Illness and absenteeism among California highway patrol officers responding to hazardous material spills

Journal Article · · Archives of Environmental Health; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1989.9934384· OSTI ID:7059178

English, P B ^[1]; Shaw, G M; Windham, G C; Neutra, R R ^[2]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, New York (USA)
2. California Department of Health Services, Berkeley (USA)

Highway patrol officers are the primary responders to hazardous material spills in California, yet little is known regarding the health effects resulting from this exposure. A historical cohort study of 993 California highway patrol officers who responded to hazardous material spills in 1984 was conducted. The records of officers who were exposed to acutely toxic chemicals were followed for the subsequent week to determine if they demonstrated more absenteeism or illness compared to officers who were not exposed to toxic chemicals. No significant differences in the frequency of absenteeism or illness was found between the two groups during the week following exposure. No indication was found that exposure to hazardous materials during a highway patrol spill response results in increased absenteeism.

• OSTI ID: 7059178
• Journal Information: Archives of Environmental Health; (USA), Vol. 44:2; ISSN 0003-9896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HEALTH HAZARDS
ACCIDENTS
CALIFORNIA
EPIDEMIOLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
FEDERAL REGION IX
HAZARDS
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
USA
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology