Environmental and Occupational Health Flashcards
What addresses all physical, chemical, biological factors external to a person, and all related factors impacting behaviors?
Environmental health
What 2 environments does environmental health focus on the potential health impacts?
- Natural environment (outdoor)
2. Artificial environment (indoor)
What is an example of a outdoor environmental health?
Outdoor air quality
What is an example of an artificial environment?
Asbestos
What is one other thing that environmental health focus on?
Identification and control/prevention of environmental factors that can potentially affect health
What are 3 questions to ask from an environmental health standpoint?
- What could be causing his symptoms
- Where did he likely come into contact with the contaminant: Can help avoid exposure in the future
- Is anyone else at risk: Avoid symptoms/disease in a similar at risk population or person
What is found in old paint, soil, and various products?
Inorganic lead
What contributed to ambient inorganic lead contamination?
Leaded gasoline exhaust
What contained organic lead that was stopped in 1976 in the US?
Leaded gasoline
Where is organic lead exposure now limited to?
Occpation
True or False: Organic lead is more toxic than inorganic lead
TRUE
What is a major source of lead exposure to children in the US?
Lead-contaminated household dust
What % of all homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint?
83-86%
What are 5 sources of distribution of lead in the environment?
- Lead paint that remains in older buildings (#1)
- Found around workplaces that involve lead: Automobile workers/repairs
- Contaminate water, food, beverages
- Still found in some commercial products
- Some imported home remedies/cosmetics
What are some specific areas of environmental health?
- Air quality
- Water quality
- Toxic chemical exposure
- Waste management
- Noise pollution
- Vector control
* Areas of environmental health concern are broad
Outdoor/Indoor and Tobacco Smoke?
Air quality
Agriculture, transportation, processing, distribution?
Food safety
Recreational water illness prevention (swimming pools) and safe drinking water?
Water safety
Exposure to ionizing radiation like X-rays and radioactive isotopes?
Radiological health
What are 3 aspects of waste management?
- Solid Waste Management
- Wastewater Treatment Plants
- Hazardous Materials Management
What are examples of solid waste management?
- Landfills
- Recycling Facilities
- Composting
What constitutes
- Liquid waste disposal
- Contaminated site remediation
- Medical waste management and disposal
Hazardous materials management
What are sites of toxic chemical exposure?
Consumer products, housing, workplaces, air, water, soil
What can case cancer in high doses?
Ionizing Radiation
What are 3 types of ionizing radiation?
- Alpha radiation
- Beta particle
- Gamma ray
What is large and contains 2 neutrons and 2 protons and is blocked by paper?
Alpha radiation
How is alpha radiation hazardous to humans?
If it is ingested (little hazard otherwise)
What consists of an energetic electron and can be stopped by metal?
A beta particle
What are gamma rays made of and how can they be stopped?
- They can be made of photons
- They are more penetrating and can be stopped by a thick layer of lead
What protects safety, health, and welfare of people engaged in work or employment?
Occupational health and safety
What is the goal of all occupational health and safety programs?
To create safe work environments
-May also protect co-workers, family members, employers, and customers
What identifies and controls risks in workplace including physical, chemical, biological, and other workplace hazards?
Occupational health studies: Hazards are identified and risk is assessed
What did the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 create?
The Occupational Safety and Heath Administration (OSHA)
What is OHSA a part of?
US Department of Labor
Whose role is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance?
OSHA
What represents more than 4,500 physicians and other health care professionals that promotes worker health through preventative medicine, clinical care, research, and education?
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
What does the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine publish?
The Journal of Occupation and Environmental Medicine
What are 3 components of risk assessment?
- Hazards
- Risks
- Outcomes
What is something that can cause harm if not controlled?
Hazard
What is harm that results from uncontrolled hazard?
Outcome
What is a risk?
The probability that outcome will occur and severity of harm involved
What is involved in hazard assessment?
Individual workplace hazards identified, assessed, and controlled/eliminated as close to source (location of hazard) as possible
What includes:
- Identification of hazards
- Identification of affected workers
- Evaluation of the risk
- Identification of control measures
- Can be quantitative (by assigning #) or qualitative (description)
Risk assessment
What are 4 types of workplace hazards?
- Physical hazards
- Biological hazards
- Chemical hazards
- Psychosocial issues
Noise/vibration, Ionizing radiation, Electricity, Asphyxiation, Cold/head stress, Mechanical hazards (collisions, falls, equipment-related injury)?
Physical hazards
What are 2 examples of biological hazards?
- Blood-borne pathogens
2. Air-borne pathogens
Acids/bases, Heavy metals, Solvents, Asbestos, Fumes?
Chemical hazards
What are 3 types of psychosocial issues?
- Work-related stress
- Bullying
- Sexual harassment
What is a form that contains important information for a substance?
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet
What should a MSDS include?
-Instructions for safe use and potential hazards
(Melting point, boiling point, flash point, toxicity, health effects, first aid, storage, disposal, spill-handing procedures)
What must be made available in workplace for all hazardous chemicals being used?
MSDS
