Hazardous Incident Tracking 101 State Programs Tracking Local

Hazardous Incident Tracking 101 State Programs Tracking Local Environmental Hazards

This presentation focuses on Hazardous Incident Tracking, or: HIT… How does it fit? What is it? What benefit?

HIT is on one of the many branches of the Department of Human Services…

… nested deep within the Public Health Division …

… tucked away under the wing of Environmental Public Health Gail Shibley Drinking Water Program Food, Pools, Lodging Health & Safety Services Radiation Protection Services Research & Education Services

Research & Education Services staff are technical, scientific, and educational professionals. Identify, assess, and report environmental public health threats Advise Oregonians of risk Reduce exposures

HIT nestled within the shell of Research and Education Services. Research & Education Services Jae Douglas Lead Programs Health Assessment & Consultation Environmental Public Health & Hazardous Incident Tracking Occupational Health

Hazardous Incident Tracking: HIT – What is it?

Hazardous Incident Tracking keeps track of hazards and exposures happening where you live, work, and play Beach Monitoring Harmful Algae Bloom Surveillance Pesticide Exposure Safety & Tracking Drug Lab Cleanup Hazardous Substance Incident Surveillance

Beach program monitors 24 coastal recreational beaches for fecal contamination. § Enterococcus standard 158 orgs/100 m. L § Program funds monitoring and advisories § Beaches are not closed § Source identification and mitigation activities not funded by this program

Beach advisories have decreased over the past few years. Beach Advisories, 2007 -2009 Swimming Seasons 2007 2008 2009 Number of monitored beaches 20 26 24 Number of beaches affected by advisories 14 10 4 Percentage of beaches affected by advisories 70% 38% 16%

Harmful Algae Bloom Surveillance (HABS) program tracks marine and freshwater blooms and exposures. § Marine blooms focus on shellfish poisoning § Shellfish poisoning is reportable condition § Freshwater blooms mainly recreational concern § HABISS tracks blooms and exposures

It takes a village to track harmful algae blooms.

Algae advisories have increased over the past few years. Current DHS HAB Recreational Advisories, 2009 (map as of 10/21/09) Year Blooms # WB 2005 6 6 2006 8 7 2007 8 7 2008 14 12 2009* 21 17 *as of 10/21/09

Clandestine Drug Lab Cleanup program manages meth lab process from “Unfit for Use” to “Certificate of Fitness” § Ensure properties are properly evaluated, decontaminated, and are fit for re-occupancy. § License cleanup companies: train and certify contractors. § Clean-up standard: 0. 5 micrograms per square foot

Pseudoephedrine (PSE) products kept behind the counter picture ID required for each sale 11/04. Added logging for each sale 5/05. Prescription for all PSE products 7/06.

There’s plenty of work yet to do on about 80 properties and 270 vehicles.

Pesticide Exposure Safety & Tracking (PEST) conducts surveillance to understand the burden on Oregon § What factors contributed to the exposure? § How was the person exposed? § Symptom onset & duration? § EPA Regulation Number(s) of pesticide(s) involved? § PARC • • Provide expert investigations Identify pesticide problems Recommend actions Provide information to public and legislature

PARC Board Membership* Agriculture Forestry Fish & Wildlife Poison Center PARC Env. Quality OR-OSHA Fire Marshal Health Services * With consultation from OHSU’s CROET and OSU’s EMT Dept.

Work-Related Activity Accompanying Exposures (n=124)

Top 10 Reported Exposure Sites of “Likely” Cases NIOSH Site Category Frequency Percent of Total Farm 29 4. 2 Livestock production facility 5 0. 7 Office/business (non-retail, nonindustrial) 18 1. 5 Other institution 5 0. 7 498 72. 3 Retail establishment 6 0. 9 School 10 1. 5 Service Establishment 18 2. 6 Nursery 10 1. 5 Other 14 2. 0 Residence* *Single-family home, mobile home/trailer, apartments, housing for laborers, and unspecified private residences (includes grounds of property)

Hazardous Substance Incident Surveillance program tracks and tries to minimize risk of releases to the environment. § Track and evaluate hazards § Identify populations at risk § Work with Local Emergency Planning Committees Reduce risk through § Toxic Use Reduction § Inherently Safer Technology § Green Chemical Policies § Public Health Messaging

Analysis of 2005 -07 data gave us common scenarios and basis for action. § Retail employees mixing cleaning agents § Items crushed by improperly loaded freight § Food processing facility releases ammonia gas due to valve failure leading to an evacuation of the facility and surrounding areas § Forklift operator punctures container § Contractor releases vapors from chemicals into neighborhood compounded by improper cleanup

Top 10 released chemicals (excluding petroleum products) § § Paint or Coating Ammonia Sodium Hydroxide Methamphetamine Chemicals § Sulfuric Acid § Hydrochloric Acid § Polychlorinated biphenyls § Mercury § Chlorine § Acetone

Information leads to action § Human error and equipment failure largest factors: focus on proper material handling and equipment maintenance § Serious injury incidents account for 47% of the total incidents; but 86% of the victims; most commonly released materials are also the most hazardous. § Upstream measures are vital to prevent releases. Industry can decrease releases by examining work plans and mitigating workplace hazards

We’re your resource – feel free to contact us! http: //www. oregon. gov/DHS/ph/res/index. shtml 971 -673 -0440 Curtis Cude Thanks!