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Oil Spill Effects on Workers

Major oil spill disasters, from the Exxon Valdez in 1989 to the 2010 Gulf Oil crisis, result in serious health consequences for workers on the rig and clean-up personnel. According to Natural Resources Defense Council senior scientist, Gina Solomon physical symptoms include acute headaches, dizziness, skin rashes, irritation of the eyes and throat, and breathing problems. Genetic abnormalities and mental health consequnces have also been noted in some studies.

  1. Immediate Toxicological Consequence

    • Exposure to related petrochemicals in crude oil spills has an immediate effect if workers. Flu-like nausea and dizziness are usually the first symptoms, followed by eye irritation, headache, sore throat, and skin burning or itching. According a June 3, 2010 report in the "The Huffington Post" in the aftermath of the oil spill on the U.S. Gulf Coast, brief contact with crude oil is not harmful, but swallowing even small amounts of oil can result in "upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea."

    Six Month Exposure

    • Effects of oil spills on workers may become more acute and intense as time progresses. These can include damage to mucus membranes, skin, and the central nervous system that affects equilibrium, disorientation and mental confusion. Chronic exposure results in body tissues, metabolism and damage to bodily organs. Severe lung, liver and kidney damage may lead to death. Immune disorders and hormone imbalances have also been reported.

    Mental Health Consequences

    • The unpredictable nature of the oil spill and the extent of its consequences creates extreme stress among workers. According to "The New England Journal of Medicine," calls to mental health and domestic violence hot-lines in the U.S. Gulf region increased since the oil spill in 2010. According to a report in "Time Magazine," an Alabama fisherman who took a job doing oil-spill cleanup killed himself. His friends confirmed he had been severely disturbed by the spill and the destruction it caused.

    Long-term Prognosis

    • Oil spils involve hundreds of chemical substances mixed with hydrocarbons. Workers in long-term contact with spills for more than a year may experience dozens of severe mental and physical disorders. Problems have been observed, along with infertility both for male and female workers. According to Dr. Nalini Sathiakumar of the University of Alabama, "oil isn't just oil --- it also contains volatile organic compounds like the carcinogen benzene." He says studies have demonstrated consistent evidence for "oracular, neurological and dermal consequences" resulting form long term exposure to "volatile organic compounds."

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