ALGORITHM OF DECISION-MAKING ON SOCIAL AND MEDICAL PROTECTION IN EMERGENCY SITUATION

Abstract

The aim of the study. The development of decision-making algorithm for decisions on the social and medical protection of people in emergency situations based on risk analysis. Material and methods. The problems and conceptual provisions of risk assessment and decision-making, based on its results, are described concerning the social and medical protection of personnel of hazardous industries and the population in the event of an emergency situation (ES) in which the level of exposure to hazardous factors may exceed the established safety standards. The object of risk assessment and analysis are stochastic (probabilistic) effects of exposure to ES hazard factors. Their main features, which create complex problems in risk assessment and making decisions on protective measures, is the non-specific effects of the hazardous factors’ impact on human health and their possible latency. Results. The first step before decisions on the protective measures should be to identify a high-risk group among people affected by ES, based on the risk assessment. Three variants of decision-making for the high-risk group are considered: 1) financial compensation for risk, 2) medical measures for protecting health and 3) compensation for the realized damage to health. The requirements of the risk assessment methodology are formulated. Discussion. It is shown that the first option can not provide optimal and justified protection of the health and well-being of people in ES. Decisions on this protection are proposed to be based on a combination of options 2) and 3). The choice of the optimal combination depends on the specific situation and development of emergencies, on the success of implementing engineering and organizational protective measures aimed at preventing "doses" of exposure to people of hazardous factors of the emergency above the established safety limits and on the effectiveness and timeliness of medical protection. Conclusion. The choice of the option of making an effective decision on social and medical protection should be based on the detailed risk assessment from the exposure to hazardous factors, including risk assessment in economic indicators.