Paper Example on Environmental Health

Introduction

The environment in which a person lives or works plays an integral role in determining his or her health. Whereas some environments are safe for human lives, some are harmful since they have pollutants or contaminants that are toxic. These toxins when inhaled or touched lead to harmful effects that are both long-term and short-term, which consequently reduce the quality of life as well as the lifespan of an individual. Thus, it is important to develop strategic interventions that minimize or eliminate toxins within a workplace or home. It is worthy to note that different workplaces expose individuals to different types of toxins. Therefore, each intervention strategy is unique to a particular work environment. This paper seeks to establish possible sources of chemical exposure of an interviewee, actual or possible health effects, and the development of teaching areas that will help the interviewee to uphold workplace safety.

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Possible Sources of Exposure to Chemicals

The interviewee, my father, is a mechanic who deals with heavy machinery. His job nature exposes him to a variety of toxins that are detrimental to his health. For instance, he is exposed to chemical substances and dangerous fumes such as diesel exhausts, gas exhausts, asbestos, a brake clean, and solvents among others. These toxins emanate from different sources within the environment that my father operates. For example, solvents are used to make antiknock agents that increase the octane rating of fuel. On the other hand, asbestos originates from the cleaning of brake drums in an automobile repair shop. It is also important to note that diesel exhaust fumes contain benzene and its homologs that are dangerous to humans working within this environment. Also, brake cleans expose the interviewee to lead fumes and dust which has several possible adverse effects on the interviewee.

Actual or Possible Health Effects Related to the Interviewee's Exposures

There are two common ways of toxin exposure: skin contact with dangerous chemicals and breathing chemical fumes. At the age of 53, the interviewee, my father, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a malignant tumor in the lymph node. He elucidated that he frequently had fever without cause. In addition, he had a lymph node enlargement at various positions within the neck, the armpit, and underneath his ear. Furthermore, he complained of itching skin and unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms he exhibited include anemia, night sweat, and lassitude. Cheson et al., (2014) assert that these are clinical manifestations or symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

It is worthy to note that other than the actual health concern that the interviewee highlighted, there are numerous possible health effects of chemical exposure at the garage. For example, Testa (2017) explains that exposure to asbestos is a leading cause of mesothelioma. When a person inhales asbestos dust, it reaches the lungs and then sticks on the lung membrane, pleura. Normally, those suffering from mesothelioma experience back and chest pain which can go undetected for decades because mechanics usually ignore physical pain due to the nature of their jobs. Moreover, victims of mesothelioma experience shortness of breath as a result of the accumulation of fluids in pleura.

Exposure to toxins like benzene and its homologs can cause hematological changes as well as increase the prevalence of mechanics' organic brain damage. Diesel exhaust fumes inhalation, on the other hand, causes short-term effects such as eye irritation, vomiting, wheezing, and numbness. It also results in health complications such as asthma, allergenic and immunological reactions, and airway restrictions. However, long-term exposure to diesel exhaust fumes can result in body mutations and increased chances of lung cancer. Antiknocks have methylpentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl solvent which causes dizziness, headaches, breathing problems, eye irritation, and nausea. In their study, Zoni and Lucchini (2013) elucidate that long-term antiknock solvent exposure can lead to liver and kidney damage. In a related study, Martinez-Finley, Gavin, Aschner, and Gunter (2013) note that manganese, a constituent element of the antiknock solvent, is a neurotoxin which when to the mechanic's body, can result in manganism, a neurological syndrome. In fact, manganism impairs motor skills, causes hyper-irritability, hallucinations, and nervousness (Martinez-Finley et al., 2013).

Lead fumes and dust are also common toxins that mechanics are exposed to when they are using lubricants, working on radiators, doing welding, or painting car parts. Lead positioning results in non-reversing effects to the body. A research study by Liao et al. (2016) ascertained that lead poisoning result in muscle pains, abdominal discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, and constipation among others. It is worthy to note that these symptoms are common to other forms of illness, a situation that makes lead poisoning to go undetected or misdiagnosed for other illnesses (Envirn.org, n.d.). Exposure to lead fumes or dust can result in neurological, gastrointestinal, and neuromuscular health issues (Mazumdar & Goswami, 2014). For instance, it causes short-term loss of memory as well as the inability to focus and concentrate. It also results in numbness, body discomfort, impaired coordination, and severe depression (Koh, Kim, Kim, & Yoo, 2014).

Developing Areas of Teaching

Due to the nature of my father's job, it is imperative to teach him the importance of using personal protective equipment (PPE) in the garage. Teaching areas are as discussed below.

Personal Protection Equipment for Various Organs

PPE enhances workplace safety by protecting workers against safety or health risks (Bosanko & Boylan, 2013). Thus, it reduces employee exposure to chemicals or toxins where administrative and engineering controls are not effective or feasible to minimize these risks to levels that are acceptable. In a garage workplace, various body parts such as the skin, face, eye, nose, and so on are exposed to toxic chemicals from asbestos, lead fumes, among others. PPE will guarantee the protection of these vital organs as described below.

Face and eye protection. Various gases or liquids such as lubricants, diesel fuels, lead dust or fumes, and so on can enter the eye and result in health issues. Wearing PPE that guarantee eye and face protection is therefore mandatory in a garage. Examples of PPE for this purpose include safety spectacles, full face shields, visors, face screens, and goggles. It is important to ensure that the eye protection equipment chosen has the most appropriate combination that fits the task to be carried out.

Nasal and respiratory protection. A mechanic handles chemical substances that produce fumes that reach the lungs when inhaled. Other than the fumes, mechanics are exposed to paint spray and metallic dust which can lead to permanent body impairment. For this reason, the interviewee and other mechanics need to protect themselves from the toxic fumes and dust by wearing specialized PPE called respiratory protection equipment (RPE) which is broadly categorized into respirators and breathing apparatus. It is important to highlight that respirators use filters that remove workplace contaminants such as lead fumes, paint spray, and so on. On the contrary, breathing apparatus ensures workplace safety by supplying an independent source of quality air breathing supply from an air compressor or air cylinder.

Head and neck protection. Chemical splash or drops can fall on the neck or head, thereby causing hematological problems such as skin burns or cancer. PPEs for head protection include bump caps, safety helmets, and hairnets while scarves are for neck protection. For enhanced protection, safety helmets should incorporate specially-designed hearing or eye protection.

Hand and skin protection. A lot of work in a garage entails the use of hands, which makes hands and the skin susceptible to chemical toxin contact which can result in health issues such as skin cancers, contact dermatitis, and so on. These skin diseases can be very costly to treat hence the need to for skin protection when working in a garage. It is worthy to note that there are many PPEs for hand protection which include rubber gloves, chainsaw gloves, and cut-resistant gloves among others (Envirn.org, n.d.).

Whole body protection. The whole body needs to be protected from exposure to chemical toxins and dust particles that can result in health complications. There are various available PPE options for whole body protection such as disposable overalls, aprons, or chemical suits. The choice of PPE material used will depend on chemical impermeability, anti-static capability, and so on.

Selection and Use of Personal Protection Equipment

The selection of PPE depends on the type of job, the length of exposure, and the quantity of toxin exposure. Mechanics need to choose only PPE products that are CE marked according to PPE Regulations of 2002. In addition, mechanics should choose equipment that suits them in terms of weight and size to guarantee their comfort when doing garage work. Moreover, those PPEs used concomitantly should be worn with care to avoid compromising the health safety of mechanics. Mechanics should always wear their PPE at all times irrespective of the duration of the job. Most mechanics tend to work without PPE for short time jobs, a condition that exposes them to toxins. Mechanics should also liaise with specialist advisers and manufacturers on the most appropriate PPE to use in their workplace. Lastly, using PPEs entail getting experience on how to remove the equipment from the body without causing skin contamination.

Maintenance of Personal Protection Equipment

For reusable PPEs, mechanics should store in a dry place such as a clean cupboard. In addition, they must be kept clean and in good condition. It is also imperative to use the right replacement parts that match the original PPE. Mechanics should also have disposable suits for non-recyclable as well as worn out PPEs.

Conclusion

The workplace or residence determines the health of an individual in that environment. The level of toxins determines the quality of life that a person lives. In particular, a garage workplace exposes a person to a variety of toxins such as lead fumes, car paints, diesel exhaust fumes, and so on which lead to health complications. For instance, it leads to skin irritation, skin cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and mesothelioma among others. For this reason, it is imperative to maintain high levels of workplace safety to minimize or eliminate exposure to garage toxins. The best way to achieve workplace safety is teaching workers within that environment how to adhere to protective measures.

References

Bosanko, C., & Boylan, M. (2013). Personal Protective Equipment. ABC of Prehospital Emergency Medicine, 258, 7.

Cheson, B. D., Fisher, R. I., Barrington, S. F., Cavalli, F., Schwartz, L. H., Zucca, E., & Lister, T. A. (2014). Recommendations for initial evaluation, staging, and response assessment of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: the Lugano classification. Journal of clinical oncology, 32(27), 3059.

Envirn.org. (n.d.). Environmental Health in Nursing - Unit III: Environmental Health Sciences. Available at: https://envirn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Environmental-Health-in-Nursing_Unit-III.pdf [Accessed 5 Jun. 2018].

Envirn.org. (n.d.). Environmental Health in Nursing - Unit IV: Practical Settings. Available at: https://envirn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Environmental-Health-in-Nursing_Unit-IV.pdf [Accessed 5 Jun. 2018].

Koh, D. H., Kim, J. I., Kim, K. H., & Yoo, S. W. (2014). Welding fume exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in welders. Occupational Medicine, 65(1),...