Community Assessment of Chemical Exposures After a Train Derailment - East Palestine, Ohio, and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania, February-March 2023

Details

• Journal Article:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Personal Author:
  Dulcey, Melissa ; Madera-Garcia, Valerie ; Shi, Dallas S. ; Parasram, Vidisha ; Gichuhi, Beatrice ; Burr, Kathryn ; Faherty, Emily A. G. ; Crisp, Carolyn A. ; Cornforth, Daniel M. ; Dunn, Ian ; Goldsworthy, Lisa ; Tremarelli, Maraia R. ; Dickerson, Kristen ; Watkins, Sharon M. ; Vins, Wesley ; Dewart, Courtney M. ; Shugart, Jill M. ; Orr, Maureen F. ; Larson, Theodore C.
• Description:
  Objective: This study aimed to evaluate chemical exposures and health effects after a train derailment in Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border. Methods: Cross-sectional data (February-March 2023) on symptoms, exposures, medical care, and needs were collected using the Assessment of Chemical Exposures toolkit. Associations between exposures and symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Participants reported chemical exposures (86%), mental health symptoms (70%), and physical symptoms (92%). Ears, nose, or throat symptoms (80%) and headache (76%) were the most common. Forty-one percent sought medical care, and 44% had unmet needs. Participants aged 18-64 years had higher odds of experiencing ophthalmic (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.19), neurological (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.51-3.83), and dermatological symptoms (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04-2.15), compared with participants aged ≥65 years. Conclusions: Most participants experienced chemical exposures, symptoms, and needs. Findings supported the establishment of a permanent health clinic.
• Subjects:
  Community Health Services Emergencies Emergency Responders Hazardous Substances Mental Health Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Train Derailment; Emergency Response; Community Health; Environmental Public Health; Assessment Of Chemical Exposures; ACE Emergency Response; Community Health; Chemical Hazards; Health Effects; Exposure Assessment; Cross Sectional Studies; Hazardous Materials; Mental Health; Medical Care;
• Source:
  J Occup Environ Med 2026 Apr; 68(4):291-298
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; Georgia ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia ; Arizona ; Illinois ; Chicago Region [OSHA] ; Atlanta Region [OSHA] ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; San Francisco Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering ; DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  8 pdf pages
• Volume:
  68
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071207
• Contact Point Address:
  Theodore C. Larson, MS, Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS F57, Atlanta, GA 30341
• Email:
  tlarson@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:54bbb2e30731bed248c0d058f3c8114d066ad112eaaf9aada3d6409235be505a1f6cd5f72039428c35b220d0af427c09153c8e25187b7d43bb8d376969ed9294
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/258686/cdc_258686_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 477.15 KB ]