Occupational exposure and poisoning by chemical products in the Federal District / Exposición e intoxicación ocupacional a productos químicos en el Distrito Federal / Exposição e intoxicação ocupacional a produtos químicos no Distrito Federal

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe case of occupational exposure to chemical products. Method: descriptive retrospective study using record data of 382 workers assisted in the Outpatient Care for Occupational Toxicology of the Reference Center of Workers' Health of the Federal District, between 2009 and 2013. Results: From the total, 66.7% were men, 55.2% had up to 9 years of activity and 81% did not use personal protective equipment (PPE). Nearly 60% were farmers and environmental surveillance agents, exposed to pesticides (63%), of which 40% were organophosphorus insecticides. The majority (68%) presented butyrylcholinesterase activity decreased, mostly farmers (85.9%); 57.3% of workers were considered poisoned - 61.6% by pesticides and 37.9% by industrial chemicals -, and away from work for at least 10 days. Conclusion: The profile was male workers, from 30 to 39 years, which not used PPE, indicating the need for prevention together with them to prevent poisonings.

RESUMEN Objetivo: describir casos de exposición ocupacional a productos químicos. Método: estudio retrospectivo descriptivo utilizando datos del prontuario de 382 trabajadores atendidos en el Ambulatorio de Toxicología Ocupacional del Centro de Referencia en Salud del Trabajador del Distrito Federal entre 2009 y 2013. Resultados: El 66,7% eran hombres, el 55,2% tenía hasta 9 años de actividad y el 81% no usaba el equipo de protección individual (EPI). Casi el 60% eran agricultores y agentes de vigilancia ambiental, expuestos a agrotóxicos (63%), de los cuales 40% insecticidas organofosforados. La mayoría (68%) presentó actividad de butirilcolinesterasa disminuida, principalmente agricultores (85,9%); el 57,3% de los trabajadores fueron considerados intoxicados, 61,6% por agrotóxicos y 37,9% por productos químicos industriales, y alejados del trabajo por lo menos 10 días. Conclusión: El perfil de los trabajadores atendidos fue de hombres, predominantemente de 30 a 39 años, que no utilizaban el EPI, indicando la necesidad de acciones de prevención junto a esa población para evitar la ocurrencia de intoxicaciones.

RESUMO Objetivo: descrever casos de exposição ocupacional a produtos químicos. Método: estudo retrospectivo descritivo utilizando dados do prontuário de 382 trabalhadores atendidos no Ambulatório de Toxicologia Ocupacional do Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador do Distrito Federal, entre 2009 e 2013. Resultados: 66,7% eram homens, 55,2% tinham até 9 anos de atividade e 81% não usavam equipamento de proteção individual (EPI). Quase 60% eram agricultores e agentes de vigilância ambiental, expostos a agrotóxicos (63%), dos quais 40% inseticidas organofosforados. A maioria (68%) apresentou atividade de butirilcolinesterase diminuída, principalmente agricultores (85,9%); 57,3% dos trabalhadores foram considerados intoxicados, 61,6% por agrotóxicos e 37,9% por produtos químicos industriais, e afastados do trabalho por pelo menos 10 dias. Conclusão: O perfil dos trabalhadores atendidos foi de homens, predominantemente de 30 a 39 anos, que não utilizavam EPI, indicando a necessidade de ações de prevenção junto a essa população para evitar a ocorrência de intoxicações.

Epidemiology of Emergency Medical Services-Assessed Mass Casualty Incidents according to Causes

To effectively mitigate and reduce the burden of mass casualty incidents (MCIs), preparedness measures should be based on MCIs' epidemiological characteristics. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of emergency medical services (EMS)-assessed MCIs from multiple areas according to cause. Therefore, we extracted the records of all MCIs that involved > or = 6 patients from an EMS database. All patients involved in EMS-assessed MCIs from six areas were eligible for this study, and their prehospital and hospital records were reviewed for a 1-year period. The EMS-assessed MCIs were categorized as being caused by fire accidents (FAs), road traffic accidents (RTAs), chemical and biological agents (CBs), and other mechanical causes (MECHs). A total of 362 EMS-assessed MCIs were identified, with a crude incidence rate of 0.6-5.0/100,000 population. Among these MCIs, 322 were caused by RTAs. The MCIs involved 2,578 patients, and 54.3% of these patients were women. We observed that the most common mechanism of injury varied according to MCI cause, and that a higher number of patients per incident was associated with a longer prehospital time. The highest hospital admission rate was observed for CBs (16 patients, 55.2%), and most patients in RTAs and MECHs experienced non-severe injuries. The total number of deaths was 32 (1.2%). An EMS-assessed MCI database was established using the EMS database and medical records review. Our findings indicate that RTA MCIs create a burden on EMS and emergency department resources, although CB MCIs create a burden on hospitals' resources.