US Army in Protective Clothing- Cleaning Oil Spills
Since we just had another oil platform explosion, in the Gulf and Chevron has illegally dumped billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon I though I would do a post on oil spills and other toxic wastes and where to call.
The BP Oil Spill is not the first oil spill and in fact currently there are several other oil spills going on in the world. It just happens to be the worst and a result of someone stepping over a dime to pick up a penny. (i.e. not paying for a $500,000 safety device, now costing billions to both BP and taxpayers and employees)
Over the years the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been studying 7 oil spills and have reported an increase in respiratory symptoms, headaches, throat and eye irritation, rashes and numerous skin problems among clean up workers and residents. DNA damage has also been found after a beach clean up in Spain. Reports of mental health damage have also been noted. There has already been 1 suicide from a worker in Louisiana.
Information for Health Professionals Health Surveillance
The recent Gulf Coast Oil Spill more likely presents ecological impacts than human health effects. However, depending on the exposure pathways, there may be a risk for human health effects. CDC, along with the affected Gulf Coast states, has developed a surveillance plan to track the potential short-term health effects related to the oil spill in the affected communities.
Areas Closed
CDC (Center of Disease Control) recommends using existing mechanisms for surveillance of acute health conditions. However, if existing mechanisms do not exist within an affected gulf coast state, targeted drop-in health care surveillance is recommended. CDC has developed a surveillance tool to be used for drop-in surveillance to monitor health complaints. Complaints captured by the tool include upper respiratory conditions; cardiovascular conditions; eye conditions; and stomach complaints such as nausea.
If people who are experiencing these symptoms have also been exposed to the oil spill, further study may be necessary.
Poison Center Surveillance CDC requested that the nation’s 60 Poison Centers, including those in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, assign a temporary code to any calls related to the oil spill. These would include both information calls and calls about potential exposures. This coding will allow CDC to track the number of Poison Center calls and potential health effects.
For more information regarding your local Poison Center: http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/About/FindLocalPoisonCen
Sources
- Grist- Recap of Health Issues from 7 Oil Spills
- National Library of Medicine
- Center For Disease Control www.epa.gov/bpspill/.
- DailyFinance: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/health-effects-of-oil-spills-on-humans-more-questions-than-an/19530364/?icid=sphere_copyright
- LIst of Oil Spills
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