What Are Hazardous Substances?
Hazardous materials are substances responsible for harming humans and the environment. These hazardous materials include radioactive agents, chemicals, combustible substances, flammable substances, poisons, acid explosives, etc. These materials require efficient handling. Special care must be taken during the making, storing, shipping, and use of these products to ensure they don't leak or spill, which could lead to a serious accident. If exposed to the environment, they can severely threaten people's lives, not only in the present generation but also in the upcoming generations.
What Are the Types of Hazardous Substances and Their Effects?
Hazardous substances are classified according to their type and composition. Some of them include the following:
- Poison: It is a substance that can cause harm to a particular body organ or the entire body and sometimes even results in death if inhaled, eaten, or ingested. The bottles of such products contain severe warnings, too. Poison can be of various types, such as -
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Snake Venom: When a snake bites a human, it causes severe pain, bluish discoloration of that organ or body, or apparent death if not treated promptly.
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Carbon Monoxide: A poisonous gas that is more dangerous as it is odorless and does not possess color. It becomes more challenging to identify it. It is usually a result of burning fuel.
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Drug Abuse: Another important example of poisoning is drug abuse. It is commonly seen these days that many deaths are caused accidentally or intentionally due to drug intake. These include opioids, alcohol, sedatives, hallucinogens, nicotine, etc. Identification of these drugs in one's body is done via blood and urine tests.
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Food Poisoning: Bacteria, insecticides, or pesticides can cause it. A large amount of these insecticides are seen these days that generate health hazards to an individual, such as stomach problems, allergic reactions, etc.
- Flammable Substances: These are the substances that catch fire quickly, such as LPG (liquid petroleum gas) and CNG (compressed natural gas). They require very efficient handling during storage and transportation from one place to another, as even a slight leakage can cause massive damage to life and property.
- Chemicals: The Bhopal gas tragedy, caused by a chemical called methyl isocyanide, was one of the most well-known accidents at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), Bhopal, in 1984. It affected 5 lac people in and around Bhopal, with about 10,000 deaths, which involved the respiratory system mainly, causing a burning sensation, coughing, difficulty breathing, irritation in the eyes, stomach aches, vomiting, etc. Many died immediately due to these symptoms, while others got severe diseases such as cancer, blindness, etc. Some diseases can be seen in the next generation, too, inherited from their parents.
- Radioactive Agents: These can cause serious health hazards. They are present in nuclear activities, for example, in nuclear power plants. An explosion in one of these plants can have serious consequences for human health and the environment. In explosive materials such as weapons, radioactive elements are present. Radioactive therapy and X-rays, for example, can aid cancer treatment but have adverse side effects on the body.
What Is the Management of Hazardous Material Accidents?
Proper Handling
Always take precautions when handling such liquids and gasses. They have warnings and labels that indicate whether they are acidic, carcinogenic, flammable, radioactive, alkaline, combustible, etc. One should check these carefully. The warnings include the amount of hazardous material, their odor, the symptoms that occur while exposure to them, and the usage of a PPE (personal protective equipment) kit while handling them.
Management
If a spill or leakage of any hazardous substance occurs, check the amount of the spill. If it is too small, it can be handled by the organization or person and checked for its aftereffects. But if the spill is major, call all the concerned authorities and follow these steps:
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Evacuate the entire area immediately.
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Check for emergency medical assistance immediately.
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The testing team should check for spills with proper PPE and masks.
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Safety showers and eyewashes should be recommended.
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Check for further symptoms and treat them accordingly.
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Check for the type, odor, and severity of the chemical.
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If a large incident occurs in any industry or factory, listen to the announcements made through radio, television, etc.
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If your residence lies close to the affected site, leave immediately to a safer place.
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Close all the windows and doors to reduce contamination if it is far away.
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Block that particular area and restrict entry to the public.
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Isolate the people who caught contamination to prevent its spreading.
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Drain the area to prevent contamination of the environment.
Patient Management
The affected patient should be isolated and examined.
The first thing to be done is decontamination. Keep the patient in a clean and sterilized room. Remove all the contaminated clothes and accessories. Wash off the contamination properly with water. The use of rinsate is also suggested. Next, stabilize the patient and check his vital signs. ABC (airway, breathing, and circulation) should be monitored. A personal protective kit, consisting of two types of clothing: chemical protective clothing (CPCs) and respiratory protective clothing (RPCs), should be used by the person handling the boots. CPCs include gloves, boot coveralls with headgear, and a fully encapsulating suit. These come in three types: light-duty for weak acids, medium-duty for chemicals that aren't too dangerous, and heavy-duty for the most dangerous substances.
Once the patient is stabilized, remove contamination from the eyes and nose before moving on to other areas. After decontamination, a waterproof dressing is provided. Continuously monitor the patient as some chemicals show their effects later. In cases of burns, keep the patient hydrated, and fluids should be administered. Waste management of contaminated products such as clothes, gloves, and PPE should be done appropriately to prevent further harm to an individual or the environment.
Conclusion
The primary goal of this article is to examine the hazardous substances that are still present in the environment and can cause harm to people either accidentally or on purpose. The main aim is the proper handling and storage of such substances. The management of the accidents caused by these substances can be done by applying all the safety measures provided by the concerned authority and with the help of government officials. If a patient gets exposed to such chemicals, the firm aim is to make him decontaminated. Once the patient is stabilized, further treatment can be started.
