Tag Archives: respiratory

PETS, VOLCANO AND YOU

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A volcano eruption can put many animals at risk.

Animals who inhale or ingest volcanic ash are at risk for fluoride poisoning. This could cause internal bleeding, long-term bone damage and teeth loss.

Cows, sheep, goats and horses should be rounded up and put in a closed barn, provided with hay and clean water until the ash dissipated.

Birds were also affected by the volcano. The ponds became heavy with mud and they were unable to fly because their wings were covered with ash.

Guidelines for pet owners concerning animal health after a volcano:

  • if you notice any symptoms or smell sulfur, rotten eggs or a strong acidic smell take reasonable action to protect your pets by limiting their time outdoors
  • any pets with respiratory problems should be well protected from the atmosphere
  • cover outdoor aviaries to protect birds
  • find suitable shelter for any pets that usually live outdoors.

“Pet owners should limit the amount of time that they and their animals spend outside if they detect the ash and consult a vet if they have any concerns about the health of their pets.”

Make sure that you bathe your pet often in Luke warm. Keep any wounds covered and dry. Change bandages everyday for any wounds.

 

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The Vog Measurement and Prediction Project – VMAP.. Healthy Weather???

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The Vog Measurement and Prediction Project (VMAP) provides real-time vog forecasts. With the help of our project collaborators vog forecasts are available to the public through this web site. Comments and inquiries can be directed to the appropriate contact. We welcome constructive comments from all VMAP users, and strive to provide the best possible service consistent with our mission and resources. Inquiries into actual measured values and concerns regarding hazardous conditions should be directed to the appropriate agency such as the Hawaii State Department of Health. The VMAP website is intended to be complementary to the data provided by other state and federal agencies.

Vog is primarily a mixture of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas and sulfate (SO4) aerosol. SO2 (invisible) reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air to produce SO4 aerosol (visible). SO2 is expected to be the main problem in areas near the vent (Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Pahala, Na`alehu, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates) and SO4 aerosol is expected to be the main problem at locations far from the vent (Kona and farther north and west). For more information on vog visit the FAQ page here.

Vog and Your Health

The links and material on this page are provided to summarize findings about the effects of vog on health.

Health Effects

How vog affects human health is the topic of active research. Children and those with pre-existing lung conditions are the most vulnerable to its effects. Some studies show that children and those with pre-existing respiratory problems are more likely to visit a medical clinic or emergency room during vog episodes. Although vog exposure has not been shown to cause childhood asthma, it has been shown to aggravate asthma in those already diagnosed with the condition.

When exposed to vog, some people report eye, nose, throat, and/or skin irritation, coughing and/or phlegm, chest tightness and/or shortness of breath, headache, and increased susceptibility to respiratory ailments. Some people also report fatigue and/or dizziness. One researcher also found vog is associated with high blood pressure. Another researcher found a link to anxiety. More detail on the health effects on vog can be found in the References section, or by visiting the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network.

Disclaimer: The information contained in the VMAP website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep the information accurate and up-to-date, we make no representations, warranties, or guarantees about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the VMAP website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the VMAP website for any purpose. Although every effort is made to avoid interruptions to VMAP access, any reliance upon any information presented is strictly at your own risk. In no event will the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the UH-M Department of Atmospheric Sciences, the VMAP team, or any personnel or collaborator associated with VMAP be liable for any losses or damages (direct or indirect) without limitation whatsoever in connection with the use of the VMAP website. The general public is welcome to use the VMAP at this time and by its use implicitly agrees to the terms of this disclaimer.

CLICK HERE FOR VMAP

 

THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH (part 6 Precautions for Children)

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THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH

A guide for the public

This   document   has   been   prepared   by   the International  Volcanic  Health  Hazard  Network (IVHHN), Cities and Volcanoes Commission, GNS Science and the United States Geological Survey (USGS)  to  promote  the  safety  of  those  who experience volcanic ashfall. This guide explains the potential health effects of volcanic ash and gives details on how to protect yourself and your family in the event of a volcanic ash fall.

Precautions for Children

Children face the same hazards from the suspension of ash as other age groups, but their exposure may be increased because
they are physically smaller and are less likely to adopt reasonable, prudent, preventive measures to avoid unnecessary
exposure to ash. While evidence suggests that ingestion of small amounts of ash is not hazardous, we recommend that you take
the following precautions.
  • Keep children indoors if possible.
  • Children should be advised against strenuous play or running when ash is in the air, since exertion leads to heavier breathing, drawing small particles more deeply into the lungs.
  • Communities in heavy ash fall areas may wish to organize day-care programs to free parents for clean-up tasks.
  • If children must be outdoors when ash is present in the air, they should wear a mask (preferably one approved by IVHHN). Many masks, however, are designed to fit adults rather than children.
  • Take particular care to prevent children playing in areas where ash is deep on the ground or piled up.
  • Long Pants, Long Sleeve Shirts, mask, goggles, Hats and gloves.

Reduce the exposure to ash:

The most effective way to reduce exposure, especially for people with particular susceptibilities (e.g., children and infants, older people and those with existing respiratory (lung) or cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) disease) is to shelter somewhere which is not ashy, ideally inside a building where you can stay indoors for some time, if necessary. If you are very concerned about your health, take advice from a health professional.

Take steps to keep ash out of your indoor environment:

  • Close doors and windows, where possible.
  • If possible, seal up large gaps and spaces to the outdoors. For example, you could use tape and plastic sheeting, or rolled-up towels.
  • Try to set up a single entry/exit point for the building. Leave ashy clothes/shoes outside
  • Do not use any appliances (e.g., air conditioners) which suck in air from the outside. If the indoor environment is ashy, try to gently clean away the ash (e.g., using damp cloths)
  • Don’t use vacuum cleaners as they can blow out fine ash, back into the indoor space.

If you are staying indoors for a long time:

  • Make sure that the indoor environment does not get too hot. If it gets too hot, consider evacuating.
  • Don’t use cooking and heating stoves, or other appliances, which produce smoke.
  • Do not smoke cigarettes or other products.
  • Do not use un-fluted gas heaters, or outdoor appliances such as gas patio heaters or barbecues, indoors, due to risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Once the ash has settled, it important to remove it through clean-up activities, using water to dampen it first. You must wear a face mask if you are cleaning up settled ash.

When should I use respiratory protection?

If you cannot remove yourself from the ash, you may wish to use some sort of respiratory protection (e.g., face mask), or may be advised to do so by governmental or humanitarian agencies. Masks may be worn when:

1) you are outdoors and there is ash in the air (either during ash fall or afterwards, when it may be remobilized by wind, vehicles and human activities);

2) ash is being mobilized indoors or outdoors by activities such as removal/cleaning-up.

Masks can be worn during waking hours. It is not recommended to wear a face mask while sleeping as it will probably not stay fitted to the face, and it is harder to breathe with a face mask on.

Who can wear respiratory protection?

People with existing respiratory or cardiovascular disease should talk to a health professional about whether facemasks are suitable. Care should be taken to ensure that it is not harder to breathe when using any form of respiratory protection.

Masks are not usually designed to fit children’s faces (although some manufacturers are now producing small masks aimed at children but not infants). Exposure for children and infants should be reduced by staying in a non-ashy (indoor) environment wherever possible. If you do give a mask to a child, show the child how to fit it well, and be very careful it does not make breathing difficult.

What types of respiratory protection are most effective?

The following information will help you decide on which type of respiratory protection to use, but other factors, such as the cost and availability of the protective products, may also need to be taken into account.

When you wear respiratory protection, the effectiveness depends particularly on two factors:

1) how effective the mask or material is at filtering particles (stopping the ash from passing through the material);

2) the fit of the mask or material to the face (preventing particles from entering around the edges).

  • The most effective respiratory protection for adults is to wear a well-fitting, industry-certified face mask such as an N95 mask (also called P2, FFP2 or DS2 in different parts of the world). The certification will be printed on the mask. Such masks are usually disposable.
    • These are highly-efficient at filtering ash and are also usually designed to fit adult faces well, but may be too big for children.
    • Due to their tight fit, they may feel uncomfortable.
    • Using highly-effective masks can make breathing harder; if you have existing respiratory or cardiovascular disease, talk to a health professional about whether such masks are suitable for you.
    • These masks come in many different shapes and sizes. Some fold out into a mask shape and some have a ready-made cup-shape. Some have a valve on the front to improve comfort by letting hot, humid air out. All of these masks will be highly-effective at filtering ash, if worn properly.
  • Some non-certified face masks state that they are designed to filter ‘PM2.5’ (small particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter), which is likely to be the most harmful fraction of the ash.
    • These are probably highly-efficient at filtering ash but are often not designed to fit well to the face and so may not be very effective.
  • A standard, pleated surgical mask will be good at filtering ash as long as it fits well to the face. If it does not, it will provide less protection than an industry-certified face mask.
  • Simple healthcare masks (rectangular, non-pleated) do not filter ash well and also do not have ways to make a good seal to the face.
  • Hard-cup (also called nuisance-dust), ‘fashion’ and scooter masks are less effective at filtering ash compared to industry-certified and surgical masks, and may not fit well to the face.
  • Cloth materials (e.g., bandanas, t-shirts, veils, handkerchiefs) worn over the nose and mouth are less effective at filtering ash than most masks, so will offer less protection and they also tend not to fit well.
    • Increasing the number of layers of cloth improves the ability to filter ash but will still be less effective at filtering ash than most face masks.
  • Wetting materials does not improve the ability of masks or cloth to filter volcanic ash.

How should I put on a face mask?

  • With clean hands, take the mask out of the packaging. Avoid contaminating the inside of the mask with ash.
  • Open up any flaps and prepare the straps/loops for tying around the head or ears.
  • Fit the mask over the nose and mouth.
  • Fit the straps to the head:
    • If the mask has elasticated, adjustable straps, put them over your head with the top strap above your ears, around the top of your head, and the lower strap below your ears, towards the bottom of your head. Tighten the straps until the mask makes a seal around your face and is comfortable.
    • If the mask has non-adjustable straps, tie them snuggly around the head.
    • If the mask has ear loops, you may need to use the loops to tighten the mask (you could tie a knot in the loops if the mask is baggy on your face).
  • With both hands, gently press the nose clip over the nose so that it fits well across the nose and onto the face below the eyes. Do not pinch the clip.
  • Press the edges of the mask onto your face (around the cheeks and chin).
  • Once you have fitted the mask, cover the mask with both hands, being careful not to change the fit. If you are using a mask without a valve, breathe out sharply. If you are using a mask with a valve, cover the valve with your hand before breathing out, or breathe in sharply, instead. You should not be able to feel any air escaping/entering around the edges of the mask. Readjust the fit until the seal is tight.
  • If you cannot get the mask to fit, try to find a different mask which fits your face better.

Make sure your choice of respiratory protection fits to your face!

  • A good face mask may have a flexible metal nose clip, adjustable straps and may also have foam around the edges to help with the seal to your face.
  • When your face mask fits properly, there should be a good seal around your face so that you cannot feel any air coming in around the edges.
  • Make sure that spectacle/goggle frames do not affect the seal between the face mask and your face.
  • If you have facial hair, the face mask will not be as effective, because it cannot make a good seal to your face.
  • You can improve the fit and effectiveness of a face mask by tying a layer of cloth over it, although you are likely to find this less comfortable and you should not tie the cloth so tight that it makes breathing harder.

How long will a face mask last for?

  • Disposable masks are designed for single use (so packaging will often state that they should be disposed of after 8 hours) but they can be worn until you notice that they are clogged and/or breathing becomes harder, or if you notice the mask starting to break.
  • However, you may choose to replace them sooner for hygiene reasons and should check frequently for any degradation or growth of mold.
  • Some industrially-certified face masks have a ‘use-by’ date printed on them. After this date, the manufacturer cannot guarantee the integrity of the mask materials.
  • If supplies are limited, disposable masks can be stored for re-use in a clean bag or box to ensure that dust from the outside does not contaminate them. They should not be hung in a dusty environment.
  • Some manufacturers now make non-disposable masks for community use. These can often be washed, for hygiene reasons, but washing will not remove particles from the filtering layer, so they must also be discarded when they become clogged and/or breathing becomes harder, or if you notice the mask starting to break.For further information on the health hazards of volcanic ash and preparedness for ash fall, please download the IVHHN pamphlets available at: http://www.ivhhn.org/pamphlets.htmlThe above material is reproduced from the NEW IVHHN guidelines on Protection from Breathing Ash. Please visit that page for the source research and references.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH (part 4 Indirect health effects )

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THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH

A guide for the public

This   document   has   been   prepared   by   the International  Volcanic  Health  Hazard  Network (IVHHN), Cities and Volcanoes Commission, GNS Science and the United States Geological Survey (USGS)  to  promote  the  safety  of  those  who experience volcanic ashfall. This guide explains the potential health effects of volcanic ash and gives details on how to protect yourself and your family in the event of a volcanic ash fall.

Indirect Effects of Ash Fall

As well as the short and long term health risks, indirect impacts of large ash falls must also be considered. These mainly arise from the secondary consequences of ash fall.

Effects on roads

The reduction in visibility from airborne ash alone may cause accidents. This danger is compounded by ash
covering roads. Not only are road markings covered up, but thin layers of either wet or dry ash are very
slippery, reducing traction. Thick deposits of ash may make roads impassable, cutting off communities from
basic supplies.

Effects on Power

Ash fall can lead to power cuts. These may have implications for health due to lack of heating
or other infrastructural requirements that depend on electricity. Wet ash is conductive, so it is essential
that safe operating procedures are stringently followed when cleaning power supply equipment.

Effects on water supplies

Ash fall can cause contamination of water or clogging and damage of water supply equipment. Small, open
water supplies such as domestic water tanks with roof drainage are especially vulnerable to volcanic ash fall,
and even small quantities of ash may cause problems for potability. While the risk of toxicity is low, the pH
may be reduced or chlorination inhibited. During and after ash falls, there is also likely to be extra water
demand for clean-up, resulting in water shortages.

Effects on sanitation

(waste water disposal etc).
The temporary disablement of municipal sanitation systems may lead to increased disease in affected areas.

Risk Of Roof Collapse

1) Roofs can collapse from the weight of ash, resulting in injury or death for those underneath.
2) There is a danger of roof collapse whilst clearing ash from roofs due to the increased load of a person on an already overloaded roof.
3) In several eruptions people have died after falling from their roofs while cleaning up ash.

Animal Health

If the ash is coated in hydrofluoric acid, the ash can be very toxic to grazing animals if they ingest ash-covered grass and soil.

THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH (part 3 SKIN)

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THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH

A guide for the public

This   document   has   been   prepared   by   the International  Volcanic  Health  Hazard  Network (IVHHN), Cities and Volcanoes Commission, GNS Science and the United States Geological Survey (USGS)  to  promote  the  safety  of  those  who experience volcanic ashfall. This guide explains the potential health effects of volcanic ash and gives details on how to protect yourself and your family in the event of a volcanic ash fall.

 

Skin Irritation

While not common, volcanic ash can cause skin irritation for some people, especially if the ash is acidic.

Symptoms include:

  • Irritation and reddening of the skin.
  • Secondary infections due to scratching.

Protective Clothing should be worn when you are outdoors.

  • Long Sleeve Shirt
  • Long Pants
  • Socks and Shoes
  • Gloves
  • Hat

Depending on the type of volcano Kilauea is a basaltic shield volcano, erupting a type of basalt known as tholeiite. This type of lava is the dominant extrusive during the shield building (the main stage) of hawaiian volcanism and is the dominant basalt type erupted on Earth.

Pele’s hair is a form of lava. It is named after Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. It can be defined as volcanic glass fibers or thin strands of volcanic glass.[1] The strands are formed through the stretching of molten basaltic glass from lava, usually from lava fountains, lava cascades, and vigorous lava flows.

Pele’s hair is extremely light, so the wind often carries the fibers high into the air and to places several kilometers away from the vent. It is common to find fibers of Pele’s hair on high places like top of trees, radio antennas, and electric poles.

Pele’s hair does not only occur in Hawaii. It can be found near other volcanoes around the world, for example in Nicaragua (Masaya), Italy (Etna), Ethiopia (Erta’ Ale), and Iceland, where it is known as “nornahár” (“witches’ hair”).[2] It is usually found in gaps in the ground, mostly near vents, skylights, ocean entry, or in corners where Pele’s hair can accumulate.

It is not recommended to touch Pele’s hair, because it is very brittle and very sharp, and small broken pieces can enter the skin. Gloves should be worn while examining it.

For those of you who have sensitive skin you should avoid skin contact with volcanic ash as it will cause an allergic reaction or also called dermatitis , if the volcanic ash already on your skin you should wash your skin with soap and clean water .

Although skin irritation are not always experienced by all people , but if the volcanic ash was mixed with harmful substances you should be careful , because it could be such a dangerous substance that can irritate your skin .

Some of the symptoms that occur to the skin due to volcanic ash

  • The occurrence of red rash on the skin
  • Incidence of red spots on the skin
  • Experiencing skin hives

Some tips to prevent the bad effects of volcanic ash :

  • Use a mask or wet cloth to cover your nose
  • Use goggles to prevent your eyes from volcanic ash
  • You should not wear contact lenses for a while
  • Use eye drops or the like to clean up your eyes
  • Use long sleeves or long pants so that your skin does not come into direct contact with volcanic ash
  • To clean up volcanic ash should be sprayed with water so as not volcanic ash floating .
  • Use a damp cloth to clean the items exposed to dust
  • Wash your skin is exposed to volcanic ash with water and soap
  • When washing cloth or clothing that has been exposed to volcanic ash should be cleaned first before being mixed with other clothing .

THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF VOLCANIC ASH (part 4 Indirect health effects )