Occupational health issues among non-traditional response workers following Hurricane Sandy

Background: In New York City, mold damage and other flood-related contamination has been a significant concern among the public, homeowners, and public health agencies following Hurricane Sandy. Following the storm, lay persons, who had no previous experience remediating homes with damage from environmental hazards, began ad hoc reparations to residential buildings and were exposed to mold, asbestos and other environmental contaminants. 

Methods: A field survey of 400 homeowners and volunteers who performed mold remediation activities and participated in NYC Department of Health sponsored worker safety training programs, was administered to determine possible exposures and health effects.  In addition, 400 homeowners and volunteers who performed remediation activities but received no worker safety training were also surveyed and compared.

Results:  As this research is ongoing, we anticipate the identification of certain patterns of illness, consistent with exposure to indoor air irritants, such as mold.  We expect the rates of self-reported illness to be less among volunteers in general, as well as the group that received worker safety training and protective equipment from the NYC Department of Health.

Conclusions:  Effective just-in-time worker safety training programs for non-traditional responders to disasters, including “do-it-yourself” homeowners, and volunteers, may reduce the rates of occupational illness and injury in this population.  Health departments should create materials for occupational health and safety just-in-time training programs prior to disasters that involve widespread exposure to environmental stressors.