Anthrax eTool: (A) what is anthrax Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. It is generally acquired following contact with anthrax-infected animals or anthrax-contaminated animal products. Anthrax has received heightened attention recently because of its use as a biological warfare agent. (1) What is Bacillus anthracis (2) How can I be exposed to?Bacillus anthracis (3) What are the symptoms of anthrax (4) What are the incidence rates of anthrax (5) How is anthrax diagnosed and treated (6) Is there a way to prevent infection (7) Links to additional information on Bacillus anthracis and anthrax. (B) Who is at risk of anthrax exposure In October 2001, five workers died from inhalation anthrax and an additional 13 developed cutaneous or inhalational disease as a result of intentional terrorist activity. In most cases seen so far, the disease was linked to unexpected workplace exposures to anthrax spores contained in letters mailed through the United States Postal Service. Fortunately, the number of workplaces contaminated with the spores has also been quite limited. Nevertheless, employers and workers are concerned about possible exposure to Bacillus anthracis in the workplace. Use the following link to help you decide if there is a credible risk of anthrax exposure at your worksite: The Anthrax Risk Reduction Matrix. The following categories of employees could potentially be exposed to anthrax: (1) Workers Exposed Through Criminal/Terrorist Acts. (2) Emergency Response Workers. (3) Health Care Workers. The anthrax exposures that occurred as a result of the criminal/terrorist acts received a great deal of media attention. However, anthrax exposure is most common in animal handling and related occupations, where Bacillus anthracis spores can exist naturally. The following link provides more information regarding other occupations that are at-risk of anthrax exposure: Animal Handling and Related Occupations. (C) How should I prepare if my company has a credible risk of anthrax exposure. The following information will help you prepare for potential emergencies if you determine that your facility fits into the Yellow or Red Zones on the Anthrax Risk Reduction Matrix(such as if your facility has a credible risk of anthrax exposure): (1) Emergency Action Plan. (2) Mail-Handling Procedures. (D) What should I do if I have an anthrax threat at my worksite? The actions that will constitute an appropriate response for an anthrax threat will depend on how the threat was discovered and the credibility of a threat at your facility (for example, which zone your facility fits into on the Anthrax Risk Reduction Matrix). (1) Discovery of Possible Contamination or Threat. (2) Evaluate the Credibility of the Threat. (3) Determine What Actions You Should Take. (E) How do I clean up my worksite that has been contaminated with anthrax? The following pages were developed as a technical resource specifically for response to a release of anthrax. The purpose of these pages is to help protect public health and safety by providing the most current information available throughout the federal government, and sharing national experience to date in responding to releases of Bacillus anthracis in urban environments. (1) What first response actions should be taken? This section describes activities during the initial or emergency phase (generally the first 24-48 hours) of a response to a suspected incident involving anthrax. It is intended for personnel who discover the potential contamination and for first responders on the scene. (2) What Health and Safety Plan (HASP) requirements exist at anthrax contaminated sites? This section describes the Health and Safety Plan requirements as they apply to response activities related to an anthrax release. (3) What training requirements exist for workers involved in anthrax response and remediation? This section describes the training that is required to provide response workers and other potentially affected persons the hazard awareness training they need to work safely. (4) What types of personal protective equipment (PPE) are necessary? This section describes the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to shield or isolate workers from health and safety hazards in the workplace. In a site where anthrax spores may be present, PPE protects workers from exposure to respiratory and skin hazards and prevents the spread of contaminants to uncontaminated areas. (5) What are the employee medical program requirements? This section describes the Medical Surveillance Program requirements for response activities related to an anthrax release. (6) How do I sample and analyze for anthrax? This section describes sampling methodologies for anthrax releases and analytical methods for detection of anthrax. (7) How should I decontaminate during response actions? This section provides information on decontaminating buildings or specific areas, systems, or items within buildings after an actual release of anthrax. What is a Transition Program and what elements should I include in my Transition Program? This section describes the Transitional Program requirements for facilities in which anthrax contamination has been identified, response actions have been completed, and normal work operations will be conducted. (8) Links to Additional Anthrax Response Information?This web page contains links to references and additional information for each of the sections above. See more from topic source: https://www.osha.gov/html/a-z-index.html