings
CDC MMWR: Occupational Health Guidelines for Remediation Workers at Anthrax Contaminated Sites
Model Health Safety Plan (HASP) for Clean-up of Facilities Contaminated with Anthrax Spores

Other Protective Measures
 Prevention

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