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First-Responder Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Cleanup
Addison C Testoff1, Paola Louzado-Feliciano, Kevin J Moore
1From the Departments of Public Health Sciences (A.C.T., P.L.-F., K.J.M., A.J.C.-M.S.), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (A.J.C.-M.), Orthopaedics (A.J.C.-M.) and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (A.J.C.-M.).
Objective:
The aim of the study was to identify and describe factors that impacted first responder's health and safety during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup.
Methods:
Prediscussion survey and six focus group sessions conducted in May 2017 among Louisiana first responders.
Results:
Among the 50 first responders 98.0% were male, 98% Caucasian, 95.3% non-Hispanic, 70.0% married, and group mean age, 40.6 years (SD = 9.8). Oil exposure was reported by 56.2% of first responders, with 59.3% reporting skin contact, 77.8% inhalation, 11.1% ingestion, and 36.7% visited a doctor after the oil spill event. The following four focus group themes emerged: 1) collaboration between fire personnel and incident command staff; 2) ensuring access to personal protective equipment; 3) establishing contamination control protocols; and 4) providing training.
Conclusions:
Louisiana first responders at the oil spill cleanup reported postevent health effects and factors to improve response activities.
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