Decontamination and management of hazardous materials exposure victims in the emergency department.

Incidents involving releases of hazardous materials are increasing. Providing medical care to patients who may be contaminated with a hazardous material requires advance planning and specialized training and equipment. Failure to adequately prepare for this situation can result in costly contamination of medical facilities and toxic exposures to health care providers. Federal regulations may require hospitals to supply health care providers with training and protective equipment for these situations.