Injuries caused by hazardous materials accidents.
OBJECTIVE
To describe exposures that prehospital and ED personnel may encounter as a result of hazardous material incidents.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of hazardous material incident reports from six district hazardous material teams in Massachusetts from their inception through May 1996.


RESULTS
The chemicals most frequently involved were various hydrocarbons and corrosive materials. Chlorine derivatives were involved in 18% of all incidents and 23% of all incidents resulting in victims. Victims were produced by 47 of 162 (29%) incidents. Respiratory exposures were the most frequent type of exposure and resulted in the largest number of victims transported to a hospital. Overall 24 of 26 (92%) incidents with chemical exposures resulted in symptomatic victims and 33 of 35 (94%) incidents produced victims requiring hospital transport. Respiratory symptoms were the most frequent, both in the number of incidents where they were observed and the total number of victims with symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Multiple victim transport to EDs from a single hazardous material incident is most likely to result from an inhalation exposure to a respiratory irritant. Information from descriptive studies should allow improved preparation for potential hazardous material victims.
Kales
S N
SN
Department of Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, MA 02139, USA.
Polyhronopoulos
G N
GN
Castro
M J
MJ
Goldman
R H
RH
Christiani
D C
DC
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015386:Hazardous Substances