Workers cleaning the crude oil from the waters and shores of the Gulf of Mexico are beginning to become sick from the fumes. These workers and those living in or around the region need to take safety precautions and use an OSHA compliant face mask to purify their air. When indoors on a boat, home or office, a high quality air purifier should always be running, cleansing out the airborne contaminants from the crude oil fumes, smoke and other polluting particulates. These actions will reduce your health risks.
What's Happening On The Gulf
Workers cleaning up the tragic mess in the Gulf of Mexico are getting sick. Some workers have used protective clothing with masks while others have used none. Air quality is constantly being monitored for poisons, but it seems "danger levels" have yet to be seen. Yet, workers are getting sick.
We know that the Coast Guard and others are monitoring the air quality for benzene. Oil spills in the past has produced clear evidence that from early on there is airborne contamination. History has clearly shown the emergence of sicknesses and diseases. Crude oil and natural gases erupting from the bottom of the sea, hitting the surface of the water and eventually finding their way to land as complex chemicals. When exposed to air they create volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbons in the form of gases. When these chemicals are burned from the surface of the water, they created nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, acidic aerosols and solid particulate matter soot. These emissions are chemical poisons.
All workers should be protected with OSHA high quality activated carbon filtering masks. When indoors on boats or on shore in homes, an air purifier needs to purify these chemical poisons from your air. We recommend a high quality medical grade High Efficiency Particulate Arresting (HEPA) filter combined with an activated carbon blend operating around the clock. You can't always smell the dangers, but you body will feel it in your heart and lungs. Prolonged exposure can be a very serious problem for your health and in the worst of cases, can be fatal.
Authorities have stated several workers in the Breton Sound have become ill. Officials said that these workers were issued protective clothing, but chose not to wear them. Doctors were told by the workers that they chose not to wear "paper suits" and gloves offered, because they provided little protection. In fact, there is a debate on wearing masks at all. BP is saying no to masks, because if dangerous levels of toxic gases are found, workers will be evacuated. Workers, however, think wearing a mask is a good safety precaution.
In another incident in Breton Sound workers were skimming oil off the Gulf waters. They began feeling nauseous, dizzy and experiencing headaches. They went to the hospital and all but one were released.
These work crews and their family members have pointed their fingers at the chemical dispersants used by BP. An emergency room doctor said weakness, rashes and cough symptoms are consistent with chemical exposure. Defending BPs position, it is noted that no dispersants had been used within 50 miles of the affected crewmen and normal fatigue combined with working in hot weather may create identical symptoms.
In both these incidents, air monitors tracking chemical airborne contaminates found the air to be within safety limits according to the Coast Guard.
BP PLC and the Coast Guard are working on the issue according to company spokesman Steve Rinehart. They identified the crude oil chemical, benzene, and possibly the oil dispersants as a source of concern.
Air quality monitoring continues every day. Testing is focusing on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and benzene. Most area testing indicates no danger. The debate about mask protection continues.
Gulf Oil Spill Health Impact
VOCs are known carcinogens that adversely affect the body. Particulate matter penetrates the body when you breathe in the contaminants. Because these particulates are so small, they bypass the body's defense system and enter into the lungs, bloodstream, heart and other body organs. The exposure sickness we are seeing down in the Gulf are a warning of what's to come. People must anticipate exposure which will cause rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, tremors, confusion, and headaches. If exposure is prolonged and at high toxic levels, long-term illnesses can occur like cancer, workers will blackout and in most severe cases, premature death can take place.
What To Do
The air quality around the oil spill at sea and on land will fluctuate. Sometimes it can be labeled as safe and five minutes later will exceed safe levels. As a precaution, it is a good safely practice to wear OSHA compliant respirators when outside.
If you are in the cabins of a boat or in a home or office close to the gulf, airborne contaminating VOCs will not be able to escape these confined areas. The indoor air quality will be many times worse that the outside air. These indoor locations need to have filtered air with air cleaners capable of removing the VOCs. Central systems can be modified to clean airborne toxins. If this can't be done, it is easy to install a portable air purifier that moves large volumes of air through activated carbon and medical grade High Efficiency Particulate Arresting (HEPA) filters. These measures will reduce your health risk from this disaster.
