42 USC 300hh-14 - Protection of health and safety during disasters

U.S Code last checked for updates: May 18, 2024

§ 300hh–14.

Protection of health and safety during disasters

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Certified monitoring program

The term “certified monitoring program” means a medical monitoring program—

(A)

in which a participating responder is a participant as a condition of the employment of such participating responder; and

(B)

that the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies includes an adequate baseline medical screening.

(2)

Disaster area

(3)

High exposure level

(4)

Individual

The term “individual” includes—

(A)

a worker or volunteer who responds to a disaster, either natural or manmade, involving any mode of transportation in the United States or disrupting the transportation system of the United States, including—

(i)

a police officer;

(ii)

a firefighter;

(iii)

an emergency medical technician;

(iv)

any participating member of an urban search and rescue team; and

(v)

any other relief or rescue worker or volunteer that the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, determines to be appropriate;

(B)

a worker who responds to a disaster, either natural or manmade, involving any mode of transportation in the United States or disrupting the transportation system of the United States, by assisting in the cleanup or restoration of critical infrastructure in and around a disaster area;

(C)

a person whose place of residence is in a disaster area, caused by either a natural or manmade disaster involving any mode of transportation in the United States or disrupting the transportation system of the United States;

(D)

a person who is employed in or attends school, child care, or adult day care in a building located in a disaster area, caused by either a natural or manmade disaster involving any mode of transportation in the United States or disrupting the transportation system of the United States, of the United States; and

(E)

any other person that the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, determines to be appropriate.

(5)

Participating responder

(6)

Program

(7)

Substance of concern

(b)

Program

(1)

In general

If the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, determines that 1 or more substances of concern are being, or have been, released in an area declared to be a disaster area and disrupts the transportation system of the United States, the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, may carry out a program for the coordination, protection, assessment, monitoring, and study of the health and safety of individuals with high exposure levels to ensure that—

(A)

the individuals are adequately informed about and protected against potential health impacts of any substance of concern in a timely manner;

(B)

the individuals are monitored and studied over time, including through baseline and followup clinical health examinations, for—

(i)

any short- and long-term health impacts of any substance of concern; and

(ii)

any mental health impacts;

(C)

the individuals receive health care referrals as needed and appropriate; and

(D)

information from any such monitoring and studies is used to prevent or protect against similar health impacts from future disasters.

(2)

Activities

A program under paragraph (1) may include such activities as—

(A)

collecting and analyzing environmental exposure data;

(B)

developing and disseminating information and educational materials;

(C)

performing baseline and followup clinical health and mental health examinations and taking biological samples;

(D)

establishing and maintaining an exposure registry;

(E)

studying the short- and long-term human health impacts of any exposures through epidemiological and other health studies; and

(F)

providing assistance to individuals in determining eligibility for health coverage and identifying appropriate health services.

(3)

Timing

(4)

Participation in registries and studies

(A)

In general

(B)

Protection of privacy

(C)

Priority

(i)

In general

(ii)

Modifications

(5)

Cooperative agreements

(A)

In general

(B)

Selection criteria

To the maximum extent practicable, the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall select, to carry out a program under paragraph (1), a medical institution or a consortium of medical institutions that—

(i)

is located near—

(I)

the disaster area with respect to which the program is carried out; and

(II)

any other area in which there reside groups of individuals that worked or volunteered in response to the disaster; and

(ii)

has appropriate experience in the areas of environmental or occupational health, toxicology, and safety, including experience in—

(I)

developing clinical protocols and conducting clinical health examinations, including mental health assessments;

(II)

conducting long-term health monitoring and epidemiological studies;

(III)

conducting long-term mental health studies; and

(IV)

establishing and maintaining medical surveillance programs and environmental exposure or disease registries.

(6)

Involvement

(A)

In general

In carrying out a program under paragraph (1), the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall involve interested and affected parties, as appropriate, including representatives of—

(i)

Federal, State, and local government agencies;

(ii)

groups of individuals that worked or volunteered in response to the disaster in the disaster area;

(iii)

local residents, businesses, and schools (including parents and teachers);

(iv)

health care providers;

(v)

faith based organizations; and

(vi)

other organizations and persons.

(B)

Committees

(7)

Privacy

(8)

Existing programs

In carrying out a program under paragraph (1), the President, acting through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, may—

(A)

include the baseline clinical health examination of a participating responder under a certified monitoring programs; 1

 So in original. Probably should be “program;”.

and

(B)

substitute the baseline clinical health examination of a participating responder under a certified monitoring program for a baseline clinical health examination under paragraph (1).

(c)

Reports

(d)

National Academy of Sciences report on disaster area health and environmental protection and monitoring

(1)

In general

(2)

Participation of experts

The report under paragraph (1) shall be prepared with the participation of individuals who have expertise in—

(A)

environmental health, safety, and medicine;

(B)

occupational health, safety, and medicine;

(C)

clinical medicine, including pediatrics;

(D)

environmental toxicology;

(E)

epidemiology;

(F)

mental health;

(G)

medical monitoring and surveillance;

(H)

environmental monitoring and surveillance;

(I)

environmental and industrial hygiene;

(J)

emergency planning and preparedness;

(K)

public outreach and education;

(L)

State and local health departments;

(M)

State and local environmental protection departments;

(N)

functions of workers that respond to disasters, including first responders;

(O)

public health; and

(P)

family services, such as counseling and other disaster-related services provided to families.

(3)

Contents

The report under paragraph (1) shall provide advice and recommendations regarding protecting and monitoring the health and safety of individuals potentially exposed to any chemical or other substance associated with potential acute or chronic human health effects as the result of a disaster, including advice and recommendations regarding—

(A)

the establishment of protocols for monitoring and responding to chemical or substance releases in a disaster area to protect public health and safety, including—

(i)

chemicals or other substances for which samples should be collected in the event of a disaster, including a terrorist attack;

(ii)

chemical- or substance-specific methods of sample collection, including sampling methodologies and locations;

(iii)

chemical- or substance-specific methods of sample analysis;

(iv)

health-based threshold levels to be used and response actions to be taken in the event that thresholds are exceeded for individual chemicals or other substances;

(v)

procedures for providing monitoring results to—

(I)

appropriate Federal, State, and local government agencies;

(II)

appropriate response personnel; and

(III)

the public;

(vi)

responsibilities of Federal, State, and local agencies for—

(I)

collecting and analyzing samples;

(II)

reporting results; and

(III)

taking appropriate response actions; and

(vii)

capabilities and capacity within the Federal Government to conduct appropriate environmental monitoring and response in the event of a disaster, including a terrorist attack; and

(B)

other issues specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(4)

Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VII, § 709, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1947.)

cite as: 42 USC 300hh-14