First-Aid: Common Occupational Diseases and First-Aid

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO LEAD

Signs/Symptoms

Lassitude, insomnia, colic, anaemia, lead line, lead palsy with wrist drop, vomiting.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap wash for skin.
• Artificial respiration if breathing is disturbed.
• Vomiting in case of swallowing.
• Medical attention.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO LEAD TETRAETHYL

Signs/Symptoms

Irritation of eye, dermatitis, headache, dizziness, restlessness, disorientation, convulsions, tremors, coma.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap wash for skin contamination.
• Water vomiting in case of swaiiowing.
• Medical attention.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO MERCURY

Signs/Symptoms

Marked thirst, restlessness, shock, petechial haemorrhage, jaundice, oliguria, anuria, “Phossy-Jaw”.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Water wash for skin.
• 0.2% solution of copper sulphate orally for vomiting. 8 Gastric lavage with 0.1% potassium permanganate.
• Immediate medical attention.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS

Signs/Symptoms

Irritation of eye; Skin burns, dizziness, headache, chest pain.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Wash skin with 5% solution of copper sulphate then with soap. 8 Oxygen therapy. 8 Medical attention.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO PHOSGENE

Signs/Symptoms

Conjunctivitis, corneal turbidity, skin irritation, headache, rapid respiration, chest pain, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, shock, pulmonary oedema.

First-Aid

Oxygen with positive pressure breathing apparatus. 8 Artificial respiration. 8 Irrigation of eye. 8 Water wash of skin. 8 No vomiting induction.

Signs/Symptoms

Burning in mouth, thirst, shock, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, salivation, dyspnea, chest tightness, insomnia.

First-Aid

Water to vomit
Gastric lavage if swallowed with 5% solution of formaldehyde, sulfoxylate, then with 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate.
Irrigation of eye.
Soap wash for skin.
Artificial respiration if needed.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO MANGANESE

Signs/Symptoms

Papulo-erythematous dermatitis, metal fume fever, dry throat, cough, tight chest, vomiting, back pain, nervousness, vertigo, gait disturbances.

First-Aid

Artificial respiration.
Water vomiting.
Gastric Lavage.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO ARSENIC

Signs/Symptoms

Industrial poisoning is due to inhalation of arsenic. Headache, garlic odour of breath, numbness, tingling of hand and feet, chest pain, nausea, abdominal cramp, pulmonary oedema, haematuria, dermatitis (Bronze skin).

First-Aid

Artificial respiration.
Immediate medical attention.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO NITROUS FUMES

Signs/Symptoms

Dry imitating cough, tightness of chest, pain, choking of throat, canary yellow sputum, cyanosis, pulmonary oedema.

First-Aid

• Irrigation of Eye.
• Skin (contaminated) should be washed with soap.
• Artificial respiration.
• Water.
• No vomit.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO CARBON-DISULPHIDE

Signs/Symptoms

Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, sensory disturbances, atherosclerotic changes, ocular changes, chronic gastritis, anorexia.

First-Aid

• Artificial respiration.
• Eye irrigation.
• Soap wash for skin (contaminated).
• Water vomit.
• Vit. B, and B12.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO BENZENE

Signs/Symptoms

Euphoria, irritation of eye and upper respiratory tract, headache, nausea, vomiting with burning pain in stomach, giddiness, air hunger and frequent urination, palpitation, unconsciousness, coma.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap water wash of skin (contaminated).
• Artificial respiration.
• No vomit.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO CHROME ULCERATION (Chromium compounds)

Signs/Symptoms

Eczymatous dermatitis, loss of finger nails, ulcer on hand, feet, fingers (chrome hole), similar ulcer on nose, perforation of nasal septum, rhinitis, bronchitis, gastritis, conjunctivitis.

First-Aid

• Irrigation of Eye immediately.
• Soap wash for skin (contaminated).
• Artificial respiration.
• Water vomit if ingested.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO ANTHRAX

Signs/Symptoms

Pimple with area of redness, swelling, oedema, lymph glands enlarged and tender, toxemia, headache, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, pneumonia with frothy blood stained sputum.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap wash for the contaminated area.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO SILICOSIS

Signs/Symptoms

Dyspnea, cough, tightness of chest, emphysema, pneumoconiosis develops.

First-Aid

• Irrigation of eye and removal of dust.
• Water wash for skin.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO HALOGENS AND DERIVATIVES OF HYDROCARBONS :

(a) CHLORINE

Signs/Symptoms

Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth, lacrimation, cough, tightness in chest, frothy-pink sputum, nausea, vomiting, syncope, suffocation.

First-Aid

• Irrigation of eye.
• Water wash for skin (contaminated) 8 Artificial respiration if needed.

(b) TRICHLOROETHYLENE

Signs/Symptoms

Dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting, confusion, stupor, staggering gait, unconsciousness.

First-Aid

Irrigation of eye.
Soap water wash of skin.
Artificial respiration if needed.
Salt water vomiting.

(c) CARBON TETRACHLORIDE

Signs/Symptoms

Dizziness, lack of co-ordination, nausea, vomiting, dermatitis, loss of appetite, enlargement of liver.

First-Aid

Irrigation of eye.
Soap water wash of skin.
Artificial respiration if needed.
Induce vomiting by salt water.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO RADIO-ACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND X-RAY

Signs/Symptoms

Anaemia, leukaemia, bone destruction, dry inelastic skin, fissured, cracked and brittle nails, painful wart like growths, skin burn, sterility.

First-Aid

Management similar to that of skin burns. 8 Decontamination. 8 Medical attention.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO PRIMARY EPITHELIOMATOUS CANCER OF SKIN (Arsenic pitch, Bitumen, Mineral Oil, Tar, Soot, Cresote, X-ray)

Signs/Symptoms

Oil acne, epitheliomata of scrotum, conjunctivitis, corneal damage, papulovesicular skin eruption, hyperpigmentation, nausea, vomiting, headache, giddiness.

First-Aid

Irrigation of eye.
Soap wash of the skin.
Give water to induce vomiting.
Artificial respiration if inhaled.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO TOXIC ANAEMIA (Benzene, Xylene, Toluene, Naphtha, Carbon tetrachloride, lead, etc.

Signs/Symptoms

Loss of appetite, fatigue, depression, dyspnea, haemoglobin less than 70%, cyanosis, bleeding nose and gums, blue line on gum etc., abnormal W.B.C. count, dyshaemopoiesis.

First-Aid

Eye irrigation.
Soap water wash of skin.
No vomiting induction.
Artificial respiration if necessary.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO TOXIC JAUNDICE (Aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons)

Signs/Symptoms

Headache, nausea, exhaustion, dizziness, loss of appetite, vomiting, liver function tests abnormal.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap wash of the skin.
• Artificial respiration if needed.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO MINERAL OIL DERMATITIS

Signs/Symptoms

Oil ache usually in areas contaminated by mineral oil. Nausea, vomiting, pain in abdomen epitheiiomata of scrotum may result.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Soap water wash.
• No vomiting.

COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO BYSSINOSIS (Cotton dust)

Signs/Symptoms

Tightness of chest, breathlessness, cough, headache, dizziness.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Water wash and change of clothing.
• Artificial respiration.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO ASBESTOSIS (Asbestos fibres)

Signs/Symptoms

Breathlessness, pain in chest, anaemia, clubbing, cough.

First-Aid

• Eye irrigation.
• Artificial respiration if needed.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO CONTACT DERMATITIS

Signs/Symptoms

Dermatitis; Urticarea

First-Aid

• Soap water wash of skin.

□ COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DUE TO NOISE

Signs/Symptoms

Disturbances of speech communication, tinitus, headache, gait disturbance, high B.P., syncope.

First-Aid

• Alienate from the noisy area.
• Systemic and supportive.
• Complete rest in peace.

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