NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
Staten Island Landfill Debris Disposal Operation Health and Safety Program
Furthermore, they can become attached to airborne particles (dust), which can then result in an
inhalation exposure.
The risk presented by other chemical agents, at this time, is believed to be minimal. However, since
the debris is non-homogeneous, monitoring for worker exposure should be conducted throughout
the project duration to obtain statistically significant documentation that these potential risks are
insignificant.
4.4 BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
The presence of biological remains does not present a significant potential hazard with respect to
pathogenic agents. The potential hazard from pathogenic organisms will decrease over time, as
agents are exposed to ambient conditions and commingled with the debris piles. This section
describes potential biological hazards associated with the planned sorting activities, where operators
and ground workers may come in contact with biological remains. The following biological hazards
may exist on the project site:
Opportunistic biological agents associated with bacteria and fungi that will amplify in
the wet conditions on the job site. High cellulose and nitrogen containing debris will
serve as a nutrient source for various environmental bacteria and fungi. Exposure to
these may cause mild to severe allergic reaction in susceptible workers. In rare and
unique situations, exposure to these agents could result in disease.
Blood-borne pathogens and vermin.
4.4.1 Route of Exposure
The primary route of exposure to biohazards is dermal injection through infections from cuts with an
object contaminated with blood, body fluids, tissue, or from contact with vermin. Other routes of
infection from contaminated objects are through the eyes, nose, or mouth or areas of broken skin or
by ingestion, which may be facilitated by hand-to-mouth contact. Based on the potential routes of
exposure, the focus of worker protection will be to promote the use of Universal Precautions, which
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