NEEDHAM, Mass., July 14 Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) served as the primary author of a recently released World Health Organization (WHO) manual entitled: The Public Health Management of Chemical Incidents. The complete manual is available at http://www.who.int/environmental_health_emergencies/publications/Manual_Chemical_Incidents/en/.
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WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support, and monitoring and assessing health trends. The purpose of thismanual is to provide a comprehensive overview of the principles and roles of public health in the management of chemical incidents and emergencies.
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EH&E was asked to prepare this manual based upon its extensive experience in public health, trends in environmental risk, and management of health and safety programs for large institutions. The document covers the key aspects of an incident management plan from the perspective of public health using risk assessment as a unifying theme. Guiding principles for prevention, preparedness, detection and alert, response, and recovery of chemical incidents are detailed in the manual.
"The management of chemical incidents and emergencies requires a multi-disciplinary approach, and the public health sector plays a key role at various stages of the management process," said David MacIntosh, Sc.D., a contributing author and Principal Scientist with EH&E. "In this manual, we've utilized the risk assessment paradigm to help government and other stakeholders identify and prioritize the role of the public health sector, with the goal of preventing and mitigating the health consequences of chemical incidents and emergencies."
WHO, EH&E, and all those involved in the development of the publication hope that the manual will have wide application, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and that in the future the health sector will be better prepared to acknowledge and fulfill its roles and responsibilities in the management of chemical incidents and emergencies.
About EH&E
EH&E (www.eheinc.com) has provided an extensive range of environmental and engineering consulting services for over 20 years. The company consists of over 70 experts with an outstanding record of providing focused solutions for a variety of issues that directly affect public heath. EH&E has a depth of knowledge and credibility unmatched in the industry and our wealth of readily-accessible information has become a powerful resource for our clients.
SOURCE Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc.
