Education
RT 225
Methamphetamine Labs: Current Issues
Wednesday | 10:00 a.m.–Noon |
Topics:
Lab Health and Safety, Sampling and Laboratory Analysis
Arranger and Moderator: S. Bucherl, pH2, LLC, Avon, IN. Monitors: M. Cameron, California Criminalistics Institute, Davis, CA; M. Miller, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA.
Methamphetamine labs continue to be a public health issue. Various organizations actively conduct research on hazard identification, contamination, sampling, and cleanup strategies; however, this information does not appear to be well disseminated and available to policymakers. Following collection of evidence, industrial hygiene professionals are often called on to perform hazard assessments and cleanup of these labs. This roundtable will address several current topics that will assist the practicing industrial hygienist to perform these tasks. NIOSH will discuss how first responders, health, and remediation personnel may improve their safety and effectiveness responding to a meth lab, recognition of hazards per lab type, and selection of appropriate PPE. A research summary on dermal transfer of methamphetamine and dermal exposures from household surfaces will be presented. Methamphetamine residue testing and the selection of appropriate sampling and analysis methodology will be covered. This roundtable will also provide details on various published clearance levels within the U.S. that highlight the variability of and, in some cases, the lack of cleanup criteria.
- Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories: Recognition and Hazard Identification. J. Snawder, NIOSH, Cincinnati, OH.
- Evaluation of Dermal Transfer of Methamphetamine from Contaminated Household Surfaces. K. Serrano, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO.
- Methamphetamine Residue Testing Methodology Overview. S. VanEtten, EMSL Analytical, Inc., Cinnaminson, NJ.
- Published Clearance Levels for Methamphetamine Cleanup. M. Cooper, Exponent, Menlo Park, CA.
