It is a story the COM will not feature, but you know it was only a matter of time.
Local media is reporting the first effects of crude oil exposure in humans. Four hundred people have sought medical care--complaining of respiratory problems, headaches, nausea and eye irritation--after trips to Escambia County, Florida beaches. Nevertheless, the County's health department lifted a health advisory for Pensacola beach against the advice of a federal environmental official on Friday. Swimmers complained of petroleum smell and jelly-like petroleum substance clinging to their skin. Water samples have been taken, but results have not yet been reported publicly. Clean up workers are also reporting the effects of exposure to
petroleum and petroleum based
dispersants. The
flu like symptoms--headache, fatigue, nausea, and nervous system effects--have been reported by
74 clean up workers in Louisiana. Respirators are not being used, apparently because of
BP's liability concerns, but protective gear may not be effective to prevent absorption of toxins such as benzene. And if that isn't enough bad news,
CNN reminds us that almost all of the
Exxon Valdez clean up workers are dead. The average life span for those responders was 51 years.
