142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Health hazard scenarios and dermal exposure risk during Marcellus Shale hydraulic fracturing activity

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Bevin Durant, MPH , Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
Curtis E. Cummings, MD, MPH , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
Patrick Gurian, PhD , Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel Universty, Philadelphia, PA
Mira Olson, PhD , Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Drexel Universty, Philadelphia, PA
  
Background:  Health and safety risks associated with hydraulic fracturing are under-investigated.   We evaluated health hazard scenarios at Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling sites.  These can produce exposure to fracking fluid and flowback water among hydrofracking workers.  We then assessed workers’ cancer risk following dermal exposure to flowback water, which can contain the carcinogens benzene, bromoform and dihexylethylphthalate.  

Methods:  Industry experts in shale gas development in Pennsylvania were identified.   Interviews to elicit exposure hazard scenarios included open-ended questions to describe procedures used in drilling, hydrofracking, well operation, production and well closing.  Cancer risk estimates for dermal exposure to flowback water carcinogens were calculated using equations from Environmental Protection Agency Risk Assessment Guidance, and using chemical concentrations previously reported at Marcellus Shale sites.     

Results:  Respondents identified health hazard scenarios that might lead to toxic exposures.  These included failures of well pad liners, pumps, surface pipes, subsurface linings and casings, fluid impoundment, and safety procedures, as well as flowback spills.  Risk estimates for 3-hour, once per week full-hand dermal exposure to flowback water, for 10 years, showed an increased cancer risk of 3 X 10-2 for benzene.    

Conclusion:  Dermal exposure to flowback water might increase cancer risk among hydrofracking workers.  Regulations and guidelines to prevent worker exposure to hydrofracking fluid and flowback water should be implemented.  Further research of exposure scenarios is indicated.

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Describe health and safety hazards at drilling sites that lead to dermal exposure of workers to hydraulic fracturing fluid and flowback water Describe results of a dermal exposure risk assessment for hydrofracking workers

Keyword(s): Occupational Health and Safety, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator, have previously presented related information and other papers at APHA meetings, have published papers in Occupational Health and have worked in Occupational Health since 1980.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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