The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4217.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 2:30 PM

Abstract #47743

Terrorism and Occupational Health and Safety

Barry S. Levy, MD, MPH, Barry S. Levy Associates, P. O. Box 1230, Sherborn, MA 01770, 5086501039, blevy@igc.org

Terrorist acts and threats of future terrorism impact occupational health and safety in at least the following major ways: 1. As was the case on September 11, terrorist acts can directly affect people at work. 2. Rescue and recovery workers are at heightened risk of injury, illness, disability, and death. 3. Psychological effects of previous terrorist attacks or fear of future terrorism may impair people's ability to work effectively and safely. 4. Preventive measures in response to terrorist attacks or threats, such as during the anthrax dissemination in the fall of 2001, need to be designed and administered in a fair and scientifically-based manner. 5. Inordinate attention to future terrorist threats may lead to the shifting of human and financial resources away from addressing important occupational health and safety problems. These issues and what occupational health and safety professionals can do about them will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Occupational Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Terrorism & Post Sept. 11th

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA