Download Protection from Environmental Factors

Protection from Environmental
Factors
Protection from Environmental Factors
 What are some examples of different ways we
protect ourselves from contaminants?
 Medical and Non-medical Ways
Medical Ways
 Vaccine
 Protection from pathogens
 Example: Flu Shot, Booster Shot, Hep B, Polio
 Protect against spreadable infectious diseases caused by
microbes
 How They Work:
 use body’s natural ability to defend itself by exposing it to small
amounts of microbes and letting immunity build up ~
 Lymphatic System (immune system)
 most vaccines contain microbes that have been weakened or
killed
Medical Ways – Polio Cases
Medical Ways – Vaccine Con’t
 Naturally Acquired Immunity
 Old way of building up immunity before vaccines
 Contract disease and hopefully survive it
 Artificially Acquired Immunity
 Provided through vaccines b/c don’t have to get disease to build
up immunity
 Protect both individual and community
 Herd Immunity: need certain number of people in
community = whole community less likely to contract
disease
Medical Ways
Medication
 Used when vaccine not available
 Prevent, treat symptoms and cure diseases
 Example:


Malaria – mosquitoes; antimalaria medication – kill parasites that
cause malaria
Asthma – inflammation of the lungs airways, caused by various triggers
(dust mites, pollen, smog, etc); corticosteroid (hormone) medication
inhaled with puffer
Non-Medical Ways
Sunscreen and Sun Protective Clothing
 SPF = sun protective factor; represents length of time that
sunscreen-protected skin can be exposed to UVB Rays only before
it turns red
 Example: SPF 15 – 15 times longer in sun before burn (30
minutes = 450 minutes with SPF 15 on)
 Broad Band Spectrum – protection from both UVB and UVA
 What type of UV Rays was most active and dangerous? What was least?
Non-Medical Ways
Sun Protective Clothing Con’t
 Rated using UPF numbers (ultraviolet protection factor)
 Protects from both UVB and UVA
 Rating that is used to measure amount of UV rays that pass
through fabrics when exposed to UV radiation
Non-Medical Ways – Sun Protective
Clothing Con’t
UPF rating
Protection category
% UV rays blocked
15-24
good
93.3-95.9
25-39
very good
96.0-97.4
40 and over
excellent
97.5 or more
Non-Medical Ways – Sun Protective
Clothing Con’t
 Regular clothing does provide some UV protection
 Dark colours (dyes absorb rays)
 Tightly woven
 Worn and wet = less protective
Everyday fabrics that provide more sun
Everyday fabrics that provide less sun
protection
protection

Blue or black denim jeans

Polyester crepe

100% polyester

Bleached cotton

Shiny polyester blends

Viscose

Satin-finish silk

Loosely woven knits

Tightly woven fabrics

Undyed white denim jeans

Unbleached cotton

Threadbare worn fabric
Non-Medical Ways
Air-Purifying Respirators and Supplied-Air
Respirators
 What types of Environmental Factors would respirators protect against?
 Carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide,
etc....chemical fumes, infectious pathogens
 Give examples of professions who use respirators.
 Firefighters, construction workers, healthcare workers
Non-Medical Ways
Air-Purifying Respirators (APRs)
 Remove airborne contaminants like particulate matter
 Some absorb chemical gases and microbes in a cartridge or
canister
Non-Medical Ways
Supplied-Air Respirator (SAR)
 Supply clean air through compressed air tank or air line
 Used in extremely hazardous environments
 Example: figherfighters in smoke filled burning buildings or
toxic industrial contaminants in air
 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
 User carries in tank with them on their back
 Two types: Open-Circuit SCBA, Closed-Circuit SCBA
Non-Medical Ways
 Open-Circuit SCBAs
 Provide clean air from a cylinder; user exhales directly into the
atmosphere
 Closed-Circuit SCBAs
 Recycle users exhaled air; carbon dioxide removed and oxygen
added from a chemical canister when passed through a
mechanism
 What type do firefighters use?
Non-Medical Ways
Hearing Protection
 Noise Pollution; Hearing Loss
 Ear Plugs
 Made of foam; inserted into ear canal
 Ear Muffs
 Made of sound reducing material and soft ear cushion covered by
hard outer cups
 Can be worn together to provide more protection from really
loud noises
Non-Medical Ways
Ear plugs
Ear Muffs
Advantages:
Advantages:

Small and easily carried


Simple to use

Less expensive

Convenient to use with other personal
protection equipment (e.g., can be worn
ability among different users

More comfortable to wear in hot, humid
Designed so that one size fits most
head sizes

with ear muffs)

More consistent noise-reducing
More durable; have replaceable
parts

work areas
Easily seen at a distance to assist in
monitoring their use

Not easily misplaced or lost

May be worn with minor ear
infections
Non-Medical Ways
Ear Plugs
Ear Muffs
Disadvantages:
Disadvantages:

Provide less noise protection than some

Less portable and heavier to wear
ear muffs

More expensive
Custom molded plugs require more time

More inconvenient to use with

to fit
other personal protective

More difficult to insert and remove
equipment (e.g., may interfere

Must be properly inserted to provide
with the wearing of safety or
effective protection
prescription glasses; wearing
Use requires good hygiene practices to
glasses may break the seal
avoid dirt and bacteria entering the ears,
between the ear muff and the
causing ear infections
skin, resulting in decreased

May irritate the ear canal
hearing protection)

Easily misplaced


More uncomfortable to wear in
hot, humid work areas