Health Issues Concerning Oil Spill Clean-Up - Term Paper Example

Health Issues Concerning Oil Spill Clean-Up Introduction In March 1967, the Torrey Canyon was torn in the Cornish Coast and was recorded as the first major oil spill in the world (Anonymous, 2002). In 1979, the Atlantic Empress tanker collided with another tanker and sank in Trinidad, Tobago. Recently, in April 2010, another major spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico when the Deep Water Horizon exploded and sank spilling crude oil with an estimate of 1.5 million gallons threatening to pollute Louisiana shores (Anonymous, 2010). This did not only affected marine lives but also indirectly killed workers as a result of explosion. Other effects included occupational health hazards and physical injuries as a result to prolonged exposure to benzene compounds. Sadly, it was found out that workers exposed to benzene have higher mortality rates (Yin et al., 1989). Oil spill in the ocean could be caused by accidents like collision, hull failures, fires and explosions, and groundings. Another is the poor operational practices such as loading, discharging and bunkering or storage. On land, oil spill could be caused by runoffs and natural seepages. My research will discuss on the occupational health hazards of oil spill associated with its clean up drive. Health hazards of Benzene associated with Oil clean up Benzene is a colorless flammable liquid. It is widely used by chemicals in industries combined with other chemicals to manufacture rubber products, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene are volcanoes and forest fires. It is also a natural substance of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke. Benzene can enter the body in several ways. It could be through inhalation, ingestion, and skin or eye contact. Benzene is known to cause many health hazards in many systems of the body. According to CDC, an acute exposure may result in minimum risk level if a person inhales about 0.009 per day of benzene. A greater effect is what it can do to the blood system. It is known to have its carcinogenic consequences. It causes blood cancers such as acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, myelodyspastic syndrome, aplastic anemia, and multiple myeloma in humans. This claim is supported with the study of Bloemen et al. (2004) who found out that there is an increased of death among workers from malignant disease of blood like leukemia and non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma for those exposed to benzene. There were also documented cases of patients who suffered from blood related diseases associated with benzene. In 1948, a report linking leukemia to exposure of benzene was published by the American Petroleum Institute. Anemia is still another blood related disease caused by benzene. Yang and her company (2003) came to a conclusion that there were about 46 cases of aplastic anemia caused by benzene exposure. Aplastic anemia is a condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough new blood cells to replenish itself. A similar study by Baak et al. (1999) showed that a factory worker who had been packing resin with an exposure of approximately 0.28 ppm of airborne benzene was hospitalized of aplastic anemia. Another health effects is its action on the nervous system. Although this is acute, it causes neurological changes in a person. The individual mildly exposed to the chemical may experience headache, light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, and confusion and blurred vision (www.atsdr.cdc.gov, 2008). This happens because the brain is deprived of oxygen that it needs for normal functioning. If the person is chronically exposed, she may undergo unconsciousness to coma and eventually death. However, it is reported that an individual can regain consciousness if she is taken pout from the threat of benzene. An individual may also experience depression. Solomon and Jansen (2010) in their study revealed that inhalation from oil spill and dispersant chemical from the Gulf of Mexico not only pose as a threat to seafood safety but to the mental health of an individual. They further stated that benzene causes skin dermatitis as the skin is irritated after several hours of contact. Some individuals who were exposed developed secondary skin infections as a result of hypersensitivity reaction. Other skin discomforts are erythema, edema, burning sensations, or a follicular rash. This happens because there is percutaneous absorption which may contribute to the total body burden. On the contrary, studies done to rabbits on the effect of benzene on the dermis were not significant. It was found out that there were slight irritant effects on them. However, higher concentration and long term exposure is believed to have a profound impact on the skin which also applies to human. Equally bad health effect of benzene is what it can do with the liver. The liver which is the largest organ in the body whose one function is to filter harmful substances from the blood could be poisoned too by the substance if it cannot contain the amount it absorbs. Benzene toxicity in large portion is due to the generation of oxygen radicals via cytochrome. Symptoms of liver toxicity are nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and vomiting. Individuals who had contact with the chemical and manifest such symptoms should see a doctor at once since liver is among the most important organs of the body. The cardiovascular system is not also spared from the effects of benzene. It could alter activity of the heart muscles to contract resulting to arrhythmias which is life - threatening. The threshold of the heart muscle to the effect of epinephrine is decreased causing ventricular fibrillation. If the person is not removed from the exposure of benzene, his/her heart continues to have the abnormal rhythm and decreased blood flow to the heart which may eventually lead to death. Ultimately, benzene extends its devastating effect on the reproductive system of a person exposed for a long time. It causes abnormalities in the regular menstruation of a woman. It also causes some reproductive problems. A 1991 report published by the United State General Accounting Office (GAO) that listed 30 chemicals including benzene acknowledged reproductive and developmental consequences when exposed. Although, benzene has limited information on female reproductive health, its toxicity has shown to cross the placental barrier in humans during pregnancy. It was also seen as fetotoxic in animals. For males, it is known to cause deviation in sexual urge. Further, it misshapen the male sperm and decrease its count (www.wrongdiagnosis.com). In the case study by Qin et al. (2003) they reported that benzene is among the risks factors of male infertility. When working with benzene especially during the clean- up of oil spill, proper personal protective equipment should be made available. This includes gloves and other protective wears. Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used to protect the eyes, skin and from inhalation because these are the route of entry of benzene. Polyvinyl, alcohol and Viton gloves are recommended as it has resistant material which could adequately protect the skin. As much as possible, acid suit clothing and boots are also commended where there is possible splashing. To protect the eyes, full face shield, goggles or a full face respirator should be worn. If the person is projected to be exposed fifty times than the exposure limit, the need of a full faced respirator is required. This all depends on the airborne concentration of benzene in the environment. Apart from encouraging the use of these protective gears, the individuals who are going to use PPE should have training to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. They must be prepared to know when to use PPE or its necessities, what type of PPE are necessary, how it is worn, what the limitations of PPE are, and the proper care, maintenance, and disposal of it. Treatment for Benzene Exposure Although there are many health risks of benzene exposure, there are also remedies and treatments that could be done to avoid this health hazards and to avoid contaminating response personnel. One is through decontamination. If the patient’s clothes or PPE are contaminated with benzene, they should be removed and double bag them. Flush the skin with soap and water for two to five minutes. For better result, it is suggested to have a full shower. If the eyes are contaminated, irrigate thoroughly with copious amount of tepid water for at least fifteen minutes or until pain is resolved. Contact lenses should be removed if they are worn to resolve additional trauma. The physician should be contacted immediately. Laboratory testing should also be conducted. ECG, urinalysis, creatinine and liver function test may be used to evaluate those who are acutely exposed. If liver is heavily exposed with metal, chelation therapy is needed. Continuous monitoring and review of liver function is also an added responsibility. Other tests such as chest radiography and pulse oximetry should be done as a quality control method. In addition, OSHA benzene standard mandates that urinary phenol test be performed on all workers exposed to benzene. For responders who do not wear PPE while working in the clean-up effort, they should be treated for thermal burns. Moreover, they should be assessed on the extent of benzene contamination. If the respiratory system is involved, patent airway assessment should be done quickly to ensure adequate respiration. Dizziness and other symptoms of the nervous system failure suggest removing the rescuer from the hot zone for him to inhale fresh air. If there is labored breathing, oxygen therapy must be given. In cases of severe respiratory difficulty, physician is going to do endotracheal intubation. In times of ingestion, keep the head low to avoid aspiration which may give additional problem and get medical attention. Massive exposure calls for the introduction of intravenous fluids like lactated ringer or saline. Personnel who have delayed reaction should be taken to the hospital right away. Inform the hospital staff that the person is exposed to benzene so that they pay attention to signs and symptoms of acute tubular necrosis, encephalopathy, and dysrhythmias. For patients who are exposed to inhalation should be observed for sign of pulmonary edema. Observation for aspiration pneumonitis for patient who accidentally ingested which may occur within 72 hours after exposure is also advisable. Patients who remained asymptomatic for 6 to 12 hours after exposure may be discharged. However, advised to rest and seek medical care promptly is symptom develops. Lastly, the patients who were significantly exposed should follow up with his perspective health care provider to assess for hematopoietic effects as this is a long term effect of benzene. OSHA mandates that acutely exposed workers who have urinary phenol level of 75 mg/l receive periodic CBC test for at least monthly with a span of three months to monitor bone marrow effects. Patients have corneal injuries should be examined within twenty four hours. Other injuries which involve digestive system are treated with pulverized charcoal administration to neutralize the chemical in the stomach. Lavage could also be done in the hospital. Individuals who became comatose, demonstrating seizure attacks or having arrhythmias should be treated with sodium bicarbonate. For anemia could include blood transfusion and chemotherapy. Pregnant mothers are warned not to expose themselves with benzene and other products containing it. Responder’s health issues concerning oil spill clean-up Actual cases reported from benzene exposures were published. The first case was reported by Gall in 1938 that there was a causal relationship between myelofibrosis and the chronic exposure with benzene. In 1939, bone marrows of two patients were completely replaced with myelofibrosis after exposure to benzene. After barely 2 years, three out of six workers were diagnosed of the same condition and benzene was pointed as the culprit of their illness. For the following years, there were more cases of people becoming sick of benzene exposure. In Detroit, levels of toxic chemicals containing benzene were alarming. This was revealed when Adrienne Crawford, house owner where they found the chemical was woken gasping for air. In china, it is becoming a concern for most company workers. Studies show that there are 5.8 times prevalent among those who are exposed compared to their general population. There are still many unreported cases worldwide. Unfortunately, studies on the exact numbers as to how many are sick of it are limited. When preparing for clean-up operations, risk assessment should be done to ensure that responders are not in danger. Questions pertaining to potential risk of explosion, evacuation of people, safety of the environment for the people, and if oil may enter water system that affect the health of other people should all be considered. Safety assessment may include monitoring equipment to determine gas or materials that are flammable. Monitoring should be continuous until risk is at an acceptable level. This way, responders are not exposed to toxic waste and explosions. Personal responsibility could also be exercised in this potentially dangerous zone. OSHA regulations pertaining to hazardous clean-ups were created to make a safer and healthier workplace. It included the “general duty standard” stating that all employees should be furnished employment free of hazards which are likely to cause their death or harm. In the oil spill clean-up program, this involves the use of PPE among responders. It gave specification on the type of respirator and protective clothing to be worn. Aside from this, employees working with hazardous chemicals must be provided with information about what they are going to handle for them to take precautions. Training is also mandatory to include proper operation within the workplace, location and contents of the hazard communication plan including the material service data sheet, the composition information of chemicals, and the physical hazards as well as procedures being adapted by managers to protect employees from exposure. With all these regulations, the business sectors find it unnecessary. Some claim that benzene effect on human health is negligible and that wearing of PPE is just an additional expenses on the side of the clean up companies. In addition, some of the regulations are vague that confuses the business sector. Example of this is the provision of ladders which was later on revoked and they focus on health hazards instead. On the other hands, unions and pro-worker’s group had been criticizing OSHA for its laxity when somebody is going to report on certain violations and the failure of employers to protect adequately their employees in the clean-up of toxic waste materials. OSHA also failed to implement the standards they created. With all the criticisms, OSHA should really see to it that all the standards be properly complied. They should also do their function as a regulatory agency. They should establish a friendly environment for the business sectors to really come up with a better plan for the clean-up programs. This is to minimize unnecessary expenditures. Complaints should also be monitored and not just to brush it aside. OSHA also created a standard regulation in section 1910.12 requiring that all employers should come with a safety plan for its workers who handle dangerous waste products. Workers must be trained with the associated risks with handling the materials and should be taught how to determine potential hazards. Further, they should be taught tactics on how to respond during emergencies like in the event of spill. Trainings on how to wear protective gears should be given them too. Information of the organizational and management structure during spill should be disseminated to all workers. They should also be ensured to understand their own specific responsibility in the event. This section also pointed out that employers should identify the codes and standards he relied upon to establish his engineering practices. Declining from these codes and standards requires documentation that the new design is suitable for the intended purpose. Included too is the three line of defence in preventing injuring workers from hazardous chemicals. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) further broaden these standards. It amended the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. It made a number of important changes such as stressing the importance of permanent remedies and innovative treatment technologies in cleaning up hazardous waste sites, the involvement of the State in every phase of the Superfund program and the focus on human health problems posed by hazardous waste sites are increased; settlement tools and new enforcement authorities are provided, and the participation of the citizen on the cleaning up process was encouraged (www.epa.gov). Since oil spill had contributed much to the incidences of many illnesses like cancer related illnesses, cardiovascular problems, reproductive and liver damages among clean-up responders and other occupational workers, OSHA standards had been created of which its main aim is to have a safer work place. However, the regulations are not enough to protect workers from the effects of this chemical exposure. It is the effort of everybody. The business sector should be responsible enough to maintain a practice that will really avoid at all cost oil spill. Concerned people should also have the discipline in the disposal of oil products and other materials containing benzene to reduce pollution. After all, what we do with it comes back to us. So if we do not want to be sick, we should treat benzene properly. References Baak, Y.M., Ahn,B.Y., Chang, H.S., Kim, J.H., Kim,K.A., & Lim, Y., ( 1999). Aplastic anemia in a petrochemical factory worker. Environ Health Perspect. 107(10): 851–853. Bloemen,L., Youk, A., Bradley,T., Bodner, K., Marsh, G., ( 2004). Lymphohaematopoietic cancer risk among chemical workers exposed to benzene. Occupational Environment Medicine. 2004 March; 61(3): 270–274. Medical Management Guidelines for Benzene. (2008). Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Retrieved December 12, 2010 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mhmi/mmg3.html. Qin, K.G., Hou Y.X., Zhang L.Y., Li M.H., Yang S.X.,& Ma, Y. A case control study on the risk factors of male infertility. Display settings. 24(1):30-2. Solomon, G. & Jansenn, S., (2010) Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill. JAMA: doi:10.1001 The Trivia behind famous spills. (2010). Retrieved December 12, 2010 from www.inthenewsquiz.com/.../trivia-behind-famous-oil-spills.html Where did the first major oil spill occur?. (2002). Retrieved December 12, 2010 from Ask the Fun Trivia. www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question9248.html Yang YF, Guo JB, Xie WS, Su MY, Dai ZY, & Dong YT. ( 2003) 46 cases of aplastic anemia caused by benzene.Display settings. 21(3):238 Yin, S.N., et al., ( 1989). A retrospective cohort study of leukemia and other cancers in benzene workers. Environmental Health Perspectives. 82: 207–213. Read More