Toxicology Problem Set

Toxicology Problem Set

Problem 10: Hazard control

For help to answer the question:

There are several ways to control or reduce your exposure to a hazard. Opening a window in a room full of people who are smoking is an example of controlling your exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by __________________.

A. treating the symptoms of the hazard

B. diluting the hazard

C. distancing yourself from the hazard

D. removing the hazard

Tutorial

One might assume that the best way to control a hazard is to remove the source. This would certainly work, but is not always possible. For example, you may not be able to get everyone in the room to put out their cigarettes. You have several other options for reducing your exposure:

a. You could wear protective gear such as a gas mask that would filter all the bad stuff out of the air before you breathed it into your lungs.

b. You could stand at the opposite side of the room for the smokers. As the smoke diffuses through in the room, the air nearer the smokers will have the highest concentration of smoke and the air farthest from the smokers will have the lowest concentration. By distancing yourself from the source of the hazard, you will reduce your exposure.

c. You could open a window. Fresh air will come in the window and reduce the concentration of cigarette smoke in the room. This dilutes the hazard and reduces your exposure.

d. Sometimes when there is not way to avoid exposure, you can treat the symptoms caused by the hazard so that the effect of the hazard is reduced.

The method you select for hazard control will depend on which option is most affective and most practical for a particular hazard in your specific situation.

The Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center
The Biology Project
The University of Arizona
Tuesday, September 16, 1997
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