Physical Factors - Komura Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four mechanical physical factors?

A

Motor vehicle accidents
Residence-related accidents
Work-related accidents
Disasters

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2
Q

What is significant about motor vehicle accidents?

A

They are the leading cause of accidental deaths

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3
Q

What are three pertinent facts about residence-related accidents?

A
  1. Accidental falls is the second leading cause of accidental deaths
  2. accidental drowning is the fourth leading cause of accidental deaths
  3. other important types: open flames, hot surfaces and liquids, medicines, sharp edges, electricity, lawn mowers
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4
Q

What are two pertinent facts about work-related accidents?

A
  1. accidents caused by fire and explosion of combustible material is the third leading cause of accidental deaths
  2. other important types: chemical burns, exposure to toxic gases, unsafe operation of machinery
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5
Q

Why do we consider disasters as environmental health specialists?

A

While natural disasters cannot be prevented, proper land use planning can mitigate their damage
Ex: earthquake, avalanche, rockslides, mudslides, flooding, wildfire

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6
Q

What is the equation for the measurement of sound in L Loudness?

A

dB = 20 log(P/Po)
dB is decibels
P is the given sound pressure
Po is the sound pressure of minimum audible sound

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7
Q

What do logarithms provide in the measurement of sound?

A

Permit the use of manageable numbers

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8
Q

Give a breakdown of the dB rating of noise on a scale of 0-120

A

0 - threshold of hearing
30 - very quiet (library)
60 - intrusive (conversation)
90 - very annoying (power lawnmower)
120 - maximum vocal effort (jet aircraft flyover)

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9
Q

When does hearing damage occur at 90 decibels?

A

after 8 hours

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10
Q

What is another factor measured when considering noise aside from decibels?

A

Frequency
Not all frequencies are detectable by the human ear, but it is still measured as noise

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11
Q

Noise from a point source does what in regards to distance?

A

Decreases according to the inverse square law

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12
Q

What does doubling sound pressure result in?

A

An increase in 3 dB

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13
Q

What does doubling distance of a noise point source results in?

A

A reduction of 6 dB

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14
Q

What are the physiological effects of noise?

A

Loss of hearing
instantaneous rupture of eardrum
chronic with continuous exposure to noise levels of 90 dB

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15
Q

What are the psychological effects of noise?

A

Invasion of privacy may trigger anger, tension, fear, and anxiety

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16
Q

What are the three main sources of noise?

A
  1. vehicles
  2. workplace machinery
  3. residence - stereos, aircraft, vehicles, machinery
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17
Q

What are the three types of ionizing radiation?

A

Alpha radiation
Beta radiation
X-rays

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18
Q

What are the characteristics of Alpha radiation?

A

low penetration (will not penetrate the skin)
more significant as an internal emitter

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19
Q

What are the characteristics of Beta radiation?

A

penetrate more than alpha
have internal and external emitter significance

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20
Q

What are the characteristics of X-rays?

A

highly penetrating
important external hazards

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21
Q

What are the four sources of ionizing radiation?

A

Earth
Solar
Cosmic
Man-made

22
Q

Where does radiation from the earth come from?

A

coal contains radioactive material that is released when burned

23
Q

Where does radiation from the sun come from?

A

Production of radioactive agents by cosmic radiation in the atmosphere

24
Q

Where does man-made radiation come from?

A

Production of nuclear fuel
use of nuclear fuel
use of radioisotopes in industry, medicine, and research
Testing of nuclear weapons

25
Q

What isotopes of strontium are radioactively harmful and what are the side effects?

A

90&89
irradiate the skeleton

26
Q

What isotope of Cesium is radioactively harmful and what are the side effected?

A

137
irradiates soft tissue

27
Q

What isotope of Carbon is radioactively harmful and what are the side effected?

A

14
produces whole body radiation

28
Q

What isotope of Iodine is radioactively harmful and what are the side effected?

A

131
irradiates the thyroid gland

29
Q

What are signs of acute radiation poisoning?

A

loss of hair
skin ulcers
damage to blood-forming organs
Doses of 350-400 rem may be lethal

30
Q

What are early signs of chronic radiation poisoning?

A

changes in texture and pigmentation of skin

31
Q

What are the types of cancers that can be caused by chronic radiation poisoning?

A

Leukemia
Skin cancer
Thyroid cancer
Lung cancer
Bone cancer

32
Q

What are the are the four chronic diseases caused by radiation poisoning?

A
  1. cancer
  2. cataracts
  3. shortened life span
  4. teratogenicity
33
Q

Where is radiation-related leukemia most often observed?

A

early radiologists
victims of atomic bombings

34
Q

Where is radiation-related skin cancer most often observed?

A

early radiologists

35
Q

Where is radiation-related thyroid cancer most often observed?

A

children who have received neck x-rays

36
Q

Where is radiation-related lung cancer most often observed?

A

occupationally exposed workers in metal and uranium mining

37
Q

Where is radiation-related bone cancer most often observed?

A

radium dial painters

38
Q

Where is radiation-related cataracts most often observed?

A

atomic bombing victims

39
Q

Where is radiation-related shortened life-span most often observed?

A

bombing victims, radiologist, animals

40
Q

What are the five types of non-ionizing radiation?

A

Ultra-violet radiation
Visible energy
Infrared radiation
Microwaves and radio waves
Lasers

41
Q

Ultra-violet radiation
1. Source
2. Health effects

A
  1. disinfectant properties, fluorescent lights, direct sunlight, electric welding arcs, photo engraving
  2. eye-inflammation of cornea, skin-burn
42
Q

Visible energy
1. Source
2. Health effects

A
  1. sunlight, artificial light
  2. inadequate lighting causing eye fatigue, headache, sunburn
43
Q

Infrared radiation
1. Source
2. Health effects

A
  1. paint drying, dehydrating textiles, paper and other materials
  2. eye injury and production of cataracts, skin burn
44
Q

Microwaves and radio waves
1. Source
2. Health effects

A
  1. television, FM and radar transmitters, medical diathermy, microwave ovens
  2. heating of tissues, lower frequency on another card
45
Q

What are the health effects of lower frequency microwaves and radio waves?

A

penetrate deeper into tissues, especially at exposures of less than 3000 MIP (microwave induced plasma)
possible cataract and gonadal damagae may result

46
Q

Lasers
1. Definition
2. Health effects

A
  1. high intensity light radiation of a single wave length
  2. primarily eye hazard
47
Q

What are the four climate factors we are concerned with as environmental health specialists?

A
  1. heat
  2. cold and wind chill
  3. pressure
  4. humidity
48
Q

What are the health effects of heat?

A

sunstroke
heat exhaustion
lowered production

49
Q

What are the health effects of cold and wind chill?

A

lowered production
frostbite
hypothermia

50
Q

What are the health effects of pressure?

A

Low pressure - hypoxia (altitude sickness)
decompression and compression (the bends - think scuba diving)

51
Q

What are the health effects of humidity?

A

high humidity contributes to heat stress