Which procedure is essential to ensure worker safety during decontamination?

The essential procedure to ensure worker safety during decontamination is the use of stepwise decontamination procedures. This systematic approach involves a series of carefully sequenced steps designed to remove contaminants from personnel and equipment effectively.

By following these structured procedures, workers can minimize their exposure to hazardous substances, ensuring that contaminants are not spread to clean areas or remaining on personal protective equipment. Proper decontamination protocols typically involve multiple stages, such as gross decontamination, washdown, and final clean-up, which together enhance the safety of the workers by ensuring that they are thoroughly cleaned of any hazardous materials before leaving the contaminated site.

While proper labeling and disposal of hazardous waste is crucial for regulatory compliance and environmental safety, it does not directly address the immediate decontamination needs of workers in the field. Wearing standard work gloves is an important part of personal protective equipment but does not encompass the comprehensive decontamination process required to fully protect workers after potential exposure. Similarly, using air conditioning units is not related to decontamination processes and does not provide protection against hazards associated with exposure to contaminants.