Diseases incidents/accidents

The fields of aquatic medicine, followed by aquatic dermatology, have developed due to the ever growing incidence of diseases and accidents relative to the aquatic environment (Fisher 1978 Angelini and Vena 1991, 1997 Angelini and Bonamonte 1997). 

Many organizations utilize the term incident when referring to any unplanned event or event sequence. The reasoning behind their concept is the limitations the word accident connotes. When we discuss losses from incidents, safety professionals know they can take many different forms, i.e., damage to property, equipment, materials, and even the environment, as well as injury, illness, death, and disease. An accident represents some failure on the part of managanent to exercise control over conditions and actions in the workplace. 

The concept of accident and incident are commonly used in safety research, but because various definitions of these concepts exist it is important to state them here. Accident and incident are both defined as unexpected sudden sequences of events with undesired outcomes, inflicting damage to people, property and/or the environment. The short duration of the onset distinguishes accidents and incidents (sudden events) from health and industrial diseases like asbestosis, etc. 

Endocrine Effects. No biochemical evidence of thyroid dysfunction, as evaluated by serum levels of T4, triiodothyronine, and TSH, were reported in a group of 18 workers examined 17 years after an industrial accident during the manufacture of 2,4,5-T (Jennings et al. 1988). The small sample size, the fact that no measure of exposure was provided, and the long period of time between exposure and examination preclude any conclusion regarding possible effects of 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Zober et al. (1994) found a significant increase in the incidence of thyroid disease (no further details provided) 35 years after the BASF accident. An increased incidence of diabetes and subclinical decreases in thyroid function were found in Vietnam veterans who participated in operation Ranch Hand (USAF 1991). 

The two main memory disorders are amnesia and aphasia. Amnesia is a partial or total loss of memory caused by emotional trauma, disease, or brain injury (usually due to head trauma, surgical accidents, or chronic alcohol abuse). Memory loss can occur for events just prior to the amnesia-causing incident (retrograde amnesia), or for events occurring after the incident (anterograde amnesia). In severe cases of anterograde amnesia, the person may be unable to form n memories, although recall of material learned before amnesia s onset is usually unaffected. Many cases of amnesia (even severe) are temporary, so that the person recovers his or her memory. 

Major morbidity in the United States is currently centered on diseases of life style. These morbidities contrast sharply with disease patterns prevalent during the early part of the 20th century. Outside of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, infectious diseases represent a small proportion of prevalent morbidity. Rather, lifestyle diseases, associated with smoking, poor nutrition, a sedentary life style, alcohol and other chemical consumption, homicides, suicides, and accidents, represent the majority of morbidity in the United States. Significant preventive strategies can markedly reduce the incidence, prevalence, and mortality associated with these health care problems. 

Very soon after the Seveso accident people got skin lesions, though no increase in mortality was recorded. Total cancer incidents have not increased, but when looking at different types of cancer, mortality associated with leukemia in men and bone marrow cancer in women showed an increase. An increase in mortality due to heart disease in men has been recorded, but this may be attributed to stress. A further tragic result of the accident was the death of the factory director, who was shot dead while he accompanied his children to school. The so-called Seveso directive, valid in the EU since 1982, states that workers and the public shall know about the hazards from industry, and that security measures in case of accidents should be worked out and implemented. 

Human data on the carcinogenicity of mustard are from (a) battlefield exposures, (b) accidents, and (c) workers in chemical factories. Both British and American smdies have investigated the increased incidence of pulmonary carcinoma arising from World War I battlefield exposure. All are difficult to interpret, owing to the lack of controls for age, chronic pulmonary disease, cigarette smoking, and other factors that might affect the outcome. " ... 

For most businesses, a reportable accident, dangerous occurrence or disease is a very rare event. However, if a report is made, the company must keep a record of the occurrence for three years after the date on which the incident happened. The easiest way to do this would probably be to file a photocopy of the completed accident report form F2508, but a record may be kept in any form which is convenient. 

The well-known specialties in health sciences are medicine and nursing. Health sciences focus on disease, illnesses, and injuries. There are also lesser-known specialties. Epidemiologists study disease patterns and transmittal. Toxicologists study the effects of exposure to materials. Some health science specialties are closely involved in illnesses, injuries, and potential death from incidents and accidents. 

There have also been disasters associated with the manufacture of chemicals. The most notorious was the accident at Bhopal in India in 1984, which resulted in approximately 3000 deaths when leakage occurred from an agrochemical plant. Some workers in chemical factories have contracted occupational diseases as a result of exposure to chemicals. A well known example was the high incidence of bladder cancer among workers coming into contact with bicyclic aromatic amines such as 2-naphthylamine. 

---