Gulf oil spill 2010 health safety overview

Gulf Oil Spill 2010: Health & Safety OverviewPF Anderson / Perplexity “Lexi” Peccable SL Emerging Technologies Librarian University of Michigan, Taubman Health Sciences Library... asked

Gulf Oil Spill 2010: Health & Safety Overview

PF Anderson / Perplexity “Lexi” Peccable (SL)

Emerging Technologies Librarian University of Michigan, Taubman Health Sciences

Library

Recommended Sources

Background

May 25, 2010

OSHA's Assistant Secretary David Michaels   asked that Admiral Allen "stress 

to BP that their failure to address the issues in the memo raises serious concerns  about the safety and health of the workers involved in the cleanup.

“BP has continued to fail to provide adequate protective gear and respirators to  fishermen working in close proximity to the spilled crude oil and dispersants.   The workers are afraid to complain, for fear they will loose their cleanup jobs,  their only source of livelihood.  BP has threatened to fire fishermen attempting 

to utilize respirators provided by LEAN, LMRK and other organizations."

Louisiana Environmental Action Network: Protecting the Health of Fishermen  Performing Cleanup Activities: 

http://leanweb.org/news/latest/protecting­the­health­of­fishermen­performing

­cleanup­activities.html

four workers in three  separate vessels became  sick. Their symptoms  included nausea, high  blood pressure, chest pain,  headaches and shortness of  breath."

"They say we don't need  respirators," one fisherman  said, shaking his head. "I  don't know."

May 30, 2010

Science Blogs: The Pump Handle: "This scares everybody, the fact that we can't stop this well," ­ BP  Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles, May 29, 2010: More oil­spill responders hospitalized and exposure  information gaps persist (Elizabeth Grossman).

http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2010/05/this_scares_everybody_the_fact.php#more

"As of Saturday afternoon, May 29th, ten oil spill clean­up workers had been admitted to West Jefferson  Medical Center (WJMC) in Marrero, Louisiana. All but two have been hospitalized suffering from chest  pains, dizziness, headaches, and nausea."

But the thought was, said [hospital spokesperson Taslin Alonzo], that symptoms were caused by some  kind of chemical irritant. When asked if the hospital tested incoming cases like these for evidence of 

chemical exposure, Alonzo told me that it doesn't. "We just treat the symptoms," she said.

No respiratory protection was issued, said [Coast Guard Captain Meredith Austin, Unified Command  Deputy Incident Commander in Houma, LA] "because air ratings were taken and there were no values  found to be at an unsafe level, prior to us sending them in there."

June 1, 2010

Louisiana Environmental Action Network: BP Tells Fishermen  Working On The Oil Spill That They Will Be Fired For Wearing 

A Respirator

http://leanweb.org/news/latest/bp­tells­fishermen­working­on­t he­oil­spill­that­they­will­be­fired­for­wearing­a­respirator html

June 2, 2010

NPR: SHOTS: Oil Cleanup Dirty, Not Toxic,  For Workers: 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/06/02/1 27374111/oil­cleanup­workers­might­face­heal th­risks

June 2, 2010

Symptoms: dizziness, headache and nausea; heat stress

Good news: "And it's reassuring that a federal study of 

11,000 workers involved in the Exxon Valdez cleanup did  not find many health problems."

Bad news: "Higher temperatures, he says, could release 

toxins that would otherwise stay locked inside of tarballs.   Also, nearly a million gallons of chemical dispersant have  been used to break up the oil in the Gulf — far more than  was used in Alaska."

July 8, 2010

SF Gate: Thin Green Line: Sources: BP threatens 

to fire cleanup workers who wear respirators:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi­bin/blogs/green/deta il?entry_id=67426

July 14, 2010

LEAN: Full Interview: Ex Bp spill cleanup worker speaks out  about worker safety

http://leanweb.org/podcasts/podcasts/full­interview­ex­bp­spi ll­cleanup­worker­speaks­out­about­worker­safety.html

July 23, 2010

NBC News: Field Notes: Oil spill illnesses, injuries double in 

past month (JoNel Aleccia)

http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/22/4729816­oil­s pill­illnesses­injuries­double­in­past­month

Current Health

Data

BP Health Report

NIOSH Report of BP Health Data: 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/data.html Steady increase in incidence of reports 

Who’s In the Clinic?

Almost all reports are of injuries & illnesses from cleanup 

workers

of Public Health, at the IOM.

Air Quality

NOAA: Gulf Oil Spill Air Quality Report: 

Map of June flyover areas

Flight path, showing areas tested, range of particle dispersion,  range of spill, and red showing the Deepwater Horizon site.

Left (a) shows portion of flight part that 

registered aromatic hydrocarbons. Red shows  heaviest distribution, on a line from DWH site  toward shore.

Right (b) shows organic particulate matter 

(much denser and broader distribution)

Bar graph compares composition of  spilled oil to the measure VOCs 

(volatile compounds) from the spill  site. It isn’t a perfect match, but the  two graphs are visibly similat. 

Staying Safe

Dispersants & Oil

Dispersants:  

"For most people, brief contact with a small amount of  oil spill dispersants will do no harm. However, longer  contact can cause a rash and dry skin. Dispersants can  also irritate your eyes. Breathing or swallowing 

dispersants can also cause health effects."

Oil: 

“If you get oil on your skin, wash with soap and water,  baby oil, petroleum jelly, or a cleaning paste for hands  such as those sold at auto parts stores. Do not use 

solvents, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, or similar 

products to clean oil off skin.“

More Info

CDC: NIOSH HomeWorkplace Safety & Health Topics: 

DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE: Medical Pre­Placement  Evaluation Indicators for Health Professionals*

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/indicators.ht ml

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/hurricanes_oil_factsheet.pdf

Compounds &

Symptoms

Crude Oil Chemicals

http://is.gd/dGMfj

Light Crude Oil

"Corexit is a poster child for  the reformation of the US 

Toxic Substances Control 

Bernard Goldstein, University of Pittsburgh School 

of Public Health, at the IOM. 

Dispersant Exposure

Warning signs:

On Skin: Rash and dry skin  from unmixed dispersants

In Eyes: Dry and irritated eyes 

if dispersants blow or splash

Inhaled: Irritated nose, throat,  and lungs

Swallowed: Upset stomach,  vomiting, and diarrhea

Other:

A metallic taste Liver and kidneys problems Passing out. coma

Risk level for humans: LOW

• NOAA Oil Spill Response: 

Hurricanes and the Oil 

Spill: 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pd f/hurricanes_oil_factsheet

.pdf

More InfoAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: Tox FAQS:

http://leanweb.org/news/latest/health­impacts­associated­with

­dispersants.html

Longterm Effects

Major Concerns

Most at risk: 

Cleanup workers Psychological

Generalized Anxiety  Disorder

PTSD Depression Suicide

Photo: Geoff Livingston 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/geoliv/4747309658/

16, 2010 http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2010/06/t20100616d.html

More Recommended

Sources

Tracking This Topic

University of Michigan Risk Science Center: Gulf Oil Spill and  Human Health Impacts Updates: 

Sources:

US Government

Restore the Gulf: http://www.restorethegulf.gov /

CDC: Emergency Preparedness and Response: 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill:  http://emergency.cdc.gov/gulfoilspill2010/

• CDC: Gulf Oil Spill: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/gulfoilspill2010/

• NLM: Crude Oil Spills & Health: 

http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/oilspills.html

Sources:

State & Local

• Florida Department of Health (DOH) / Florida Department of 

Environmental Protection (DEP): Deepwater Horizon Health Information  Frequently Asked Questions:  

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/files/faq_doh_051010.pd f

Sources: More Videos

• Emory University: Gulf Oils Spill & Health (Youtube videos):

http://whsc.emory.edu/home/multimedia/videos/oil­

disaster.html

Youtube Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list? p=58F6964152B8DD21

• Youtube: Deepwater Horizon Response Channel: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/DeepwaterHorizonJIC

• This presentation was compiled by PF Anderson, 

pfa@umich.edu for the Netroots Nation Oil Spill Teach­In in  Second Life on July 25, 2010