Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Oxfordshire, UK.
Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, UK.
J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2021 Sep;31(5):876-886. doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00344-2. Epub 2021 Jul 14.
Chemical incidents can result in harm to public health and the environment. Although most are localised and have little impact, some affect wide areas, a range of sectors and may lead to many casualties. A public health response to assess the risks and provide advice to authorities and the public is usually required. In some cases, incidents may affect more than one country and require effective cross-border communication and coordination.
We describe tools and mechanisms to improve health security from cross-border chemical health threats and to support the implementation of the Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (EU) on serious cross-border threats to health (Decision 1082/2013/EU).
Experts were recruited to a network and their suitability was assessed by using a skills framework. Input by relevant stakeholders such as the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, followed by EU-wide exercises, ensured that tools developed were fit for purpose.
A network of public health risk assessors and a methodology for providing rapid independent expert public health advice during a chemical emergency have been developed.
We discuss the legacy of these mechanisms including their incorporation into the working arrangements for the EU Scientific Committee for Health, Environment and Emerging Risks and future developments in the field.
化学事故可能对公众健康和环境造成危害。尽管大多数事故是局部的，影响较小，但也有一些事故影响范围广泛，涉及多个领域，可能导致大量人员伤亡。通常需要采取公共卫生应对措施来评估风险，并向当局和公众提供建议。在某些情况下，事故可能会影响多个国家，需要进行有效的跨境沟通和协调。
我们描述了从跨境化学健康威胁中提高健康安全性的工具和机制，并支持实施欧洲议会和欧盟理事会关于严重跨境健康威胁的决定（第 1082/2013/EU 号决定）。
通过使用技能框架，招募专家加入网络，并评估其适用性。世界卫生组织和欧洲疾病预防控制中心等相关利益攸关方的投入，以及欧盟范围内的演习，确保了所开发工具符合目的。
建立了一个公共卫生风险评估员网络，并制定了在化学紧急情况下提供快速独立专家公共卫生建议的方法。
我们讨论了这些机制的遗留问题，包括将其纳入欧盟健康、环境和新出现风险科学委员会的工作安排，以及该领域的未来发展。
