Occupational fatality by pesticide exposure as a sentinel event: when a little means a lot

This paper proposes a new surveillance and data collection model for pesticide poisoning, based on the descriptive analysis of deaths due to occupation-related pesticide exposure as registered in the Mortality Information System (SIM). These deaths are considered sentinel events based on their unexp...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Bochner, Rosany
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Brasil
Institución:Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
Repositorio:Vigilância Sanitária em Debate
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.visaemdebate.incqs.fiocruz.br:article/364
Acceso en línea:https://visaemdebate.incqs.fiocruz.br/index.php/visaemdebate/article/view/364
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Envenenamento
Agroquímicos
Vigilância Sanitária
Vigilância Epidemiológica
Registros de Mortalidade
Poisoning
Agrochemicals
Health Surveillance
Epidemiological Surveillance
Mortality Registries
Descripción
Sumario:This paper proposes a new surveillance and data collection model for pesticide poisoning, based on the descriptive analysis of deaths due to occupation-related pesticide exposure as registered in the Mortality Information System (SIM). These deaths are considered sentinel events based on their unexpected occurrence among employees performing the same functions and their continual exposure to these toxic products. A total of 33 deaths, between 2008 and 2012, from occupational pesticide poisoning registered in the country by the SIM will be individually presented in detail. The demographics of the 33 victims shows the following characteristics: males predominance (91%), 40–59 years of age (55%), caucasian (58%), low education levels (45%), marital status of single (39%) and married (33%), agriculture-related activity (64%), and farms as the primary location of the accident (33%). Surveillance actions—particularly for workers who perform the same activities as those that died—will investigate the working conditions, the use of personal protective equipment (including its periodic exchanges), and conducting specific tests for pesticide exposure/poisoning.