3. Discuss how risk assessment applies in this scenario.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (1993, as cited in Ministry of Health, 1998), human health risk assessment is the process of evaluating the nature and probability of negative health effects in humans who may be exposed to hazards in the environment. In this regard, a risk assessment applies to the scenario because it presents data of an environmental factor – the elevated concentration of lead in the soil at the child’s school which is harmful for children’s health. In conducting a risk assessment in the given situation, the following steps will be sequentially followed: “hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization” …show more content…
Direct assessments could be done, such as the use of personal air-monitoring devices to measure the level of lead in the breathing zone of the children; and checking biological markers such as the lead in their blood. Indirect assessments could also be made like the estimation of lead exposures through various routes, using the standard values for the daily inhalation of air and ingestion of water and soil (Table 1) (HC, 1992, as cited in Yassi et al., 2001); and the utilization of exposure assessment surveys which could be filled out by the parents and caregivers of children, to gather information on demographic profile, health status, environmental factors and time-activity.
The next step is the risk characterization which brings together the first three steps to estimate the risk and potential adverse effects of the identified hazard. To fully understand the significance of the estimated risk, clear descriptions of major assumptions, scientific judgments and uncertainties are …show more content…
The Council, school and parents are informed of the risk. How these data will be communicated has a great effect on how people will perceive and accept the health risk.
For the control of exposure to environmental hazards, the school should remove lead-contaminated soil and replace it with a clean one. School staff, parents and caregivers of children should prevent kids from eating soil and wipe excess soil from children after outdoor play sessions. Regular handwashing should also be practiced by children in school and at home. And health education on lead poisoning should be conducted by health professionals during school and local meetings to promote awareness and control exposure to
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (1993, as cited in Ministry of Health, 1998), human health risk assessment is the process of evaluating the nature and probability of negative health effects in humans who may be exposed to hazards in the environment. In this regard, a risk assessment applies to the scenario because it presents data of an environmental factor – the elevated concentration of lead in the soil at the child’s school which is harmful for children’s health. In conducting a risk assessment in the given situation, the following steps will be sequentially followed: “hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization” …show more content…
Direct assessments could be done, such as the use of personal air-monitoring devices to measure the level of lead in the breathing zone of the children; and checking biological markers such as the lead in their blood. Indirect assessments could also be made like the estimation of lead exposures through various routes, using the standard values for the daily inhalation of air and ingestion of water and soil (Table 1) (HC, 1992, as cited in Yassi et al., 2001); and the utilization of exposure assessment surveys which could be filled out by the parents and caregivers of children, to gather information on demographic profile, health status, environmental factors and time-activity.
The next step is the risk characterization which brings together the first three steps to estimate the risk and potential adverse effects of the identified hazard. To fully understand the significance of the estimated risk, clear descriptions of major assumptions, scientific judgments and uncertainties are …show more content…
The Council, school and parents are informed of the risk. How these data will be communicated has a great effect on how people will perceive and accept the health risk.
For the control of exposure to environmental hazards, the school should remove lead-contaminated soil and replace it with a clean one. School staff, parents and caregivers of children should prevent kids from eating soil and wipe excess soil from children after outdoor play sessions. Regular handwashing should also be practiced by children in school and at home. And health education on lead poisoning should be conducted by health professionals during school and local meetings to promote awareness and control exposure to