Description
Book SynopsisSewer systems fall into the category out of sight, out of mind they seldom excite interest. But when things go wrong with the air in the sewer system, they go very wrong. Consequences can be dramatic and devastating: sewer workers killed instantly by poisonous gas when they lift a sewer lid, or entire suburban blocks levelled by explosions. This book describes the atmospheric dangers commonly found in the sewer system. It provides easily-understood explanations of the science behind the hazards, combined with real-life examples of when things went dramatically wrong.
Trade Review"Science and history (embodied in several case studies) are well paired in Airborne Occupational Hazards in Sewer Systems –and that makes for a very compelling volume for both experts who need to understand and assess the manner in which utilities such as sewers can spread both disaster and disease and historians who need to more fully comprehend the technical background of past tragedies that have had major social implications."
— John Grabowski, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
"Accidents and accumulative injuries are unfortunately not uncommon when working in sewers, and there is hence a great need to educate the involved personnel. A major obstacle in this respect has been a lack of readily accessible information. The book Airborne Occupational Hazards in Sewer Systems is a very significant contribution in this respect and a great step forward in ensuring the health of people working in all parts of the sewerage system. The book is an excellent text book and also suited for self-study."
— Jes Vollertsen, Aalborg University, Denmark
"This fine book by Amy Forsgren and Kristina Brinck is a single-source compendium of information on the hazards of municipal sewage and covers both infectious agents and chemicals. The authors place appropriate emphasis on the signature chemical hazard of hydrogen sulfide, also known as "sewer gas", and the potential for lethal exposure in confined spaces, which often occur as multiple deaths due to ill-fated rescue attempts without self-contained breathing apparatus. This book will be useful to public health professionals and invaluable to civil engineers designing municipal sewerage. It may well save a life."
— Tee Guidotti, Editor-in-Chief, Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health
Table of ContentsIntroduction; Confined spaces; Hydrogen Sulphide,Part 2: Toxicology; Biomarkers for Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning; Methane and Natural Gas; Methane Case Study: The Abbeystead Explosion; Case Study, Natural Gas: The East Ohio Gas Co. Explosion; Other Vapors or Gases; Biological Hazards; Viral Hepatitis; Leptospirosis/Weill’s Disease; Exercises; Index
