7.5 Specific Agents Flashcards
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral (fibrous silicate) which, because of its various useful properties (thermal insulation, fire resistance, electrical insulation and high tensile strength), has been in large scale use for about 150 years. Three main types have been used in Great Britain. Can you name the three types?
Crocidolite (blue); Amosite (brown); and Chrysotile (white)
Exposure to chrysotile asbestos poses a greater health hazard than exposure to amphibole.True or false?
False. Amphibole is the more hazardous.
There are four main diseases caused by asbestos. Can you name them?
mesothelioma (which is always fatal); lung cancer (almost always fatal); asbestosis (not always fatal, but very debilitating); and diffuse pleural thickening (not fatal)
There are two types of survey for ACM (asbestos containing material).What are the two types?
management surveyrefurbishment / demolition survey
The purpose of the asbestos ‘management survey’ is…
to ensure that ACM are effectively managed during the normal occupation and use of premises
The asbestos ‘refurbishment / demolition survey’ is required when…
the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition
What type of work with asbestos requires a licensed contractor?
All work with sprayed asbestos coatings and asbestos lagging most work with asbestos insulation and asbestos insulating board (AIB)
What is the hazard being described in the text below (some words have been removed). Breathing in the very fine dust of _________ can lead to the development of _________ (scarring of the lung tissue and breathing difficulties). _________ may be acute resulting in rapidly progressive breathlessness and death within a few months of onset; or more commonly – progressive. Progressive _________ causes fibrosis (hardening or scarring) of the lung tissue and a loss of lung function. The effect continues to develop after exposure has stopped and is irreversible. Sufferers often die prematurely due to heart failure. Lung cancer may also occurs as a progression of fibrosis.
Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS)
What is the hazard being described in the text below (some words have been removed). The following health problems are among the effects associated with exposure to _________: Dermatitis and other skin disorders; Rhinitis (inflammation of nasal mucous membranes / runny nose); Asthma; Nasal cancer.
Wood dust
What is the hazard being described in the text below (some words have been removed). Two types of _________ infection can affect workers in the UK: _________ - transmitted to humans by contact with urine from infected rats; and _________ - transmitted from cattle to humans. Anyone who is exposed to rats, rat or cattle urine or to foetal fluids from cattle is at risk. Farmers are now the main group at risk for both _________ and _________. Vets, meat inspectors, butchers, slaughtermen, sewer workers, and workers in contact with canal and river water have all contracted _________ in recent years. Recreational water users such as canoeists, wind surfers, open water swimmers, jet skiers, pot-holers etc. are also at risk. The route of entry through skin cuts and scratches or the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat and eyes after contact with infected urine or contaminated water.Some cases may be asymptomatic or present in the first phase with the abrupt onset of a flu-like illness, with a severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting. This phase may resolve without treatment. In some cases a second phase occurs involving a return of fever, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and a rash. In more severe cases, there may be kidney failure or meningitis. Generally, cases will recover fully within two to six weeks but some may take up to three months.
Leptospirosis
What is the hazard being described in the text below (some words have been removed). _________ describes a group of diseases including Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever and the most serious of which is _________. It is caused by the bacterium _________ and related bacteria that can be found naturally in environmental water sources. People catch _________ by inhaling small droplets of water containing the bacteria suspended in the air as an aerosol. The following conditions increase the risk from _________: a suitable temperature for growth, 20 to 45oC; a source of nutrients for the organism such as sludge, scale, rust, algae, or other organic matter; a way of creating and spreading breathable droplets, e.g. the aerosol created by a cooling tower, spa pool, or shower. Health effects _________ is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia which principally affects those who are susceptible because of age, illness, immuno-suppression or smoking. It occurs more frequently in men than women. Most people exposed to _________ do not become ill, and _________ does not spread from person to person. The symptoms of _________ are typically similar to those of flu: high temperature, fever and chills; cough; muscle pains; and headache. In a bad case there may also be pneumonia, diarrhoea and signs of mental confusion.
Legionella
What is the hazard being described in the text below (some words have been removed). _________ is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, wood and coal. It is a by-product of mining, smelting, foundry work, and petrochemical processes. Health Effects Early symptoms of _________ can easily be confused with food poisoning, ‘flu’, or tiredness. Symptoms include: headaches, breathlessness, nausea, dizziness, collapse, loss of consciousness, tiredness, drowsiness, vomiting, chest pains, stomach pains, erratic behaviour and visual problems. Prolonged exposure to high levels of _________ can cause paralysis, brain damage and death.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
