Poison Center Surveillance of Occupational Incidents with Hazardous Materials (2016-2023): Insights for Risk Mitigation and Incident Preparedness

Abstract

Incidents involving hazardous materials (HAZMAT incidents) can impact human health and the environment. For the development of risk mitigation strategies, it is essential to understand the circumstances of such incidents. A retrospective study (2016-2023) of acute occupational HAZMAT incidents involving multiple patients (>1, including workers, emergency responders and bystanders) reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Center was conducted. We only included incidents that occurred during the performance of work or as a result of a disruption of a work-related process. Patient characteristics, exposure circumstances (such as the substances involved, chemical phase, and type of release (e.g., spill/release or fire/explosion)) and business classes were analyzed to identify risk factors. From 2016 to 2023, the DPIC was consulted about 516 HAZMAT incidents. Inhalation was the most common route of exposure (89%). Patients were often exposed to chemical asphyxiants (n = 156) and acids ( n = 151). Most incidents occurred in fixed facilities ( n = 447), while 49 incidents occurred during transport. The primary cause was a spill/release ( n = 414), followed by a fire/explosion ( n = 65). Most patients were exposed to a gas/vapor ( n = 421), followed by a liquid ( n = 59) or solid ( n = 28). Incidents frequently occurred in industry (20%). The majority of patients reported mild to moderate health effects. Surveillance data on HAZMAT incidents are essential for incident preparedness. Poison Center data can help identify risk factors, which can be used to develop risk mitigation strategies to prevent future incidents.