The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) and its award recipients have provided technical assistance and safety training to workers involved in disaster response and recovery activities for more than 15 years. This page contains resources aimed at protecting the health and safety of those who may be involved in responding to a wide variety of natural or man-made disasters and emergencies, including emergency responders, skilled support personnel, homeowners, and business owners.

Training Resources

The National Clearinghouse creates training tools to aid in the development of awareness-level courses or other awareness-level materials. These tools provide health and safety guidance to those involved in disaster response and cleanup activities. Companion booklets are pocket guides that can be distributed with the training and used as a resource when workers are on a disaster site. To order hard copies of these booklets, please complete the Booklet Order Form.

Debris Removal Training Tool

In English:

• Protecting Yourself While Removing Post-Disaster Debris from Your Home or Business(6.3MB)
• Protecting Yourself While Removing Post-Disaster Debris from Your Home or Business(19.2MB)
• Protecting Yourself While Removing Post-Disaster Debris From Your Home or Business (Fact Sheet)(1.5MB)

En Español:

• Cómo protegerse al eliminar escombros luego de un desastre en su hogar o empresa(4.8MB)

WTP Award Recipient Resources

• Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) New York
• Clean Up Safety
• International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
  • Improving Apparatus Response and Roadway Operations

Other NIEHS Resources

• A Practical Guide to Disaster Researchers’ Health and Safety(2.6MB)
• Emergency Support Activation Plan: Awardee Instructor Deployment Guide(1.5MB)
• Emergency Support Activation Plan: Researcher Deployment Guide(3.4MB)
• NIH Disaster Research Response Program (DR2) Website

WTP Technical Workshops

• Spring 2014 Technical Workshop – Disaster Research Response Exercise
• 2008 Disaster Site Worker Course Workshop – Ensuring Skilled and Other Support Personnel Are Prepared for Disasters
• Fall 2006 Technical Workshop – Disaster Response Training: From the World Trade Center to Katrina – Five Years of Lessons Learned
• Spring 2004 Technical Workshop – Training Partnerships for Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness: A Conference to Build Stronger Partnerships on Disaster Response Training

Federal Links and Documents

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

• Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents Series
• National Toxic Substance Incidents Program

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Emergency Preparedness and Response Page

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry(2.24MB)
• How to Protect Your Property (Business or Home)
• National Response Framework Worker Safety and Health Support Annex
• National Risk Index for Natural Hazards
• Ready.gov

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

• Disaster Preparedness: Better Planning Would Improve OSHA’s Efforts to Protect Workers’ Safety and Health in Disasters
• Preparing for and Responding to Disasters(355KB)

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• Safety Guidelines: Emergency Response and Recovery Workers
• Emergency Preparedness and Response Resources
• Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (PDF and Mobile App)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances
• Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program
• Emergency Preparedness and Response Page
• Hazardous Waste Page
• The Application of HAZWOPER to Worksite Response and Cleanup Activities

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

• 2005 Hazardous Materials Response Special Teams Capabilities and Contact Handbook(3.07MB)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

• PHE.gov
• Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE)
• TRACIE: Natural Disasters

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Disaster Recovery App

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Home Page

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Emergency Response Page
• Environmental Response Team
• Guidance about Planning for Natural Disaster Debris
• Creating Disaster-Resilient Buildings to Minimize Disaster Debris

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Emergency Preparedness and Response Page

U.S. National Response Team (NRT)

• Emergency Responder Health Monitoring and Surveillance
• Technical Assistance Document: Volume I, Guidance for Managing Worker Fatigue during Disaster Operations

Other

• DisasterAssistance.gov: Disaster Resources
• Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5: Management of Domestic Incidents
• Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness
• Presidential Policy Directive 21: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience
• Talking about Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages

Other Links and Documents

• American Industrial Hygiene Association: Industrial Hygienists’ Role and Responsibilities in Emergency Preparedness and Response(77.5KB)
• American Red Cross: Disaster Relief and Recovery Services
• Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH): Disaster Responder Roofing Safety
• National Environmental Health Association: Preparedness & Response for Septic Systems
• World Health Organization: Occupational Safety and Health in Public Health Emergencies: A Manual for Protecting Health Workers and Responders
• The Digital Go-Bag: Disaster Apps