Poisoning in the World’s Workplace

 By: Ernest D. Lykissa Ph.D. Forensic Toxicologist Expertox Inc., Deer Park, Texas

There have been many mass exposures to natural and man-made toxins throughout history. A few important human exposures have been primarily environmental. Many more have been occupational or industrial in origin, which have subsequently resulted in environmental contamination. These exposures have resulted in illness and death for a great many people. Often, they begin as industrial accidents and conclude with mass public injury. In Bhopal, India, in 1984, methyl isocyanate was released from a chemical plant resulting in 2000+ deaths and 200,000 injuries. In other episodes, the environmental release results in poisoning the worker. Uranium mine tunnel workers have excess lung cancer from radon exposure. Many of these type episodes follow some type of industrial accident.  More than 20 such episodes are reported in the United States every year, while a lot more go unreported for various reasons. 

Ecologic disasters on the other hand have not resulted in acute human adverse health effects, such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the oil pipeline rupture in northern Russia or even the Persian Gulf oil well fires.  Unfortunately the frequency of these episodes has been increasing with the industrialization of the world.  In less developed countries, many disasters involving hazardous substances are never even recorded.  

The general public has become more aware of their environment and its pollutants since the publication of the book “Silent Spring” in 1962.  Many organizations formed before and since this publication, are dedicated to limiting environmental contamination, and the public opinion has certainly changed over the last several decades. 

In 1990 a hydrofluoric acid leak in Texas from a petroleum plant caused 3000 people to be evacuated, more than 1000 to seek medical attention, mostly for irritation symptoms, and 100 to be hospitalized, but no deaths were reported. It is believed that the same incident twenty years ago would have resulted in many more serious human injuries if public awareness about toxicity associated with industrial releases such as this were absent.   In the same year, 1990, in the Bronx of New York City, carbon monoxide and cyanide release in the Happy Land Social Club resulted in 87 deaths from smoke inhalation, because the participants were not willing to evacuate once the first symptoms of the exposure became evident. 

The petrochemical community and the federal government have made great strides in providing public information on releases and general information associated with chemicals in the form of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets), public and community awareness seminars since the Bhopal incident.  With proper safeguards, protocols, and scientific principles applied, the loss of hundreds of thousands of human lives and millions of dollars in public property may have been prevented over the last century alone. 

The greatest loss of life comes from infectious environmental hazards.  Providing clean drinking water and education to those affected throughout the world could save more than a million lives annually.  The next step is implementing a Periodic Exposure Evaluation Program at your work facility. OSHA requires testing of employees that are routinely in areas of potential exposure.  This exposure evaluation can identify possible breakdowns or over sights within systems or management procedures. Steps of prevention against possible health risk can then be implemented. These types of “Identify and Prevent” programs can reduce and even eliminate work related sickness or long- term illness and create the safe work environment we all seek. 

ExperTox Inc. Laboratories in Deer Park, Texas have the leading edge technological resources to identify the result of the industrial mishaps in the human body.  By periodically testing body fluids such as blood or urine, or other specimens such as human hair, nail clippings or sweat to name a few, acute or long term toxic exposures can be identified and treated prior to causing irreparable damage.  

With the state of the art instrumentation on our modern laboratory located in the heart of the bustling Houston Industrial Complex, we have the ability to identify toxins in the blood stream and how long they have been there.  Once identified, a preventive treatment program to establish optimum health conditions can be prescribed.  

For more information on the type of testing offered for your particular business or occupation please call 281-476-4600 and the Health Professionals at ExperTox, will work with you to establish a healthy safe work environment.