Case Study- Hazardous Materials

Case Study- Hazardous Materials
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Case Study- Hazardous Materials
The 2005 railroad accident in Graniteville, South Carolina, released liquefied chlorine, and nine people died and displaced 5,400 people (Dunning& Oswalt, 2007). The accident was caused by the failure to toggle the switch connecting the branch line to the mainline and the freight train diverting from the mainline (Dunning & Oswalt, 2007). After the chemical spill, there were respiratory injuries, but the emergency responders faced difficulties evacuating the residents and facilitating transportation recovery. The residents not only experienced toxic inhalation injuries but there was also inadequate protection against chlorine exposure inhalation.
Chlorine exposures affected respiration, and there was a need to limit exposure, address airway issues, stabilize those affected and focus on decontamination. Physicians first treated immediately the patients who showed symptoms of hypoxia, while those with minimal symptoms were relocated for reassessment and triage (Mackie et al., 2014). While triage and patient assessment worked to addr...