Safety of medical personnel when using personal protective equipment during the liquidation of a biological and social emergency
https://doi.org/10.25016/2541-7487-2023-0-4-56-66
Abstract
Relevance. According to scientific publications, preventive measures undertaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic failed to did reliably protect healthcare workers from the new coronavirus infection. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) that protected against biological factors failed to protect HCWs from becoming infected and in most cases contributed to the functional disorders and impaired health. The objective is to provide evidence-based justification of preventive measures aimed at increasing healthcare workers’ (HCW) safety by using PPE during elimination of biological and social emergencies (based on the case of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Methods. The study design included four consecutive stages: occupational morbidity assessment for COVID-19, assessment of HCWs’ working conditions; assessment of HCWs’ safety when using PPE sets in real setting and simulation, and justification of preventive measures to improve safety of HCWs.
Results and discussion. The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the incidence of 30.4 % among all HCWs working at the Military Medical Academy, suggesting a high risk of infection transmission. Morbidity was utmost among HCWs specializing in infections, followed by a significant number of HCWs who do not work in contaminated areas on a daily basis (surgeons, urologists, traumatologists). In addition to high incidence rate, the new coronavirus infection pandemic demanded enforcement of specific measures associated with the use of PPE at increased physical stress, including amid elevated ambient temperature. A sociological survey and experimental data allowed to assess the risk of functional and heat-injury related health disorders, as well as injuries in HCWs using PPEs. In order to reinforce occupational safety and minimize occupational risks of health deterioration in HCWs wearing PPEs at work, the research results allowed to develop a two-stage preventive action plan: stage 1 includes identification of dangerous factors, whereas stage 2 focuses on preventive measures to eliminate negative impact of hazards and associated risks.
Conclusion. A set of preventive measures developed for the COVID-19 pandemic suggests practical tools to reinforce occupational safety for HCWs who use PPEs to deliver biological and social emergency response and elimination.
About the Authors
V. E. BatovRussian Federation
Vyacheslav Evgenievich Batov – PhD Med. Sci., lecturer
6, Academica Lebedeva Str., St. Petersburg, 194044
S. M. Kuznetsov
Russian Federation
Sergey Maksimovich Kuznetsov – PhD Med. Sci. Associate Prof., head of the department of General and Military Hygiene, with a course in naval and radiation hygiene
6, Academica Lebedeva Str., St. Petersburg, 194044
S. M. Logatkin
Russian Federation
Stanislav Mikhaylovich Logatkin – Dr. Med. Sci. Associate Prof., Senior Research Associate
4, Lesoparkovaya Str., St. Petersburg, 195043
Yu. V. Lizunov
Russian Federation
Lizunov Yuri Vladimirovich – Dr. Med. Sci. Associate Prof., Prof. of the department of General and Military Hygiene, with a course in naval and radiation hygiene
6, Academica Lebedeva Str., St. Petersburg, 194044
References
1. Aleksanin S.S., Evdokimov V.I., Rybnikov V.Ju., Chernov K.A. Medicina katastrof: metaanaliz nauchnyh statej i dissertacij po special’nosti 05.26.02 «Bezopasnost’ v chrezvychajnyh situacijah» (2005–2017 gg.) [Disaster medicine: meta-analysis of research articles and dissertations in the speciality 05.26.02 “Safety in emergency situations” (2005–2017) : monograph]. St. Petersburg. 2019. 293 p. (In Russ.)
2. Batov V.E. Ocenka funkcional’nogo sostojanija voenno-medicinskogo personala pri ispol’zovanii sredstv individual’noj zashhity v period pandemii COVID-19 [Assessment of the functional state of military medical personnel when using personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic]. Mediko-biologicheskie i social’no-psihologicheskie problemy bezopasnosti v chrezvychajnyh situacijah [Medico-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations]. 2022; (1):81–87. DOI: 10.25016/2541-7487-2022-0-1-81-87. (In Russ.)
3. Batov V.E., Kuznecov S.M. Gigienicheskaja ocenka sredstv individual’noj zashhity ot biologicheskih faktorov [Hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment against biological hazards]. Zdorov’e naselenija i sreda obitanija [Public health and life environment]. 2022; (10):58–67. DOI: 10.35627/2219-5238/2022-30-10-58-66. (In Russ.)
4. Batov V.E., Kuznecov S.M., Logatkin S.M. Faktory riska zabolevaemosti COVID-19 personala voenno-medicinskih organizacij [Assessment of risk factors for COVID-19 infection in personnel of military medical organizations]. Mediko-biologicheskie i social’no-psihologicheskie problemy bezopasnosti v chrezvychajnyh situacijah [Medico-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations]. 2022; (3):13–20. DOI: 10.25016/2541-7487-2022-0-3-13-20. (In Russ.)
5. Buhtijarov I.V, Geregej A.M., Krasnova S.V. [et al.]. Teplovoe sostojanie organizma pri ispol’zovanii sredstv individual’noj zashhity ot biologicheskih faktorov [The thermal state of body when using personal protective equipment against biological factors]. Gigiena i sanitarija [Hygiene and sanitation, russian journal]. 2022; 101(11):1321–1327. DOI: 10.47470/0016-99002022-101-11-1321-1327. (In Russ.)
6. COVID-19: Occupational health and safety for health workers. Interim guidance. WHO/2019-nCoV/HCW_advice/2021.1 URL: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/339151/.
7. Grebenjuk A.N., Shibalov P.V., Gricaj L.G. [et al.]. Organizacija raboty infekcionnogo gospitalja dlja lechenija novoj koronavirusnoj infekcii (COVID-19) na ploshhadke krupnogo stroitel’stva [Organization of the activities of the infectious diseases hospital for the treatment of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at a large construction site].Mediko-biologicheskie i social’no-psihologicheskie problemy bezopasnosti v chrezvychajnyh situacijah [Medico-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations]. 2022; (2):29–41. DOI: 10.25016/2541-7487-2022-0-2-29-41. (In Russ.)
8. Zhidkova E.A., Kostenko N.A., Gorjaev A.A. [et al.]. Osobennosti zabolevaemosti i techenija COVID-19 u medicinskih rabotnikov ChUZ OAO «RZhD» [Features of the incidence and course of COVID-19 among medical workers of private healthcare organizations of JSC “Russian railways”]. Medicina truda i promyshlennaja jekologija [Russian journal of occupational health and industrial ecology]. 2021; 61(8):534–539. DOI: 10.31089/1026-9428-2021-61-8-534-539. (In Russ.)
9. Kalashnikov A.A., Teliupa V.N., Sivoraksha G.A. [et al.]. Opyt pereprofilirovanija krupnoj mnogoprofil’noj bol’nicy v monoinfekcionnyj gospital’ dlja lechenija bol’nyh s novoj koronavirusnoj infekciej COVID-19 [Reorganizing a large multidisciplinary health facility into a mono-infectious hospital to treat patients with COVID-19]. Vestnik obshhestvennogo zdorov’ja i zdravoohranenija Dal’nego Vostoka Rossii [Bulletin of Public Health and Healthcare in the Russian Far East]. 2021; (2):5–14. DOI: 10.35177/2226-2342-2021-2-1. (In Russ.)
10. Krjukov E.V., Trishkin D.V., Saluhov V.V., Ivchenko E.V. Opyt voennoj mediciny v bor’be s novoj koronavirusnoj infekciej [Combat medicine overcoming the new coronavirus infection]. Vestnik Rossijskoj akademii nauk [Vestnik Rossijskoj akademii nauk]. 2022; (7):699–706. DOI: 10.31857/S086958732207009X. (In Russ.)
11. Platonova T.A., Golubkova A.A., Sklyar M.S. [et al.]. Zabolevaemost’ COVID-19 medicinskih rabotnikov: faktory riska zarazhenija i razvitija tjazhelyh klinicheskih form [The morbidity rate of COVID-19 among medical workers: risk factors of getting infected and the development of severe clinical forms]. Tihookeanskij medicinskij zhurnal [Pacific medical journal]. 2022; 88(2):26–33. DOI: 10.34215/1609-1175-2022-2-26-33. (In Russ.)
12. Platonova T.A. Golubkova A.A., Tutel’jan A.V. [et al.]. Zabolevaemost’ COVID-19 medicinskih rabotnikov. Voprosy biobezopasnosti i faktory professional’nogo riska [The incidence of COVID-19 medical workers. The issues of biosafety and occupational risk factors]. Jepidemiologija i vakcinoprofilaktika [Epidemiology and vaccinal prevention]. 2021; 20(2):4–11. DOI: 10.31631/2073-3046-2021-20-2-4-11. (In Russ.)
13. Russkih A.A., Luk’janenko N.V., Luk’janenko N.Ja. [et al.]. Ocenka faktorov riska rasprostranenija COVID-19 personalom v reanimacionnyh otdelenijah mnogoprofil’nogo stacionara [Assessment of risk factors for covid-19 spreading by personnel of resuscitation units of a multifield hospital]. Permskij medicinskij zhurnal [Perm medical journal]. 2023; 40(2):92–99. DOI: 10.17816/pmj40292-99. (In Russ.)
14. Rybnikov V.Ju., Nesterenko N.V., Jakirevich I.A. Opyt razvertyvanija i funkcionirovanija ajeromobil’nogo gospitalja MChS Rossii pri likvidacii posledstvij chrezvychajnyh situacij biologo-social’nogo haraktera (v ochage koronavirusnoj infekcii) [Experience in deployment and functioning of aeromobile hospital of EMERCOM of Russia when eliminating the consequences of biosocial emergency situations (in a coronavirus outbreak area)]. Mediko-biologicheskie i social’no-psihologicheskie problemy bezopasnosti v chrezvychajnyh situacijah [Medico-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations]. 2020; (4):5–15. DOI: 10.25016/2541-7487-2020-0-4-05-15. (In Russ.)
15. Shkarin V.V., Latyshevskaja N.I., Orlov D.V. [et al.]. Gigienicheskaja ocenka riska narushenija teplovogo sostojanija pri ispol’zovanii sredstv individual’noj zashhity medicinskimi rabotnikami laboratorii [Hygienic assessment of risks of thermal balance disruption in medical laboratory workers using personal protective equipment for biohazards]. Zdorov’e naselenija i sreda obitanija [Public health and life environment]. 2021; 29(11):31–36. DOI: 10.35627/2219-5238/2021-29-11-31-36. (In Russ.)
16. Shkarin V.V., Latyshevskaja N.I., Orlov D.V. [et al.]. Ocenka sistemnyh gemodinamicheskih izmenenij u medicinskih rabotnikov PCR-laboratorij pri ispol’zovanii sredstv individual’noj zashhity [Assessment of systemic hemodynamic changes in medical workers of PCR laboratories when using personal protective equipment]. Medicina truda i promyshlennaja jekologija [Russian journal of occupational health and industrial ecology]. 2023; 63(3):200–205. DOI: 10.31089/1026-9428-2023-633-200-205. (In Russ.)
Review
For citations:
Batov V.E., Kuznetsov S.M., Logatkin S.M., Lizunov Yu.V. Safety of medical personnel when using personal protective equipment during the liquidation of a biological and social emergency. Medicо-Biological and Socio-Psychological Problems of Safety in Emergency Situations. 2023;(4):56-66. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.25016/2541-7487-2023-0-4-56-66