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Disaster Advice Glossary
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Disaster recovery and restoration can be veiled in mystery to the many who have not undertaken specific training. This glossary explains technical terms to assist both report writing and the understanding of those technical terms so often misunderstood.
Definition
| Adverse Health effects: |
The ability of a compound or agent to cause acute or chronic health effects. See Acute, Aeroallergens, Allergens, Chronic, Toxic, Toxins, Neurotoxins |
| Aerollergens: |
Airborne allergen producing substances such as dust, mites, pollens, mold and other airborne substances, from animal dander and hair to human skin cells. Education Note: Aeroallergens can be a vapour from perfumes or toxins from organic decay. See Aerobiology, Aeolian Contamination, Allergens |
| Allergens: |
Those substances that act as an antigen (e.g. pollens, dander, dust mite proteins) causing the formation of antibodies. Health and Saftety Note: Allergens that form antibodies affect certain persons to certain substances. Allergens may cause moderate or severe skin reaction, respiratory impairment and other health reactions. Allergens even in extremely low doses may still cause severe health reactions in some sensitized persons by hypersensitivity. See particulate Matter |
| Allergy: |
A number of disease symptoms caused by exposures to the skin and of the respiratory system. Dusts, molds, mits, grass, animal dander and pollens are some of the primary allergens that cause persons to suffer from allergies. Health Note: Water damaged buildings are known to increase indoor allergens and mite activity. The use of airmovers during building drying are known to cause some allergy sufferers to leave contaminated buildings. |
| Animal Dander: |
Small and microscopic size flakes of shed animal skin and hair (including body oil, urine and feces). Education Note: Animal dander produce allergens and persons susceptible to certain animal dander have lgE antibodies to such allergens as cat FEL d-l (Duffort et al,. 1991). Persons suceptible to animal dander will most likely develop symptoms rapidly when entering a house where animals like cats are present, since this allergen is constantly airborne (Van Metre et al., 1996). Although there are significant differences in allergen content in homes with or without pets, many homes that are normally without a cat, nonetheless contain surprisingly high levels of Fel d-l in household dust (Wood et al., 1998). It is felt that the homes not having animals present, the allergen from animals is brought into the house on the clothes of the inhabitants . Levels of cat allergen, for example, as low as 2 ug Fel d-l/g of household dust, commonly onserved in dust sample studies of houses without cats, may be a risk factor for sensitization to Fel d-l (Wood et al.,1998). See Antigen |
| Asthma: |
A combining force of reoccurring episodes of exposure resulting in wheezing and coughing and laboured breathing. The episodes are often related to or precipitated by inhalation of allergens, pollutants, dander, molds, dusts, infections, cold air or vigorous exercise. Repeat attacks of asthma can result in permanent lung and bronchi damage. |
| Carpet Cushion: |
An underlayment material that is placed under a carpet. Education Note: The cushion acts like a pad, in that the cushion softens the carpet while protecting the face fibers and secondary backing of the carpet. A good carpet cushion adds life to a carpet, especially in high traffic areas. Restorative Drying Note: After a major flood, the carpet cushion should be removed to aid in the immediate drying of the building, then, if the carpet is still in place, removal of the cushion will aid in the drying of the carpet. The problem with drying a building with carpet cushion and/or carpet remains in place, are these saturated materials increase the drying time of the building, as well as they increase the ambient humidity as long as they remain wet. Litigation, Health and Safety Note: Drying carpet cushion and carpet in place may result in unwanted mold growth and increase allergens. All sewage saturated carpet cushion must be carefully removed and disposed. Leaving sewage contaminated carpet cushion in place has been known to result in sickness and illness. |
| Client's Right to Know: |
Legal Note: In certain instances where flooding involves carcinogens, pathogens, aeroallergens, toxins and other harmful agents; electrical and gas hazards; to slip and fall; the water damage contractor, as a person who has knowledge has a legal responsibility to disclose pertinent information to the client and unsuspecting persons who may enter a building or zone of contamination from building impairments may result in public health exposures. |
| Contact Dermatitis: |
Gases, liquids and solids which are known to cause skin inflammation, redness and swelling due to skin contact of an irritant substance. Allergists see this condition on their patients from skin contact with irritants and allergens. (Medically, contact dermatitis is referred to as Contact Sensitization). Health and Safety Note: In water damage remediation, contact dermatitis sensitization may result to a sensitized individual, all sensitized individuals should not be in a water damaged building, especially during the building drying, contact with chemicals and contaminated building materials. See Conjunctivitis, Contact Hazards, Dermatitis, Occupational Exposures, Rhinitis |
| Cross-Contamination: |
The carrying of a microorganism, chemical or toxin from a contaminated area to a non-effected clean area. Health and Safety Note: Typically, cross-contamination is thought of as contaminates carried on objects including clothes and hands, but cross-contamination also occurs in building air pathways and ventilation air streams, where bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and other aero-allergens easily travel through from an airborne route. In hospitals, cross-contamination is referred to as nosocomial infections. See Fomites |
| Occupational Related Respiratory Diseases: |
Education and Health Note: Diseases associated with the water damage and mitigation industry that are occupational exposures, resulting in the inhalation of airborne contaminates causing illness and disease. Respirable Compounds Include: hardwood floor sanding, silica dust, chemical vapours, soil dust, asbestos, pollens, dander, lead-base paints, aluminum shavings, mold spores, fungal toxins, cotton dust, paper dust, fibreglass, carbon monoxide, cellulose particulates, cement dust, clay dust, fly ash, bird and rodent feces. See Allergies, Allergens, Biological Particles, Bronchitis, Byssinosis, Conjunctivitis, Labored Breathing, Non-Biological Particles, Pneumoconiosis, Rhinitis |
| Pathogens: |
Pathogens Disease causing microorganisms. Microorganisms including but not limited to viruses, bacteria and fungi, which have the capacity to cause disease under certain conditions. See Allergens. |
| Pink-Eye: |
Also known as Red-Eye, which is an inflammation of the eye causing redness, discomfort and sometimes a discharge from the affected eye. Health Note: Pink-Eye and Red-Eye can be an occupational caused disease from contact with contaminated materials. Pink-eye and red-eye are more commonly referred to as Conjunctivitis. Most conjunctival infections are caused by bacteria, for example, staphylococci, that are spread hand-to-mouth, contact with a contaminated surface, or where sewage affected pollutants become airborne. Education Note: a) Water damage technicians must wear proper clothing, respiratory and eye protection during sewage cleanup. b) Besides sewage bacteria, conjunctivitis can also be caused from airborne dust, spores and allergens. c) Technicians must eliminate the use of air movers during the cleanup phase, especially during mold and sewage damage cleanup or when there is airborne debris created from increased air movement. See Conjunctivitis. |
| Quantitative Limits: |
The minimum amount of some chemicals, toxins, bacteria, fungi and allergens, that can be detected and measured with a suitable degree of reliability. Some quantitative limits are constrained by science, while other limits are constrained by budget. |
| Sensitisation: |
A process by which the immune system response is stimulated on its first being exposed to an antigen. Health Note: The consequence is the bodys immune system is preparing itself for a stronger response upon re-exposure to the same antigen, as in a hypersensitivity reaction. See Allergens, Allergies, Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. |
| Toxic Air Contaminates: |
Airborne contaminates including gases, vapours, fumes, mists, spores and other aeroallergens, which when inhaled, become toxic to the human respiratory, blood and central nervous system. Health Note: When you breathe in vapours, fumes and other contaminates, they immediately enter the blood stream through your respiratory system, causing poisoning. This is why you must never stick your head into a confined space to check it out without proper respiratory protection. | The Disaster Advice Glossary and its contents are the protected copyright of Disaster Advice
The Disaster Advice Glossary operates on TechMerit Technoloy.
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