title: Assessment of physical, environmental, and cardiac strain in 43 operators (wearing protective equipment) conducting clean-up of heavy oil products.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to organise an assessment of the physical strains and environmental exposure to hydrocarbon derivatives in persons involved in shoreline clean-up of heavy oil products, in order to investigate the dangers of oil spill clean-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three healthy volunteers wearing protective equipment cleaning up an artificial shoreline underwent cardiac strain measurements, as well as a study of thermal stress (approximate WBGT index, water loss, measurement of internal body temperature before and after physical activity). A subjective assessment of perceived exertion was correlated to articular strain indicators recorded for the weight of loads lifted, movement frequency, and the range of movement. Environmental exposure was determined by using portable hydrocarbon detectors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For adult subjects in good physical condition, in neutral temperatures, oil spill clean-up is considered non-arduous. However, in sedentary, stressed subjects exposed to difficult climatic conditions, cleanup can be considered hard to extremely hard. In terms of environmental exposure, slight traces of toluene appeared once out of a total of 18 analysed samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample studied was subject to physical articular strains and presented variable cardiac strain; environmental exposure was, on the other hand, slight when involving cleaning up heavy petroleum products. The subjects liable to carry out this activity are more tolerant to the efforts required when they are healthy, fit, young adults, in the non-arduous thermal conditions recorded in this study.
authors.affiliation: Service des Maladies de l’Environnement et de Santé au Travail, CHU Morvan, Brest Cedex, France. Brice.lodde@chu-brest.fr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loddé
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quidelleur
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Igoho-Zephir
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Eniafe-Eveillard
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choucroun
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Dewitte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006339:Heart Rate; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum