Validating self-reported Toxic Release Inventory data using Benford's Law: investigating toxic chemical release hazards in floodplains.

Introduction: Acute and long-term health impacts from flooding related toxic chemical releases are a significant local health concern and can disproportionately impact communities with vulnerable populations; reliable release data are needed to quantify this hazard. Methods: In this paper, we analyze US Federal Emergency Management Agency designated floodplain data and US Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data to determine if geographically manipulated databases adhere to Benford's Law. Results: We investigated multiple variants and discovered pollution releases adhere to Benford's Law and tests which thereby validates the self-reported toxic release dataset. Discussion: We find that Benford's Law applies to self-reported toxic chemical release and disposal data, indicating a lack of widespread data errors or manipulation.

Évaluation du risque par les professionnels de la santé et les équipes de secours lors d'incidents chimiques.

CONTEXT: The literature review highlights that joint preparation and training of first aid responders is necessary to deal with a major chemical incident. Improved knowledge of exposure assessments makes it possible to estimate the risk and adjust immediate measures. The aim of this paper is to summarize recommendations for assessing exposure during chemical incidents that require emergency responses. Actions allowing the chemical contamination to be better anticipated and health protection to be optimized were analyzed. METHODOLOGY: A review of the literature was conducted, and research questions were formulated using the PECO method. The PRISMA method was used to select the literature. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The selected papers (n=16) show that preparation for chemical incidents in terms of individual and collective protective equipment, and knowledge of the risk assessment process remain lacking. We propose training to master the steps of risk assessment. Our analysis also points out the importance of monitoring the state of the environment after a chemical incident, allowing adjusted measures to protect the health of the exposed population and vulnerable groups in particular. This monitoring must be accurate and dynamic to provide realistic recommendations during the intervention phase. CONCLUSIONS: All first-aid responders and health workers knowing the risk assessment process should result in improvements: in the use of protective measures in time and space, the delimitation of exposure to contamination, and the characterization of the risk.

Risk-based public health impact assessment for drinking water contamination emergencies.

Chemical spills in surface waters pose a significant threat to public health and the environment. This study investigates the public health impacts associated with organic chemical spill emergencies and explores timely countermeasures deployable by drinking water facilities. Using a dynamic model of a typical multi-sourced New England drinking water treatment facility and its distribution network, this study assesses the impacts of various countermeasure deployment scenarios, including source switching, enhanced coagulation via poly­aluminum chloride (PACl), addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC), and temporary system shutdown. This study reveals that the deployment of multiple countermeasures yields the most significant reduction in total public health impacts, regardless of the demand and supply availability. With the combination PAC deployed first with other countermeasures proving to be the most effective strategies, followed by the combination of facility shutdowns. By understanding the potential public health impacts and evaluating the effectiveness of countermeasures, authorities can develop proactive plans, secure additional funding, and enhance their capacity to mitigate the consequences of such events. These insights contribute to safeguarding public health and improving the resilience of drinking water systems in the face of the ever-growing threat of chemical spills.

Radon deficit technique applied to the study of the ageing of a spilled LNAPL in a shallow aquifer.

A recent diesel spill (dated January 2019 ± 1 month) in a refilling station is investigated by the Radon deficit technique. The primary focus was on quantifying the LNAPL pore saturation as a function of duration of ageing, and on proposing a predictive model for on-site natural attenuation. A biennial monitoring of the local fluctuating shallow aquifer has involved the saturated zone nine times, and the vadose zone only once. Rn background generally measured in external and upstream wells is elaborated further due to the site characteristics, using drilling logs and phreatic oscillations. Notably, this study marks the first application of the Rn deficit method to produce a detailed Rn background mapping throughout the soil depth. Simultaneously, tests are performed on LNAPL surnatant samples to study diesel ageing. In particular, they are focused on temporal variations of LNAPL viscosity (from an initial 3.90 cP to 8.99 cP, measured at 25 °C, after 34 months), and Rn partition coefficient between the pollutant and water (from 47.7 to 80.2, measured at 25 °C, after 14 months). Rn diffusion is also measured in different fluids (0.092 cm2 s-1, 1.14 × 10-5 cm2 s-1, and 2.53 × 10-6 cm2 s-1 at 25 °C for air, water and LNAPL, respectively) directly. All parameters and equations utilized during this study are introduced, discussing their influence on Radon deficit technique from a theoretical point of view. Experimental findings are used to mitigate the effect of LNAPL ageing and of phreatic oscillations on determination of LNAPL saturation index (S.I.LNAPL). Finally, S.I.LNAPL dataset is discussed and elaborated to show the pollutant attenuation across subsurface over time, induced by natural processes primarily. The proposed predictive model for on-site natural attenuation suggests a half-removal time of one year and six months. The significance of such models lies in their capability to assess site-specific reactions to pollutants, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of remediation efforts over time. These experimental findings may offer a novel approach to application of Rn deficit technique and to environmental remediation of persistent organic compounds.

24Model-based comparative analysis of two catastrophic hazardous chemical pipeline accidents.

Objectives. This study conducted a comparative analysis of two catastrophic pipeline accidents in China in order to identify some common mistakes and lessons learned to prevent similar accidents. Methods. The 24Model was used in this study, which provides a universal pathway for accident analysis from the individual level to the organizational level. Results. There were similarities between the two cases in the aspects of the occurrence, development, emergency and causation at different levels: both were caused by leaks of pipelines and evolved into multiple explosions during emergency response; both leaks were caused by the corrosion of pipelines in the confined space of a damp or salt-spray environment; both were classified as 'responsibility accidents', and unsafe acts, such as the failure to identify hidden hazards of pipelines that were the direct cause of accidents, reflected the shortcomings of individual safety habitual behaviour in terms of knowledge, awareness, habits and psychology; weaknesses in the organizational management mainly concerned hazard identification, pipeline maintenance, emergency disposal, etc.; and there is not a good safety climate within the organization. Conclusions. Organizations should develop a closed-loop management system and strengthen the construction of safety culture, and the government should supervise the implementation of procedures.

A chemical accident cause text mining method based on improved accident triangle.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid development of China's chemical industry, although researchers have developed many methods in the field of chemical safety, the situation of chemical safety in China is still not optimistic. How to prevent accidents has always been the focus of scholars' attention. METHODS: Based on the characteristics of chemical enterprises and the Heinrich accident triangle, this paper developed the organizational-level accident triangle, which divides accidents into group-level, unit-level, and workshop-level accidents. Based on 484 accident records of a large chemical enterprise in China, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze the rationality of accident classification and the occurrence rules of accidents at different levels. In addition, this paper used TF-IDF and K-means algorithms to extract keywords and perform text clustering analysis for accidents at different levels based on accident classification. The risk factors of each accident cluster were further analyzed, and improvement measures were proposed for the sample enterprises. RESULTS: The results show that reducing unit-level accidents can prevent group-level accidents. The accidents of the sample enterprises are mainly personal injury accidents, production accidents, environmental pollution accidents, and quality accidents. The leading causes of personal injury accidents are employees' unsafe behaviors, such as poor safety awareness, non-standard operation, illegal operation, untimely communication, etc. The leading causes of production accidents, environmental pollution accidents, and quality accidents include the unsafe state of materials, such as equipment damage, pipeline leakage, short-circuiting, excessive fluctuation of process parameters, etc. CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional accident classification method, the accident triangle proposed in this paper based on the organizational level dramatically reduces the differences between accidents, helps enterprises quickly identify risk factors, and prevents accidents. This method can effectively prevent accidents and provide helpful guidance for the safety management of chemical enterprises.

Integrated environmental health assessment: Proposed approaches to exposure during chemical incidents.

An integrated environmental health exposure assessment (IEHA) refers to the integration of human biomonitoring data (HBM) and environmental measurements and aims to optimize the exposure assessment process. Due to lack of data, this approach remains an issue during chemical incidents. This study aims to explore integrated exposure approaches for assessing human health risks during chemical incidents. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, a literature analysis was performed. A level of confidence ranging from 1 to 4 was established to define the quality and strength of data used to undertake an IEHA approach. Twenty-seven articles (n = 18) and texts (n = 9) from Europe (41%) and the United States (37%) were analyzed. Among the 18 scientific articles, 61% (n = 11) presented a quantitative approach and 17% (n = 3) presented a qualitative approach. Quantitative approaches must be based on accurate data, coupled with predictive models. Of all the scientific papers, 40% (n = 7) responded to a confidence level greater than or equal to 2. Uncertainties detected through the integrated exposure approaches were related to input data, analytical methods, and HBM reference value interpretations. During chemical incidents, direct measurements were the most relevant data. Few scientific studies have developed an integrated approach during emergency situations. However, when this was used, they presented a high level of confidence by defining levels of exposure that support decision-making processes. Despite the multiple approaches, there was a lack of guidelines allowing an integrated risk assessment to be performed during an emergency chemical exposure. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:481-497. © 2023 SETAC.

[The advantages of the fire department nurse in managing a CBRN event]. / Les atouts de l'infirmier de sapeurs-pompiers dans la gestion d'un événement NRBC.

Nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical hazards are caused by agents of very different origins. They can be blatant or insidious, difficult to detect, accidental or intentional. In all cases, in addition to treating victims, the aim is to avoid contamination of hospital services. Faced with these risks, which are often seen as unlikely or too complex, the firefighter nurse represents an asset for his or her establishment, in terms of both crisis anticipation and management.

Situation awareness of emergency response centre personnel during chemical incidents: an interview study in a Swedish context.

OBJECTIVES: If a chemical incident occurs, the emergency response centre (ERC) personnel are the first that are notified. They need to quickly attain situation awareness, based on the information from the caller, in order to dispatch the correct emergency units. The aim of this study is to examine the situation awareness of the personnel working at ERCs-how they perceive, comprehend, project and act during chemical incidents. METHODS: Semi-structured individual interviews with 12 participants from the Swedish ERCs were performed. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Three categories of responses were identified. Responses focused on the complexity of identifying chemical incidents, the importance of ensuring the safety of citizens and personnel of emergency organisations and the situation-based dispatch of organisations. CONCLUSIONS: The correct identification of the chemical incident and the involved chemical by the ERC personnel are necessary in order to notify, inform and dispatch the correct units, as well as to ensure the safety of citizens and emergency personnel. More research is needed about the dichotomies of the ERC personnel needing as much information as possible for everyone's safety versus their responsibility for the safety of the caller as well as between using emergency dispatch index interview guides and trusting their gut feeling.

Management of decontamination in chemical accidents: a laboratory model.

Rapid and efficient decontamination of the skin is a major task for emergency rescue services in the event of a chemical accident involving humans. While rinsing the skin with water (and soap) has been the standard procedure, some skepticism has developed in recent years regarding the situational suitability of this method. The efficacy of three different decontamination materials/techniques (Easyderm® cleaning cloth, water-soaked all-purpose sponge, rinsing with water) in removing Capsaicin, Bromadiolone, Paraquat and 2,2'-dichlorodiethylether (DCEE) from porcine skin was compared. Different cleaning motions (wiping, twisting, pressing) with the Easyderm® were evaluated for their effectiveness in removing Capsaicin from porcine skin. Finally, the impact of different exposure times of the skin to Capsaicin on the decontamination process were investigated. Contaminant recovery rates (CRRs) were analysed in the skin and in each decontamination material using high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC; used for Capsaicin, Bromadiolone, Paraquat) or gas chromatography (GC; used for DCEE). Wiping the skin with the amphiphilic Easyderm® was most effective for decontamination of Capsaicin and DCEE, while the water rinsing method gave the best results for removing Paraquat and Bromadiolone. Both wiping with the Easyderm® and rotating the Easyderm® were significantly more effective in cleaning Capsaicin-contaminated skin than pressing the Easyderm® on the contamination area alone. Prolonged exposure times of the porcine skin to Capsaicin were associated with a decrease in efficacy of the following decontamination. Emergency rescue services should have materials available that can remove both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances from skin. Since not all of our results for comparing different decontamination materials were as distinct as we expected, there are likely several other factors determining the efficacy of skin decontamination in some cases. Time is key; therefore, first responders should try to begin the decontamination process as soon as possible after arriving at the scene.

Desenvolvimento de competências para evacuação aeromédica em emergências e desastres: protocolo de revisão de escopo / Skill development for aeromedical evacuation in emergencies and disasters: a scoping review protocol

OBJETIVO: mapear a produção técnico-científica sobre as competências necessárias para o desenvolvimento de evacuações aeromédicas em situações de emergências e desastres envolvendo agentes químicos, biológicos, radiológicos e nucleares. MÉTODO: protocolo de revisão de escopo. A elaboração deste protocolo foi baseada nas recomendações do Instituto Joanna Briggs, atendendo às recomendações do Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Este protocolo orientará o processo de identificação de fontes de informação, extração de dados e análise de resultados, a partir da necessidade de dar suporte à análise das ações de capacitação de equipes de saúde frente às demandas clínicas e gerenciais a serem criteriosamente observadas em tais situações.

OBJECTIVE: to map the technical-scientific production on the skills necessary for aeromedical evacuation in emergency and disaster situations involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents. METHOD: scoping review protocol. The elaboration of this protocol was based on the Joanna Briggs Institute's recommendations, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). This protocol will guide the identification of the sources of information, data extraction, and the analysis of the results based on the need to support the analysis of training actions for health teams facing clinical and managerial demands that must be carefully considered in such situations.

Global event-based surveillance of chemical incidents.

BACKGROUND: The number of chemicals in our society and in our daily lives continues to increase. Accompanying this is an increasing risk of human exposure to and injury from hazardous substances. Performing regular, structured surveillance of chemical incidents allows a greater awareness of the types of chemical hazards causing injury and the frequency of their occurrence, as well as providing a better understanding of exposures. OBJECTIVE: The objective of performing event-based surveillance (EBS) and capturing chemical incidents is to use this information to increase the situational awareness of chemical incidents, improve the management of these incidents and to inform measures to protect public health. METHODS: This paper describes a method for EBS for chemical incidents, including the sources used, storing the gathered information and subsequent analysis of potential trends in the data. RESULTS: We describe trends in the type of incidents that have been detected, the chemicals involved in these incidents and the health effects caused, in different geographic regions of the world. SIGNIFICANCE: The methodology presented here provides a rapid and simple means of identifying chemical incidents that can be set up rapidly and with minimal cost, the outputs of which can be used to identify emerging risks and inform preparedness planning, response and training for chemical incidents.

Prediction of time in industrial chemical accidents: A survival analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chemical accidents have imposed casualties and high economic and social consequences to Iranian industries and society. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of risk factors involved in occurrences of the chemical accidents and predicted the time of occurrences in Iranian chemical factories. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was implemented in 574 chemical facilities with more than 25 employees from 2018 to 2020. Collecting data instruments were 2 checklists with 15 and 25 three-point Likert scale questions, respectively. Chi square and Monte Carlo tests assessed the relationships between independent risk factors and dependent hazardous chemical accidents. Cox semi-parametric and log-normal parametric models were used to predict the upcoming time of chemical accidents based on the impacts of risk factors understudy. Data analyses were performed using Stata and R software. RESULTS: The results showed that safety data sheets, labeling, fire extinguishing system, safe chemicals storage, separation, loading, transportation and training were statistically significant with occurrences of the chemical accidents (P-value < 0.05). Loading and transportation were mostly related to chemical incidents and reduced significantly the expected time of chemical events (P-value = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Establishing a comprehensive chemical accidents dataset and strict governmental supervision on chemical safety regulations are suggested to decrease the chemical accidents at regional and local levels in chemical plants.

Case study: managing the public health impact of chemical incidents in the Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea has fortified its response to chemical incidents, aligning with WHO guidelines and the International Health Regulations. A robust database aids exposure assessments, while trained local hospitals play a pivotal role in examinations and care. The Chemical Substances Control Act bolsters incident management, fostering collaborations between national and local entities. Mental health considerations now shape assessments, addressing trauma beyond chemical exposure. Categorized health impact outcomes refine response strategies, backed by increased resources and private sector contributions. Enterprises involved in incidents cover treatment fees, safeguarding human health. Korea’s commitment to managing chemical incidents and public health is demonstrated.

Accidental release of chlorine from a cylinder during transport and an emergency response plan: A scenario-based study.

INTRODUCTION: This article summarizes our research study on the scenario of an accidental chlorine gas release during transportation and preparing emergency response plan to mitigate the subsequent hazards in urban areas. METHODOLOGY: To conduct the research study, the event tree analysis (ETA), a series of brain storming sessions, and a modeling of consequences of an accident using the Phylogenetic Analysis with Space/Time models (PHAST) software were employed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Based on the result of the event tree, 32 initial occurring paths and 20 eventual occurring paths are identified as the outcome. The evacuation time is about 41 seconds, which is very short, and the odds of casualties are estimated at 99 percent within a radius of 140-192 m from the release site, 50 percent within a radius of 202-599 m, and 1 percent within a radius of 758 m. CONCLUSION: Along with the use of consequence modeling, the development of the ETA can be effective in emergency preparedness. In the case of a chlorine gas release, it would not be possible to effectively control the source of release. Furthermore, the result indicates that in a major city like Tehran, the application and transport of chlorine gas can be a serious challenge.

Characteristics and Statistical Analysis of Large and above Hazardous Chemical Accidents in China from 2000 to 2020.

To investigate the occurrence and development pattern of large-scale hazardous chemicals emergencies, a statistical analysis of 195 large and above accidents of hazardous chemicals in China during 2000-2020 was conducted. A general description of the characteristics of larger and above accidents based on statistical data was analyzed, and then the system risk of the hazardous chemical industry was calculated and evaluated by the entropy weight method and the TOPSIS method comprehensively. Results show that: (1) The geographical distribution of large and above hazardous chemical accidents (LAHCA) varies significantly; (2) The high-temperature season has high probabilities of having large and above accidents; (3) Human factors and management factors are the main causes of LAHCA; (4) During the period from 2000 to 2020, due to the rapid development of the chemical industry, the overall risk of accidents involving hazardous chemicals were upswing accompanied by volatility, and the risk of serious accidents remains high. The development history of safety regulations in China's hazardous chemical sector and the industry's projected course for future growth were then discussed. Finally, based on the findings of the aforementioned statistics and research, specific recommendations were provided for the safety management of the hazardous chemical sector. This study expects to provide a practical and effective reference for the construction of safety management as well as accident prevention in the hazardous chemical industry.

Hazardous Chemicals Road Transportation Accidents and the Corresponding Evacuation Events from 2012 to 2020 in China: A Review.

Based on accident data from the China Chemical Accident Information Network, detailed information was obtained from 2657 hazardous chemicals road transportation accidents (HCRTAs) and 148 evacuations caused by these accidents that occurred in China from 2012 to 2020. The characteristics and the development trend of the present HCRTAs in China and the rate of emergency are obtained via statistical analysis. Based on the probability of evacuation scenarios via historical statistics, the social cost of labor loss value of participating emergency responders, and evacuees' placement and transfer cost as the consequences of evacuation events, an evacuation event grading model based on social risk assessment is constructed. Evaluating and classifying the risk of evacuation events caused by HCRTAs (148), the results demonstrated that the social risk caused by emergency scenarios F_61 (leakage due to overturning of hazardous chemical vehicles, which led to evacuation) and F_91 (leakage due to rear-end of hazardous chemical vehicles, which led to evacuation) was higher than other emergency scenarios. To reduce the dangers caused by HCRTAs, the framework for improving the emergency response capacity of communities is discussed and analyzed based on five aspects, which comprise land use planning, city construction, education promotion, information construction, and the layout of emergency resources.

Assessment of the effectiveness of a course in major chemical incidents for front line health care providers: a pilot study from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Mass chemical exposure emergencies are infrequent but can cause injury, illness, or loss of life for large numbers of victims. These emergencies can stretch and challenge the available resources of healthcare systems within the community. Political unrest in the Middle East, including chemical terrorist attacks against civilians in Syria and increasing chemical industry accidents, have highlighted the lack of hospital preparedness for chemical incidents in the region. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a course designed to empower frontline healthcare providers involved in mass casualty incidents with the basic knowledge and essential operational skills for mass chemical exposure incidents in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was used to develop a blended learning, simulation enhanced, competency-based course for major chemical incidents for front line healthcare providers. The course was designed by experts from different disciplines (disaster medicine, poisoning / toxicology, and Hazard Material Threat - HAZMAT team) in four stages. The course was piloted over five days at the Officers Club of the Ministry of Interior (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). The 41 participants were from different government health discipline sectors in the country. Pre- and post-tests were used to assess learner knowledge while debriefing sessions after the decontamination triage session and simulation-enhanced exercises were used for team performance assessment. RESULTS: The overall knowledge scores were significantly higher in the post-test (69.47%) than the pre-test (46.3%). All four knowledge domains also had significant differences between pre- and post-test results. There were no differences in the pre and post-test scores for healthcare providers from the different health disciplines. A one-year post-event survey demonstrated that participants were satisfied with their knowledge retention. Interestingly, 38.3% had the opportunity to put this knowledge into practice in relation to mass chemical exposure incidents. CONCLUSION: Delivering a foundation level competency-based blended learning course with enhanced simulation training in major chemical incidents for front line healthcare providers may improve their knowledge and skills in response to such incidents. This in turn can improve the level of national preparedness and staff availability and make a crucial difference in reducing the health impacts among victims.

Chemical accidents in freshwater: Development of forecasting system for drinking water resources.

Chemical accidents have threatened drinking water safety and aquatic systems when hazardous chemicals flow into inland waterbodies through pipelines in industrial complexes. In this study, a forecasting system was developed for the prevention of drinking water resource pollution by considering chemical transport/fate through both pipelines and river channels. To this end, we coupled a pipe network model (Storm Water Management Model) with a calibrated hydrodynamic model (Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code). In addition, we investigated whether chemical transport through pipelines would make a difference in chemical concentration predictions. For both pipelines and river channels, the results showed lower peak concentrations than those without pipelines, whereas the time of peak concentration did not change significantly. When chemicals were transported with both pipelines and river channels, the peak concentrations were 25.81% and 41.91% lower than those of chemicals carried directly into the Han and Geum Rivers without the pipeline transport. Further, our system is automated from scenario generation to analysis and usage is straightforward, with a simple input of accident information. The results of this study can be utilized to establish a safe water supply system and preliminary countermeasures against accidental water pollution in the future.