Mass Care Shelter Occupational Hazards

Safety and Health Orientation: Employees and Other Workers

This checklist is a tool for mass care shelter employers and administrators to provide a consistent safety and health orientation for shelter staff. Mass care shelters are temporary public living quarters that provide physical shelter, feeding and first aid outside of pre-disaster homes. This type of shelter does not provide specialized medical care. It is assumed that the shelter has been set up in compliance with OSHA regulations and with state and local statutes.

Safety and Health Orientation: Employees and Other Workers checklist
Section I: Pre-deployment Yes No Comments
1. Training in the organization's Health and Safety Programs      
2. Mass care shelter-specific training      
  1. Preventing violence in shelters
      
  1. Preventing/reporting sexual harassment
      
  1. Recommended immunizations/communicable disease prevention/bloodborne pathogens
      
  1. Check-in/check-out procedure
      
  1. Communication structure within the organization
      
  1. Deployment requirements (e.g., clothing to pack, personal medical supplies)
      
  1. Accessing medical and mental health care while deployed
      
  1. Personal protective equipment (PPE) training
      
3. Health disclosure forms and emergency contact information      
Section II: During deployment Yes No Comments
1. Orientation at site should include:      
  1. Review pre-deployment orientation, policies and site specific procedures
      
  1. Orientation to shelter program e.g., work hours, food service, first aid, local laws
      
  1. Orientation to shelter structure e.g., building layout, location of lights, restrooms, washrooms and laundry facilities, emergency equipment
      
  1. Orientation to staff responsibilities/identification of the person(s) to receive reports of problems/trouble/need for medical/psychological care
      
  1. Emergency evacuation plan/emergency contact numbers
      
  1. General and specific tasks of assigned mass care shelter
      
  1. Communication methods within the shelter (e.g. hazard abatement, recordkeeping)
      
  1. Material handling/equipment use
      
  1. Facility orientation and identification of occupational hazards
      
2. Orientation to the site-specific Health and Safety Plan (see section IV for outline example)      
3. Documentation and retention of hazard resolution/meetings      
4. Required recordkeeping for organization and regulatory compliance      
Section III: Post-deployment Yes No Comments
1. Debriefing      
  1. Procedures for follow-up regarding shelter illness or injury
      
  1. Re-orientation to medical/mental health resources
      
2. Organization post-deployment      
  1. Collect any written reports related to organization or regulatory compliance
      
  1. Ensure accuracy of injury/illness information
      
  1. Continue to provide follow-up debriefing for shelter workers as needed.
      
Section IV: Health and Safety Plan Outline - guidance only Yes No Comments
1. Health and Safety Plan      
  1. Recordkeeping requirements
      
  1. Worker rights and responsibilities
      
  1. Situation assessment
      
  1. Job hazard analysis
      
  1. Exposure monitoring
      
  1. Hazard control
      
  1. Personal protective equipment
      
  1. Training
      
  1. General
      
  1. Site-specific training
      
  1. Task-specific training
      
  1. Incident management communication
      
  1. Chemical hazard communication
      
  1. Hazardous material spills
      
  1. Confined space entry
      
  1. First aid and how to access medical/mental health services
      
  1. Alcohol and drug abuse
      
  1. Work-rest regimen, fatigue
      
  1. Heat/cold stress
      
  1. Animal and plant hazards
      
  1. Sanitation
      
  1. Transportation and parking
      
  1. Material handling and storage
      
  1. Electrical safety
      
  1. Fire safety
      
  1. Hand and power tools
      
  1. Illumination
      
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