Evaluation of the Health and Safety Risks of the New USAMRIID High-Containment Facilities at Fort Detrick, Maryland (2010) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 3-12
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From page 3... ...
The committee was asked to evaluate the scientific adequacy and credibility of the analyses of health and safety risks associated with exposure to pathogen research, and the proposed strategies to mitigate those risks, as presented in the final EIS. The committee also was asked to examine USAMRIID's current procedures and regulations for reducing exposure to pathogens to determine whether they are comparable to those in place at other facilities and whether they meet accepted standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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From page 4... ...
They are required to provide full and fair discussion of significant potential environmental and health impacts and consider reasonable alternatives that would avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts or enhance the quality of the human environment. However, there is no specific guidance for considering some of the unusual infectious disease risks from biocontainment facilities.
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From page 5... ...
Common risks to workers are needle- or sharps-stick accidents, inadvertent aerosol generation that leads to inhalation or ocular/mucosal exposure, and contact with infected laboratory animals. The EIS explained that the new USAMRIID facility will be part of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus, which Congress directed to be located at Fort Detrick.
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From page 6... ...
The Record of Decision to construct the new USAMRIID facility was issued and construction has begun on the project. Recommendation: The committee recommends that the Army consider developing detailed and practical guidance for conducting hazard assessments of infectious agents for inclusion in its guidance for implementing NEPA to improve future EIS processes and products.
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From page 7... ...
For example, the institute was involved in the development of biological safety cabinets, establishing the scientific basis for packaging and shipping infectious agents, applying HEPA filtration technology, and vaccinating its workers. When these and other related developments are placed in context with the history of laboratory-acquired infections at USAMRIID, it is clear that lessons learned from past incidents have improved safety practices and significantly reduced the incidence of laboratory-acquired infections.
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From page 8... ...
The new facilities will be operated under even more stringent guidelines than were in place previously regarding physical security, engineering infrastructure and redundancies, biosafety, and biosecurity. Thus, the committee has a high degree of confidence that the new USAMRIID facility will have the appropriate and effective physical security, biosurety program, and biosafety operating practices and procedures in place to protect its workers and the public from exposures to pathogens, and any new pathogens, studied in its laboratories.
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From page 9... ...
To facilitate care, each USAMRIID staff member is provided with a contact card identifying him or her as an employee to expedite notification by clinicians of infectious disease experts for consultation. The Barquist Army Health Clinic at Fort Detrick also has an ongoing and good relationship with Frederick County's Health Department, such that the county has confidence that it will be informed of any reportable medical incidents of which the clinic is aware.
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From page 10... ...
Such physicians should also serve to provide continuing communication and coordination between USAMRIID scientists and community physicians and public health personnel. For medical and emergency response mechanisms, a senior authoritative management system is needed to ensure that USAMRIID works effectively with county government agencies, the local medical community, emergency preparedness and response initiatives, and Frederick Memorial Hospital.
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From page 11... ...
Such information involved discussions about USAMRIID's operations, regulations and guidelines, training, history of laboratory exposures and illnesses, and details about the institute's agreements with Frederick County and Frederick Memorial Hospital on emergency response and health incidents. To date, such information had not been adequately shared with the public.
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From page 12... ...
In going forward, the Army and USAMRIID should review their methods and procedures for preparing EIS hazard assessments, more actively train personnel regarding accountability and responsibility, and more proactively reach out to the local community to inform it of its safety and security policies and procedures and to constructively design approaches for communicating timely information should an adverse incident occur.
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