M15: Final Blog!

Final Blog!

IN THIS WEEK'S BLOG, please provide a summary of the highlights of your learning for the semester. I'd also especially like to know how the small group blogging experience was for you? 

It seems hard to believe that this semester is already coming to the end. I enjoyed learning about the many interesting areas of environmental and occupational health within public health. Areas such as toxic chemicals in a person’s everyday life like personal care or household products. I’m still blown away that regulations for personal care products have not been updated since the 1930s. Another area that blew my mind had to due with the safety of drinking water, and how the bottled water industry has been marketing to consumers that tap water is unsafe to drink, even though tap water is better regulated than most bottled water. 

There were so many topics regarding environmental health that completely blew my mind. One area in particular was agriculture and food, and how live stock are being provided antibiotics as a way to prevent disease. However, as a result of this, individuals who work directly with these animals are becoming resistant to the current antibiotics on the market. From a public health standpoint, this is a huge issue. If people become sick, and the usual antibiotics do not work then there is the potential for an epidemic to take place. Additionally, the occupational health and safety module made me realize just how vulnerable workers are to their work environment, and how important safety is even in an office setting. From topics such as waste, climate change, and disaster preparation the course provided a solid foundation regarding environmental health issues and important implications for public health professionals. 

This is my first experience blogging as part of a small group, and I found it very beneficial. It allowed me analyze and present my thoughts and knowledge after going through each module. Also, through reading the blogs of the other group members, I was able to learn and gain further insight on the same topic, but from a different point of view. For these reasons, I would recommend utilizing the small group blogging in your future classes.

M14.4 Blog: Think About It - Website Exploration

Think About It - Website Exploration

As we begin to think about being active and prepared, explore the website for The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, and the links that are specific to your region or area of interest to learn more about health (physical and psychosocial) and environmental impacts or preparedness needs for these disaster precipitators.

Wildfires

There are a number of health and environmental impacts associated with exposure to wildfires. Health impacts include exposure to smoke. The principle public health threat from contact to wildfire smoke is particulate matter (PM) exposure. The effects of PM exposure ranges from eye and respiratory tract irritation to more serious disorders, including reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma and heart failure, and premature death. Those especially vulnerable to smoke exposure include children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Environmental impacts from wildfires include the destruction of homes, wildlife habitat and timber. Additionally, wildfires pollute the air with emissions that are harmful to human health, and release carbon dioxide – a key greenhouse gas – into the atmosphere.

Wildfires are unpredictable. The strength and/or direction of a wildfire can change at any given moment, and communities that seem clear of danger can suddenly need to evacuate. The uncertain nature of wildfires can be extremely stressful to people that are directly affected by these disasters. Stress is also caused by the fact that sometimes death and destruction of property are unavoidable when a wildfire takes place. These examples demonstrate why it is common for people to experience intense emotions such as shock and/or denial directly after experiencing a wildfire. Even after these initial feelings subside, people often have anxiety that results in moods swings, or they may experience acute symptoms from stress such as headaches, nausea, and/or chest pains. 

To prepare for wildfire season it is a good idea for people to have enough food on hand to last several days. This will minimize the need for people to drive to other locations. It is also important to have at least a five-day supply of medication for the same reason. Food that is stored for use during the fire season should not require frying or broiling, since these activities can add particles to indoor air. Additionally, state and local public health agencies should consider running pre-season public service announcements, or new releases that advise communities on how to best prepare for a wildfire season. 

California continues to experience an increasing number of wildfires each year, particularly during the months of July through October. These wildfires are a side effect of increasing temperatures resulting from climate change. As public health professionals working in the state of California, it will behoove us to learn more about the health and environmental impacts from this type of disaster, as well as how to best prepare for wildfires in the future.

In California, we have the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Site, where healthcare professionals and those with healthcare experience can express a desire to be a volunteer should a disaster happen. Is there something similar where you live?

In my local area of Davis, California we have the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT). VERT is a volunteer organization that is focused on training others including students, fire service personnel, animal services, and animal emergency response teams in all aspects of animal related disasters including evacuation training, animal sheltering, triage, medical evaluation and treatment of injuries related to fire, flood, and technical large animal rescue. VERT has been activated on a local basis for assistance in declared states of emergency or animal emergencies when additional expertise is needed for technical rescue. Having an organization such as VERT, that both trains and assists emergency response personnel during disasters, is vital to successfully evacuating, treating, and sheltering animals during a disaster.

References:

·       The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health. Knowledge and Learning. Wild Fires. Retrieved from: https://www.usuhs.edu/ncdmph-learn/KnowledgeLearning/2013-Wildfires.htm

·       Air Now. Fires and Your Health. Retrieved from: https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_events

·       American Psychological Association. Help Center. Wildfire. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/wildfire.aspx

·       National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health. Knowledge and Learning. Resilience Through Learning. Retrieved from: https://www.usuhs.edu/ncdmph-learn/KnowledgeLearning/ResilienceThruLearning.htm

·     Yolo County. How Can I Help? Retrieved from. http://www.yolocounty.org/government/office-of-emergency-services/how-can-i-help-

M12.9 Blog: Climate Change

Climate Change

BLOG about the following:

1.   What do you personally find most troubling about climate change?

Personally, I find unanticipated health problems/threats that take place where they have not previously occurred the most troubling about climate change. When a community experiences a specific disaster for the first time, they are ill-prepared for the negative health effects that take place along with it. For example, if a community experiences a flooding for the first time they will be ill-equipped to handle issues such as potential contamination of fresh water supplies, increased risks of water-borne diseases, and potential disruption to the supply of medical and health services. It is devastating whenever disasters, such as flooding, take place. However, it becomes catastrophic when the area has not anticipated these events, and therefore is left unprepared and vulnerable to the situation.

2.   As a public health professional, what do you think needs the greatest attention right now?

From a public health professional standpoint, we need to focus on the following areas right now:

·       Educating the public on the dangers of climate change

One of the first steps towards creating both immediate and long-term solutions is to provide effective climate change education to the public. Education can take place in the form of national campaigns, and outreach.  Increasing the number of informed and engaged citizens will result in people better understanding the public health risks surrounding climate change, which will motivate people to change their habits and make better daily choices to reverse the negative effects of climate change. Better choices can include utilizing public transportation, buying electric cars, or taking less flights.

·       Preparing for the potential impacts that result from climate change

Using California as an example, we will likely continue to experience rising temperatures and changing rain patterns that will lead to more frequent intense droughts. We can prepare for this by reducing our water usage. One way to do this is by using low-flow faucets.

·       Demanding policy change

People need to exercise their right as citizens and demand changes to national policies to meet the challenges and risks of climate change dangers and global warming.

3.   If you were visiting with a long-lost relative who had never heard about climate change, how would you describe it and its attendant human health and ecological threats?

I would begin by explaining how the Earth is getting warmer as a result of increasing amounts of heat-trapping gases (called greenhouse gases) being added to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are mainly caused by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The average temperature of earth’s surface has already increased 1.7 degrees since 1880, resulting in changes around the world such as melting glaciers, rapidly rising seas, and stronger storms. Earth’s land, air, and water are all connected to the climate, and therefore effected by these changes, which are becoming bigger and happening faster than any previous climate changes that we (modern society) have experienced before.

I would then go on to describe the potential public health risks connected to climate change such as: water-related illnesses, increased exposure of food to certain pathogens and toxins, and likely worsening allergy and asthma conditions. The severity of these health risks will depend on the ability of public health and safety systems to address or prepare for these changing threats, as well as factors such as an individual's behavior, age, gender, and economic status. I would stress that the impacts will vary based on where a person lives, how sensitive the person is to health threats, how much the person is exposed to climate change impacts, and how well the person and their community are able to adapt to change. I would end by encouraging my relative to continue learning more about climate change’s impact on human health, and how they can help to be part of the solution.

Resources: 

·       Climate Change Explained. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifrHogDujXw 

·       United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change. Retrieved from: https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange//kids/basics/index.html 

·       World Health Organization. Media Centre. Climate Change and Health. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs266/en/

M11.5: Blog About a Zero-Waste Life

A Zero-Waste Life

Consider your household waste stream. Are there changes that you might be able to make in your life to live a zero-waste life? Enter your thoughts/ideas into your blog.

Looking at my household waste stream, there are quite few changes that my family and I can make to live a zero-waste life. I sat down with my husband and we reviewed our lifestyle and habits to see where the bulk of our trash comes from. It was eye opening when we went through topics such as how we purchase and keep food as well as our shopping habits for consumer goods and products. In the end we determined that the majority of our trash comes from packaged foods, the products that we use, and food waste.

When my husband and I shop at our local grocery store we very rarely buy in bulk by filling our own containers. Instead, almost all of the items that we purchase are prepackaged in either plastic or paper containers. Even when items, such as produce, are not originally sold packaged we utilize the plastic bags that are located near the fruits and vegetables to separate them from any other items and to keep them “clean.” After watching “Why I live a zero-waste life,” with Lauren Singer, my husband and I are no longer going use the plastic bags to place our produce in. Also, we are going to try to buy more items in bulk, such as nuts and cereal, and fill our own containers rather than using the plastic bags that the store offers. Additionally, we are going to try to only purchase items in sustainable packaging such as glass.

After taking a look at the many products that my husband and I purchase on an ongoing basis, we decided to first eliminate the items that we do not absolutely need . For example, I am no longer going to purchase perfume, and he is no longer going to buy cologne. We also decided that we are going to try making a couple of the items that we absolutely need to use such as toothpaste and shampoo. I took a look at Lauren Singer’s website “Trash is for Tossers” and downloaded her zero-waste homemade toothpaste recipe. I am looking forward to trying this out.

Another area that my husband and I already knew was a problem was our food waste. We are part of the households that are wasting 15% to 25% of the food that we purchase. This is unacceptable. We have decided to plan our meals each week for both home and work. Then we will make our grocery list/meal plans and only purchase items on the list. Since it is just my husband and I at home it is easier to buy for just the two of us without worrying about needing to buy a lot of extra for children. That being said, it is still important that we do not let our produce go bad and focus our recipes around fruits and vegetables and bring the leftovers with us to work.

It is frightening when you take a look at how much trash one person produces on a daily basis. At my office alone, my trashcan needs to be emptied at least once during an average work week because it is completely full. This does not include the trash that I produce when I am at home or when I am traveling. This means that I am one of the many people that are contributing to the increasing amounts of trash overflowing our landfills and oceans. After watching the assigned videos and reading the articles on the topic of waste, I am determined to decrease the amount of waste that I produce. 

References:

·     Why I live a zero-waste life. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF72px2R3Hg

·     Trash is for Tossers. Retrieved from: http://trashisfortossers.com/

·     Food Waste: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8xwLWb0lLY

M10.5 Blog about an occupational safety and health organization

 An occupational safety and health organization

CHOOSE ONE of the following organizations/agencies: OSHA, CAL/OSHA, NIOSH, ILO, WHO, AFL-CIO

Go to their website.Each of these occupational safety and health or labor organizations support a range of occupational health and safety programs. Select a health and safety program sponsored by one of these organizations, read about it. Provide a short summary on your BLOG and how it might relate to your health and safety.

Cal/OSHA
I chose the State of California Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA. The Cal/OSHA health and safety program I chose was “Protection from Valley Fever” 

Valley Fever

Valley Fever is caused by a microscopic fungus known as Coccidioides immitis which lives in the top two to 12 inches of soil in many parts of the state. When soil is disturbed by activities such as digging, driving, or high winds, fungal spores can become airborne and potentially be inhaled by workers. Populations with more than 20 cases annually of Valley Fever per 100,000 people are considered highly endemic.

How can Valley Fever be Prevented?

While there is no vaccine to prevent Valley Fever, the following steps are important to take in order to limit risk:

• Determine if your worksite is in an endemic area.
• Adopt site plans and work practices that reduce workers' exposure, which may include:
• Minimize the area of soil disturbed.
• Use water, appropriate soil stabilizers, and/or re-vegetation to reduce airborne dust
• Stabilize all spoils piles by tarping or other methods.
• Provide air conditioned cabs for vehicles that generate heavy dust and make sure workers keep windows and vents closed.
• Suspend work during heavy winds.
• Onsite sleeping quarters, if provided, should be placed away from sources of dust.
• When exposure to dust is unavoidable, provide NIOSH-approved respiratory protection with particulate filters rated as N95, N99, N100, P100, or HEPA. Employers must develop and implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with Cal/OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard (8 CCR 5144).
• Take measures to reduce transporting spores offsite, such as:
• Clean tools, equipment, and vehicles before transporting offsite.
• If workers' clothing is likely to be heavily contaminated with dust, provide coveralls and change rooms, and showers where possible.
• Identify a health care provider for occupational injuries and illnesses who is knowledgeable about the diagnosis and treatment of Valley Fever
• Train workers and supervisors about the risk of Valley Fever, the work activities that may increase the risk, and the measures used onsite to reduce exposure. Also train on how to recognize Valley Fever symptoms.
• Encourage workers to report Valley Fever symptoms promptly to a supervisor. Not associating these symptoms with workplace exposures can lead to a delay in appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

What work activities increase the risk of Valley Fever?

When fungal spores are present, any work activity that disturbs the soil, such as digging, grading or other earth moving operations, or vehicle operation on dirt roads, can cause the spores to become airborne, therefore increasing the risk of Valley Fever. All workers on sites where the fungus is present, and who are exposed to dusty conditions and wind-blown dusts are at increased risk of becoming infected. Examples include:

• Construction workers and other workers on construction sites, including road building and excavation crews
• Archeologists
• Geologists
• Wildland firefighters
• Military personnel
• Workers in mining, quarrying, gas and oil extraction jobs
• Agricultural workers^*

^* Cultivated, irrigated soil may be less likely to contain the fungus
   compared to undisturbed soils.

It might relate to my health and safety due to the fact that I am located in the Sacramento area which is located near the Central Valley and I maybe exposed to the fungus that causes Valley Fever. Therefore, it is important that I work to minimize my risk by following the preventative measures listed above. By doing so, I will ensure a better health outcome for myself. 

References:

·     The State of California Department of Industrial Relations. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Retrieved from: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/ 

·     The State of California Department of Industrial Relations. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Protection from Valley Fever. Retrieved from: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/valley-fever-home.html

M10.2 Blog about MSDS and ToxNet

MSDS and ToxNet 

Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from your workplace or from the workplace of a family member or friend. Material Safety Data Sheets are chemical information sheets created by chemical manufacturers that all employers are required to obtain and keep for any potentially hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

In my office we deal very little with hazardous chemicals. However, we do sometimes have to use WD-40 and I obtained an MSDS on the use of the chemicals in this product. In particular the chemical Decane. 

Review the MSDS and answer the following questions:

·   What are the health risks associated with this chemical?

The health risks associated with Decane include:

·     Nasal and respiratory irritation and central nervous system effects such as headache, dizziness and nausea.

·     Prolonged and/or repeated contact with the skin may produce mild irritation with possible dermatitis.

·     Contact may be irritating to eyes and may cause redness and tearing.

·     Swallowing may cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

·     If swallowed, it can enter the lungs and may cause chemical pneumonitis, severe lung damage and death. 

·    Is the chemical a carcinogen?

Decane is not considered a carcinogen.

·    What personal protective equipment or special precautions should be taken when working with this chemical?

Personal protective equipment or special precautions include wearing safety goggles and chemical resistant gloves. If occupational exposure limits (1200 mg/m3 TWA) are exceeded a person should wear a NIOSH approved respirator.

·    If this is a chemical found in your workplace, what training/education were you given about any risks associated with this chemical? 

This chemical was found in my work place, however I was not provided any training/education about the risks associated with Decane. 

Look up the chemical using the ToxNet databases you mastered while viewing the enviRN-EVIDENCE program. Were there any discrepancies regarding the potential health effects noted in the MSDS?

One inconsistency that I found was that the ToxNet databases noted that skin irritation did not occur in volunteers following direct exposure to Decane. However, the MSDS listed that prolonged and/or repeated contact of Decane with the skin may produce mild irritation with possible dermatitis. It is interesting that the MSDS would list the potential for skin irritation, but the ToxNet databases did not. 

In your BLOG, write about your findings:

About the potential dangers associated with the chemical/product you looked up. 

Potential dangers include headache, dizziness and passing out, and asphyxiation. Additionally, skin exposure to decane increased the number of tumors caused by known cancer agents (radiation, benzo(a)pyrene), but did not cause tumors by itself. No additional information was available on the potential for Decane to cause cancer. 

Was the MSDS an adequate tool for a worker to use to gain an understanding about the potential health risks and how to protect him/herself? (Consider that the general public reads at a reading level at or below 6th grade, and that's if English is their first language.)

The MSDS was a minimally adequate tool for a worker to use to gain an understanding about the potential health risks and how to protect him/herself. An individual would need to have a higher reading level than the 6^th grade to fully comprehend the information that was presented. As a result, many people will likely not read the MSDS in its entirety, or if they do they will not know what many of the scientific/technical words mean. Additionally, if English is not a person’s first language then the MSDS could be very hard for them to understand. Visual images would be very helpful to have with the MSDS for those whose first language is not English. For example, it would be great to show images of the kind of personal protection equipment that is recommended for people to wear such as safety goggles or chemical resistant gloves.

References:

·       Retrieved from: https://www.wd40company.com/partners-suppliers/msds-sds/ 

·       Retrieved from: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~POSmoX:1

M10.1 Blog: Watch Video

M10.1 Video

Blog: 

1) Consider your workplace or a workplace of one of your family members. Are there chemical, biological, radiological or ergonomic issues? Using the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls, how might you address the issues? How are they being addressed in reality.

I work in a law office that has the potential for ergonomic issues. Employees sit at their desks typing for the majority of their work day, which often lasts more than 8 hours. This has the potential to cause employees physical harm if their work stations are not set up to fit their bodies and work movements correctly. Ergonomics, fitting a job to a person, helps lessen muscle fatigue, increases productivity and reduces the number and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Examples of MSDs include:

·     Carpal tunnel syndrome;

·     Tendinitis;

·     Rotator cuff injuries (affects the shoulder);

·     Epicondylitis (affects the elbow);

·     Muscle strains and low back injuries.

Using the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls, I would address ergonomic issues by first working to see if the problem can be eliminated. This is the most effective solution and it works to control the hazard at the source. If elimination is not possible, I would consider substituting or replacing the known hazard with a material, process, or equipment that is less hazardous. For example, if a very tall employee is sitting in a chair that is designed for a shorter person this can cause the tall employee discomfort. I would work to remove the original chair and provide the employee with a chair that is more suitable to for the employee’s height requirements. 

When ergonomic issues cannot be eliminated or substituted, engineering controls are the most desirable way to control hazards. An example would be an employee working in an area that does not have enough light for them to adequately perform their job functions without straining their eyes. As a result of the light hazard, the employee may experience recurring migraines. An engineering control would be to modify the employee’s workstation lighting so that the employee is able to perform the necessary functions of their job comfortably.

When engineering controls cannot be implemented, it may be more appropriate to use administrative controls that establish efficient processes and procedures. An example of this would be requiring two people to lift a large ream of paper to refill a copy machine. Due to the heavy weight and awkward rectangular size of the ream of paper allowing only one employee to lift it has the potential to cause harm to the employee’s back.

In regards to the next control, personal protective equipment (PPE), it is unlikely that I would utilize this method to control ergonomic hazards in my office. This is due to the fact that PPE has limited effectiveness in controlling ergonomic hazards.

In reality the ergonomic issues are being addressed through my department’s Health and Safety Unit (H&S). H&S provides employees with a preventative ergonomic evaluation upon request. The process is quite long and often tedious. It consists of the following steps:

1.    The employee must first complete an Ergonomic Employee Evaluation form (Form) and submit it to their supervisor for review.  

2.   The supervisor then forwards an electronic copy of the Form to H&S for review.

3.   H&S then performs an ergonomic evaluation based upon what is requested on the Form.

4.   When the evaluation is complete, H&S will forward an electronic copy of the Form with evaluator recommendations included, to the employee and a copy to the supervisor.

5.   Next, the employee and supervisor discuss the evaluator’s recommendations.

6.   If they agree on the recommendations, the supervisor and employee next must sign the Form and forward an electronic copy to H&S. 

7.   The division is then responsible for approving and purchasing any of the recommended equipment, as funding allows. 

2) What might be the barriers to workers exercising their rights to a healthy and safe workplace?

A barrier to workers exercising their rights to a healthy and safe workplace can include a lack of knowledge regarding what their rights are. Additionally, employees may not be trained properly to understand the health and safety issues associated with exposures to potentially harmful chemicals in their workplace. Also, another barrier could be that employees are afraid to report any health or safety issues for fear of retaliation from their employer that can including termination. The fear of not having an income, and being unable to pay their bills is often enough to prevent works from reporting health and safety violations at their workplace.

Resources:

·    United States Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Ergonomics. Retrieved from: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/