title: Unplanned releases and injuries associated with aerial application of chemicals, 1995-2002.
abstract: For this article, records of the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system were reviewed to identify and describe acute, unplanned releases of agricultural chemicals and associated injuries related to aerial application during 1995-2002. Records of aerial-application accidents from the National Transportation Safety Board were also reviewed. Of the 54,090 events in the HSEES system for 1995-2002, 91 were identified as aerial-application events. The most commonly released substance was malathion. There were 56 victims; 12 died, and 34 required treatment at a hospital. A higher percentage of HSEES aerial-applicator events involved injury and death than did other HSEES transportation events. The relatively high number of injuries and fatalities underscores the need for precautions such as monitoring and limiting pilot cumulative exposures to pesticides, and using appropriate personal protective equipment and decontamination equipment. Emergency responders should be educated about the hazards associated with chemicals at aerial-application crash sites.
authors.affiliation: Minnesota Department of Health, St Paul 55164, USA. nancy.rice@health.state.mn.us
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Messing
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Souther
authors.forename: Zahava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000639:trends; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D000401:Aircraft; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides; D011482:Protective Devices; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D010575:Pesticides