Health Hazard Evaluation of Deepwater Horizon Response Workers [Health Hazard Evaluation Interim Report 4 Summary]

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  On May 28, 2010, BP requested a health hazard evaluation of Deepwater Horizon Response workers. The fourth in a series of interim reports from this health hazard evaluation was issued August 11, 2010. Below is a summary of the main findings and recommendations from this report.
  
  On the days of the NIOSH evaluation, the Vessels of Opportunity (VoOs) were on the water breaking up foam patches but did not encounter surface oil. Airborne concentrations of measured contaminants, including benzene, 2-butoxyethanol, and carbon monoxide, were all well below Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) on several VoOs. Based on observations of possible work tasks, NIOSH recommended that all personnel conducting oil clean-up work on the VoOs be provided with and correctly wear personal protective equipment to prevent dermal exposures. NIOSH also noted that eliminating cigarette smoking on the VoOs would be desirable to protect the health of all onboard the vessels.
  
  Health surveys obtained from VoO responders, captains, and deckhands [not necessarily from the vessels on which NIOSH industrial hygienists measured exposures] noted health symptoms similar to those reported by response workers with no exposures to oil, dispersants, or cleaning chemicals. Symptoms related to heat exposure and upper respiratory symptoms were the most frequently reported. As noted above, smoking in the workplace was of concern and NIOSH recommended that this issue be addressed for emergency response workers in the future.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Emergency Responders Mental Disorders Mental Health Occupational Exposure/adverse Effects Occupational Health Petroleum Pollution/adverse Effects Safety Volunteers
• Keywords:
  Environmental Contamination Environmental Exposure Environmental Hazards Mental Health Mental Stress Oil Oil Industry Oil Recovery Oil Spills Oil Vapors OSHA Region 6

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Name as Subject:
  BP Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill, 2010
• Genre:
  Pamphlet (or booklet)
• Place as Subject:
  Gulf of Mexico ; Alabama ; Florida ; Louisiana ; Mississippi ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  2 unnumbered pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20039294
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2011
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:448337fec9bb83cd897dd8857addc6af23e00f616b3e3cea0139c6800861594b10cec4e4e390289f2968963e3f78baedcd770bacb2f126e06bf58accebe5881f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/32250/cdc_32250_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.01 MB ]