Citation

Bridgman SA. J. Public Health Med. 1999; 21(2): 158-165.

Affiliation

Industrial and Community Health Research Centre, Keele University School of Postgraduate Medicine, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10432244

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fallout containing asbestos from a factory fire at Tranmere, Wirral, England, landed on a highly populated urban area with an estimated 16000 people living in the area worst affected, which included a shipbuilding community. There was considerable public concern over the health impact of the acute environmental incident, and great media interest. METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out of the acute environmental incident and its management, and the difficulties encountered. RESULTS: Practical lessons learnt include need for: increased fire-fighter awareness of potential adverse health effects from asbestos in the structure of buildings; early involvement of both Local Authority environmental health and National Health Service public health departments; creation of a systematic local database of potential environmental health hazards in the structure of buildings as well as their contents; 24 hour on-call arrangements with laboratories expert in analyses of fire fallout; rapid quantitative analyses of multiple environmental samples; district written policy on handling asbestos incidents; systematic assessment of fright and media factors in public impact of an incident; dedicated public help-lines open long hours; consistent evidence-based public messages from all those communicating with the public; measurement of asbestos levels in the street and homes for public reassurance; local and health authorities' subscription to an environmental incident support service; formation of an acute environmental incident team to jointly manage and publicly report on airborne acute environmental incidents; clear government definition of responsibilities of different agencies. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides a description of important lessons learnt during an acute environmental incident with asbestos-containing fallout. It will be helpful to those involved in the practical planning for and management of future incidents.

Language: en