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| |  Posted 8/25/2005 6:09:01 PM | |
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| | In a recent company safety forum, a concern was raised for the safety of our laboratory analysts who collect and handle raw municipal sewage that is used to seed samples for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). We have an in-house corporate service laboratory that offers BOD analyses for some of our local manufacturing plants. We collect the sewage used for seeding the BODs from the local POTW - sewage is collected from the designated sample location by an analyst who wears vinyl gloves. Following sample collection, the sample bottle is sealed in a plastic bag for transport to the lab and the analyst washes hands thoroughly with soap and water. When the sewage is used for the BOD analysis, the analyst should be wearing gloves, although there have been times where I have observed no gloves. We seed our dilution water, so gloves should also be worn when filling BOD bottles and analyzing the dissolved oxygen in the samples before and after incubation and during disposal of the samples. I'm sure that WEF has addressed the issue of pathogen exposure from sewage to treatment plant operators and I seem to remember a study done several years ago, but can't seem to find it. Can anyone shed some light on this for me and help find this study again and give some advice on proper handling procedures for the laboratory analysts?
-HP |
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| | | Posted 8/26/2005 12:33:36 PM | |
| Supreme Being
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| Sewage may not be the hazardous waste you think it is. Treatment plant workers have worked without gloves since plants were built. Mainly, common sense sanitary practices are in order. That means wash your hands after handling sewage contaminated material before eating or smoking. Don't stick your hand in sewage if you have an open cut or sore. Sewage does not require the extreme precautions that blood-borne pathogens require.
David |
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| | | Posted 8/26/2005 4:29:23 PM | |
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Supreme Being
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| If you are weary of using free raw sludge for seeding your BOD's you can always purchase lyophilized cultures for such a purpose, but then, you'll have to spend money. Been working in a wastewater lab for close to 18 years and never been overcome by any disease. Just like David states, use common sense. Do not stick your fingers in any orifice until after you wash your hands, that is, if you feel a need to do so.
E. coli happens!Database Central 
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| | | Posted 8/27/2005 2:53:44 AM | |
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| | Victor's opinion <Sewage does not require the extreme precautions that blood-borne pathogens require> does not coincide with OSHA's definition. Domestic sewage does indeed contain human blood-borne pathogens and pathogens contained in other bodily fluids and non-human animal wastes. It also contains molds, and the other pathogens such as dysentery-causing parasites (amoebae and giardia) which may be embolized. Such embolized forms are probably not disabled by UV-type disinfection. Sewage and (usually) sludge are biohazards. Employers usually take the position that such components are "so dilute that they do not pose a hazard." Gloves are good. Splash protection might be useful depending on collection site / procedure and method of transfer from container to container in the lab. Think about not swallowing a sample portion and avoiding eye contact. Adopt SOP of emptying all samples that are to be disposed of 'down the drain' by lowering the container all the way to bottom of sink before emptying. Consider having sterile-water eyewash readily available during transport and in lab. Soap dispensers that can be operated by an elbow and a hand-wash sink that can be operated by elbow (hospital style) or foot will minimize cross-contamination and minimize need to disinfect hardware. WEF as an organization is not interested in the health hazards encountered by wastewater employees. Its organizational interest even in OSHA compliance is very low. It is up to you to study what health- and safety-related requirements (federal, state, local) apply to your situation. |
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| | | Posted 8/27/2005 1:49:19 PM | |
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| | Jada: I do not want to sound sarcastic, but you need to pay better attention as to whom you start assigning specific quotes. As with any type of job that has specific health complications, common sense always prevails. Hand washing has and will always continue to be the best preventative against possible viral/bacteria contamination. Even gloves are not a guarantee that you will not prevent bacterial infections. Just read the label on any condom, wearing it will not prevent pregnancy. All it takes is a miniscule opening!
E. coli happens! Database Central |
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| | | Posted 1/5/2006 5:26:27 PM | |
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| | i don't the last several years, but USEPA performed a comprehenvise study on this topic long time ago. check the USEPA's Wastewater Aerosols and Disease" (EPA-600/9-80-028, December 1980). |
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| | | Posted 1/5/2006 5:56:29 PM | |
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| | I would tend to be a little more cautious than some of the comments here suggest. One doesn't have to be alarmist to realize that some of the studies may be a little "off". Case in point: having several times gone through training on bloodbourne pathogens as part of my involvement with a local rescue squad, am told that Hep. C is particulay hardy, and can survive up to something like two weeks in the air (compared to a couple hours for HIV); and that something like 90 % of those infected, never display more than flu-like symptoms. It is reasonable to presume that a certain amount of the bugs could survive in an infectious state to the STP. When I contacted the CDC a few years ago to inquire about this, I was told that they base their findings on the reported cases, and that STP workers did not appear to have a higher incidence than the general public. Of course, if 90 % of the cases go unrecognized, and thus undiagnosed, no one would know how common (or uncommon) it really is in the industry. They were effectively using a self-screening program, which makes (to me) their studies a little suspect. I'm familiar with the usual case of new workers going through a 6 month acclimation process, as they apparantly get exposed to things, and build up a certyain tolarance, but I wouldn't want to depend on that, considering the way new things are constantly being found, and bugs can mutate. |
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| | | Posted 1/6/2006 10:39:31 AM | |
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| | WEF has a couple of books and they are: Biological Hazards at Wastewater Treatment Facilities
ISBN:0943244-72-2 Order No. P0019TC Protecting Workers from Exposure to Chemicals and Physical Hazards at Wastewater Treatment Plants
ISBN:1-893664-11-2 Order No. D93010TC |
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| | | Posted 1/6/2006 11:05:42 AM | |
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|  HIV can be active for a couple hours???...Now thats a scary thought....Since we are treating waste from 3000 plus inmates.....YIKES.... |
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| | | Posted 1/6/2006 11:06:19 AM | |
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