Acute intoxications during work

Information on acute intoxications during work in the Netherlands has been gathered from 4 sources during a 1-year period: 1. The registration of occupational accidents of the Directorate-General of Labour, by reviewing reports on accidents involving chemicals; 2. The Netherlands Poison Control Centre of the National Institute for Public Health and Environmental Hygiene, by tracing back consulting physicians; 3. The Dutch Centre for Health Care Information, by searching their data base for hospital admissions with relevant admission diagnoses and 4. A large Occupational Health Service, which for this purpose recorded incident cases in the population under care. During the period of investigation 5 deaths were reported: 1 case of hydrogen cyanide intoxication, 1 case of carbon dioxide intoxication, and 3 cases of hydrogen sulfide intoxication in combination with oxygen deficiency (nearby a liquid manure tank). At least 690 (supposed) acute intoxications during work occurred, which in 84 cases resulted in hospital admission. The total number of hospital admissions for supposed unintentional acute intoxications by chemicals, usually encountered in workplaces, in the Netherlands in 1984 was at least 477. Substances most often involved belonged to the groups of pesticides, lung and/or skin irritant liquids/vapors/gases and asphyxiants. The working branches most often involved were agriculture and market gardening sectors, (chemical) industries, repair and retail trade and some governmental services (police, fire brigade, defense personnel). The results show considerable underreporting in official statistics on acute intoxications during work.