New Jersey § 34:15-31

§ 34:15-31.

For the purposes of this act: “ Hazardous chemicals or materials used in, or related to, chemical warfare ” means chemicals and materials which may be used in chemical warfare, including,

but not limited to, nerve agents, chemical asphyxiates, choking agents, blister agents,

incapacitating agents, explosives, and includes other toxic, carcinogenic or otherwise

hazardous industrial chemicals and materials to which public safety workers and members

of the public may be exposed in connection with possible terrorist attacks against

military, governmental, industrial, infrastructural, and other vulnerable facilities. “ Known carcinogen ” means a substance which is known, or generally accepted by the scientific community

to cause cancer in humans, as identified by the State Department of Health or by the

International Agency for Research on Cancer. “ Pathogens or biological toxins used in, or related to, biological warfare or epidemics ” means serious communicable diseases, pathogens not necessarily transmitted by sick

or infected individuals, such as anthrax, and biological toxins, such as ricin, whether

or not in weaponized form. “ Public safety worker ” includes a member, employee, or officer of a paid, partially-paid, or volunteer

fire or police department, force, company or district, including the State Police,

a Community Emergency Response Team approved by the New Jersey Office of Emergency

Management, or a correctional facility, or a basic or advanced medical technician

of a first aid or rescue squad, or any other nurse, basic or advanced medical technician

responding to a catastrophic incident and directly involved and in contact with the

public during such an incident, either as a volunteer, member of a Community Emergency

Response Team or employed or directed by a health care facility. “ Serious communicable disease ” means any disease which is characterized by the interruption, cessation or disorder

of body functions, systems or organs which may result, if not treated, in disability,

chronic illness or death, and is transmittable by association with, or proximity to,

sick, infected or colonized individuals, including airborne transmission, or is transmittable

by contact with their bodily fluids, secretions or excretions. “ Serious communicable disease ” includes, but is not limited to, meningitis, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, human

immunodeficiency virus infections, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, cholera, hemorrhagic

fever, plague, smallpox, or other disease identified as a serious communicable disease

by the Department of Health, and also includes diseases caused by antibiotic resistant

organisms.