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Module 3 |
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Video Introduction from Firewise.org
Module Sections
- Introduction
- The National Response Center
- ATSDR: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance
- CAMEO set of databases
- More web resources
- Review Questions
Module Introduction
Exposure to HW can be due to chronic exposure and low concentrations (discussed later in the course), but also due to high concentrations and acute exposure. An acute exposure is defined as an exposure to a chemical for the duration of 14 days or less, although in case of accidents or spills, the exposure may be much shorter. Residents and workers can be exposed, in addition to medical and other emergency personnel (firefighters, police, first responders, hospital personnel).
Acute exposure to hazardous waste/substances may arise out of several situations:
As mentioned earlier, this course will not focus on acts of terrorism that involve hazardous substances or hazardous waste. Rather, I want to focus on common situations that occur almost daily.
In this section I want to use the information that we have reviewed in the first two sections and apply it to a situation of ACUTE EXPOSURE.
Occupational Exposure
Workers on a HWS must be OSHA certified (Hazardous Waste Operator - HazWOper)
and trained to avoid or limit personal exposure. Here is a very nice website
to view many excellent training videos online - for free: www.coastal.com
You will need a fast Internet connection (a dial-up modem from home will
not do here!) and you have to register on the site.
An especially dangerous situation is the initial
investigation of a newly found, uncontrolled HWS. There may be more and/or
other materials on site than indicated in the documents. Storage containers
may not be labeled. Corrosive materials may have corroded the drums to
such a degree that they cannot be handled. Aging gas cylinders may rupture
and may be propelled through the air like rockets. If volatile materials
are released in confined spaces (large containers, underground storage
tanks, but also storage buildings, abandoned laboratories,..) they can
accumulate to dangerous concentrations. The Chemical
Incident Report Center (CIRC) from the U.S.
Chemical Safety Board gives information on the latest chemical accidents
in occupational evnironments worldwide.
This is a situation where a high level of personal protection is warranted, because the workers may be exposed to unknown chemicals in unknown concentrations.
A more controlled environment is the handling of HW in the industrial setting: at the point of generation, the substances, their concentrations and volumes are known (RCRA wastes!). Large amounts of HW are handled every day:
- transportation: waste is moved between the point of generation and its initial storage place; or to the treatment facility or the permanent storage site. This most commonly involves travel on public highways, railroads or waterways. An amazing selection of live webcams related to transportation (Los Angeles Airport Control, etc.) you can find here: http://www.cargolaw.com/cameras.html. You may also want to check out their section on “Other great disasters of our time”!
- storage: industrial HWs are often stored on site in large containers, tanks, lagoons etc. and the material is accumulated for years, before being moved.
- treatment and disposal: at these specialized facilities a variety of HW are handled in large amounts.
Exposure of first responders and medical personnel
Fire fighters, police and emergency medical personnel are often the first to arrive at the scene of an incident, often without precise knowledge of the type and extent of exposure they have to expect. In addition, these persons may be volunteers, who are less likely to have received adequate training, and may not have proper personal protective equipment (PPE) available. Hospital personnel may come in contact with contaminated patients and/or first responders.
Exposure to the general population
The residents near a HWS may be affected from an on-site accident, either before or during cleanup operations. People living near treatment, storage and disposal sites may also be exposed acutely due to an uncontrolled release. Transportation accidents (railroad, highway, waterway, air transport) have the potential to acutely expose large populations, if they happen in heavily populated areas.
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