What defines secondary contamination?

Secondary contamination is defined as the situation where a contaminated person or object transmits that contamination to another individual, often through direct contact. This scenario is critical to understanding in emergency response, particularly when dealing with hazardous materials or infectious agents. In the context of firefighting and rescue operations, it is essential to minimize the risk of secondary contamination to protect both the responders and the public.

When a rescuer comes into contact with a contaminated individual or object, they can inadvertently carry those contaminants to other areas or people, which can lead to further exposure and potential health risks. This emphasizes the importance of decontamination procedures and proper protective equipment for responders to prevent contamination spread.

In contrast, other options focus on different aspects of contamination, such as specific substances or benign interactions, which do not capture the essence of secondary contamination as effectively as the concept of transmission from one entity to another.