Safety of medical personnel when using personal protective equipment during the liquidation of a biological and social emergency

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.