2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Information Resources
As the situation regarding the Gulf oil spill continues to evolve, ACOEM is providing the following links for physicians and others seeking the latest original source information. This information will be reviewed and updated as new information becomes available. The following are links to the U.S. government agencies (including CDC, OSHA, NIOSH, and ATSDR) involved in the cleanup activities related to worker health and safety.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
(http://emergency.cdc.gov/gulfoilspill2010/)
Specific information available at this site includes:
Information for Health Professionals
- Hazardous Substances Information
Information for Response Workers
In addition, CDC is providing information for coastal residents including what to expect from the oil spill and how to protect your health.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
(http://www.osha.gov/)
OSHA has posted materials on keeping workers safe during oil spill response and cleanup operations. This section contains information on OSHA activities to date and provides links to pertinent materials:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
(www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/oilspillresponse/)
NIOSH is working to provide recommendations to workers about chemical exposures, physical hazards and biological hazards they may encounter. NIOSH resources include:
NIOSH is also conducting a health hazard evaluation of reported illnesses among workers involved in the Gulf cleanup operation, and is developing a voluntary roster of workers to obtain a record of those who have participated and a mechanism to contact them about possible spill-related symptoms of illness or injury, as needed.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATSDR performs specific functions concerning the effect on public health of hazardous substances in the environment, including health consultations concerning specific hazardous substances, health surveillance and registries, response to emergency releases of hazardous substances, and education and training concerning hazardous substances.
- Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs) – MMGs are intended to aid health care professionals involved in emergency response to effectively decontaminate patients, protect themselves and others from contamination, communicate with other involved personnel, efficiently transport patients to a medical facility, and provide competent medical evaluation and treatment to exposed persons.
- Toxicological Profile for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) – This 315-page document, while published in 1998, contains information related to the toxicity of crude oil and may be of interest.
- Toxic Substances Portal – provides information on specific substances.
ADDITIONAL U.S. FEDERAL RESOURCES
In any response to a complex emergency, different agencies take on specific roles in the response. The following U.S. agencies
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Contains answers to questions about how EPA is responding to environmental concerns in the air and water related to the oil spill.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – FDA is monitoring the situation and its potential impact on the safety of seafood harvested from the area.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) – The National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) has summarized many of the hazards and protections needed for workers involved in oil spill response and cleanup in the Oil Spill Safety Awareness Tool.
National Library of Medicine (NLM) Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) – The DIMRC provides access to quality disaster health information to the nation at all stages of preparation, response, mitigation and recovery.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for the management, conservation, and protection of living marine resources in water 3 to 200 miles offshore. NOAA will continue to monitor the situation and notify the public if any problem is detected with seafood from this area of the country.
Unified Federal Oil Spill Response – The Joint Information Center, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Department of Homeland Security, coordinates this website and all information from federal and private partners involved in responding to the oil spill.