Acute pesticide-related illness among emergency responders, 1993-2002.
BACKGROUND
Emergency responders are among the first to arrive at a pesticide-related release event. Magnitude, severity, and risk factor information on acute pesticide poisoning among those workers is needed.


METHODS
Survey data collected from the SENSOR-Pesticides, CDPR and HSEES programs between 1993 and 2002 from 21 states were reviewed. Acute occupational pesticide-related illness incidence rates for each category of emergency responder were calculated, as were incidence rate ratios (IRR) among emergency responders compared to all other workers employed in non-agricultural industries.


RESULTS
A total of 291 cases were identified. Firefighters accounted for 111 cases (38%), law enforcement officers for 104 cases (36%), emergency medical technicians for 34 cases (12%), and 42 cases (14%) were unspecified emergency responders. Among the 200 cases with information on activity responsible for exposure, most were exposed while performing activities related to a pesticide release event (84%) and not involving patient care, while the remainder involved exposure to pesticide-contaminated patients. A majority of cases were exposed to insecticides (51%). Most had low severity illnesses (90%). The incidence rate was highest for firefighters (39.1/million) and law enforcement officers (26.6/million). The IRRs were also elevated for these professions (firefighters, IRR = 2.67; law enforcement officers, IRR = 1.69).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest the need for greater efforts to prevent acute occupational pesticide-related illness among emergency responders.
Calvert
Geoffrey M
GM
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA. jac6@cdc.gov
Barnett
Margot
M
Mehler
Louise N
LN
Becker
Alan
A
Das
Rupali
R
Beckman
John
J
Male
Dorilee
D
Sievert
Jennifer
J
Thomsen
Catherine
C
Morrissey
Barbara
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D016495:Police; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D010575:Pesticides