In addition to initial response, when does the potential for responder injury increase?

The potential for responder injury increases significantly when the incident shifts from the emergency phase to clean-up. During this transition, responders may encounter various hazards that were not immediately present during the initial emergency response. The clean-up phase often involves dealing with debris, chemical residues, hazardous materials, and potentially unstable structures. Responders may let their guard down, thinking that the immediate danger has passed, yet they can still face risks such as slips, trips, falls, or exposure to harmful substances while handling clean-up tasks.

In contrast, during scene size-up, responders are typically assessing the situation and identifying hazards, which makes them more vigilant. During decontamination procedures, responders are usually focused on safety protocols, and when communicating with other responders, there is a strong emphasis on coordination and safety. Thus, it is during the clean-up phase that individual and collective safety measures may become less stringent, leading to an increase in injury potential.