Hazardous substances at the workplace can cause a wide variety of occupational incidents. This study aimed to investigate the nature and circumstances of acute occupational intoxications reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Center. During a one-year prospective study, data on the circumstances and causes of the incident, the exposure(s) and clinical course, were collected by a telephone survey with victims of an acute occupational intoxication. We interviewed 310 patients. Most incidents occurred in industry (25%), building and installation industry (14%) and agriculture (10%). Patients were often exposed via multiple routes. Inhalation was the most common route of exposure (62%), followed by ocular (40%) and dermal contact (33%). Acids and alkalis were often involved. Exposure often occurred during cleaning activities (33%). The main root causes of these accidents were: technical factors such as damaged packaging (24%) and defective apparatus (10%), organizational factors such as lack of work instructions (44%) and poor communication or planning (31%), and personal factors such as disregarding work instructions (13%), not (adequately) using personal protective equipment (12%) and personal circumstances (50%) such as inaccuracy, time pressure or fatigue. The majority of the patients only reported mild health effects and recovered quickly (77% within 1 week). Poison Center data on occupational exposures provide an additional source of knowledge and an important basis for poisoning prevention strategies related to hazardous substances at the workplace. These data are useful in deciding which risk mitigation measures are most needed in preventing future workplace injuries.

Incidents involving hazardous materials (HAZMAT incidents) can impact human health and the environment. For the development of risk mitigation strategies, it is essential to understand the circumstances of such incidents. A retrospective study (2016–2023) of acute occupational HAZMAT incidents involving multiple patients (>1, including workers, emergency responders and bystanders) reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Center was conducted. We only included incidents that occurred during the performance of work or as a result of a disruption of a work-related process. Patient characteristics, exposure circumstances (such as the substances involved, chemical phase, and type of release (e.g., spill/release or fire/explosion)) and business classes were analyzed to identify risk factors. From 2016 to 2023, the DPIC was consulted about 516 HAZMAT incidents. Inhalation was the most common route of exposure (89%). Patients were often exposed to chemical asphyxiants (n = 156) and acids (n = 151). Most incidents occurred in fixed facilities (n = 447), while 49 incidents occurred during transport. The primary cause was a spill/release (n = 414), followed by a fire/explosion (n = 65). Most patients were exposed to a gas/vapor (n = 421), followed by a liquid (n = 59) or solid (n = 28). Incidents frequently occurred in industry (20%). The majority of patients reported mild to moderate health effects. Surveillance data on HAZMAT incidents are essential for incident preparedness. Poison Center data can help identify risk factors, which can be used to develop risk mitigation strategies to prevent future incidents.

The synthesis of clandestine drugs is a widespread worldwide phenomenon, with clandestine drug laboratories occurring both in rural and urban areas. There is considerable unfamiliarity among medica...

This study investigated the circumstances of chemical occupational eye exposures reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Center. During a 1-year prospective study, data were collected through a telephone survey of 132 victims of acute occupational eye exposure. Victims were often exposed to industrial products (35%) or cleaning products (27%). Most patients developed no or mild symptoms. Organizational factors (such as lack of work instructions (52%)), and personal factors (such as time pressure and fatigue (50%), and not adequately using personal protective equipment (PPE, 14%), were the main causes of occupational eye exposures. Exposure often occurred during cleaning activities (34%) and personal factors were reported more often during cleaning (67%) than during other work activities (41%). Data from Poison Control Centers are a valuable source of information, enabling the identification of risk factors for chemical occupational eye exposure. This study shows that personal factors like time pressure and fatigue play a significant role, although personal factors may be related to organizational issues such as poor communication. Therefore, risk mitigation strategies should focus on technical, organizational, and personal factors. The need to follow work instructions and proper use of PPE should also have a prominent place in the education and training of workers.

Exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace can result in injuries and fatalities. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and trend of occupational exposures reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Centre and to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the trend. A retrospective analysis of all acute occupational exposures reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Centre between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2022 was performed. Data on patient and exposure characteristics, symptoms and treatment recommendations were analyzed. Between 2016 and 2022, the Dutch Poisons Information Centre received 5,508 calls regarding acute occupational exposures. The annual number of calls on acute occupational exposures almost doubled over the years studied (from 475 in 2016 to 936 in 2022). During and after the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-December 2022), the number of calls stabilized, but the upward trend was not significantly affected. There were an estimated 0.20 calls per 1,000 human exposure calls per month (95 per cent confidence interval: -0.14; 0.53). Victims were often exposed through multiple routes, with inhalation being the most common route (44 per cent), followed by ocular (32 per cent) and dermal contact (30 per cent). Acids (1,138 exposures) and alkalis (912 exposures) were often involved. The Dutch Poisons Information Centre had information on 6,334 patients, although the total number of exposed patients was not known as some victims did not seek medical assistance, or were treated by healthcare professionals who did not consult our Centre. At the time of contact, 13 per cent (n = 795) of the patients reported no symptoms, 76 per cent (n = 4,805) reported mild to moderate symptoms and 3 per cent (n = 183) reported potentially severe symptoms. Information on symptoms was missing for 9 per cent (n = 551) of the patients. Hospital observation and treatment were recommended for 5 per cent (n = 325) of the patients. This study highlights the necessity for poisoning prevention strategies to reduce the number of work-related incidents involving hazardous substances. The continuing increase in the number of workplace incidents involving hazardous substances is of concern. A comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach should be taken to gain a full understanding of occupational exposure to hazardous substances and to identify risk factors.