Hazmat Firefighters: Medical and Incident Surveillance

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kales SN
• Description:
  This contract investigated hazardous materials incidents to determine what chemicals were involved, who the associated victims were and what were their exposures, and what were the results of these exposures. Also investigated was causation together with the industries/activites involved. The chemicals most frequently involved were various hydrocarbons and corrosive materials. Chlorine derivatives were found to be a significant exposure while respiratory symptoms were important. Accidents included explosions, fires, spills, and leaks among others. Also, a cohort of 340 firefighters was studied. Various physical, medical and laboratory examinations were performed and fitness for duty was assessed. Endpoints included blood pressure, visual acuity, audiometry and spirometry. Due to potential exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors, medical surveillance included determination of red blood cell cholinesterase (AChE). Age was also studied in detail as related to AChE. Another important endpoint was the determination of body mass index and correlation with blood pressure, forced vital capacity, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, serum cholesterol, and overall morbidity scores. Measures of predicted coronary heart disease risk (CHD) were also developed. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines were also considered for several study components. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Age Factors Emergencies Emergency Responders Epidemiology Firefighters Fires Hazardous Substances Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Hydrocarbons Laboratories Lung Noise Occupational Health Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety

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• Keywords:
  Age Factors Audiometry Blood Pressure Chlorine Compounds Cholinesterase Inhibitors Emergency Responders Emergency Response Fire Fighters Fire Fighting Fire Safety Hazardous Materials Heart Laboratory Testing Medical Examinations Medical Monitoring Medical Screening Pulmonary Function Pulmonary Function Tests Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Disorders Spirometry Visual Motility Visual Motor Performance

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• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-39
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023610
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2005-105201
• Citation:
  NIOSH 1999 Jul; :1-39
• Contact Point Address:
  Stefanos N. Kales, MD, MPH, Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, The Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
• Email:
  stefokali@aol.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1999
• Performing Organization:
  Occupational Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19960601
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  19990531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1dcdb17d20a088fbe700b3a984f0eb6201ea5919809ad36f2f5ca7b6e68689304031b0899f5e64b4a7ca5be6ecff39381a399e4ae44809463997b4c8ae24f118
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218014/cdc_218014_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.85 MB ]