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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
| Air Toxics: |
the airborne pollutants that may pose chronic health risks to humans when inhaled. See Allergies, Asthma, Respiratory Diseases, Toxics, Toxins |
| 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. |
| Biological Particles: |
Microbial particles such as airborne dust, spores, plant and animal matter, which can cause asthma and allergies in some persons. See Bioaerosols |
| Chemical Sensitivity: |
The acute or chronic sensitivity reaction to a chemical substance. Health and Safety Note: Chemical sensitivity can be a result of adsorption from skin contact, inhalation and ingestion. Chemical sensitivity may show itself as an allergic or asthma reaction, swelling and redness on skin, shortness of breath, laboured breathing, dizziness, stomach ache and vomiting, or a neurological disorder. |
| Fungi: |
Fungi are the class and group of organisms studied by mycologists. 1) Fungi may be filamentous form or single cells, such as yeasts. a) Molds and mildews are also fungi, and so are yeasts and mushrooms. b) Fungi are plants that lack chlorophyll, and they do not grow like normal plants. Education Note: 2) Fungi in water damage buildings are large heterogeneous group of eukaryotic organisms. a) Most fungi are saprophytes, they feed off of dead decaying organic material. b) Fungi will grow on wet building materials such as wood, drywall and cellulose. c) Fungi are the primary cause of rotting, degradation and decomposition of organic materials. Health Note: 3) Fungi can also release mycotoxins and other toxins, which when breathed, are known to cause health impairments, asthma and allergies in humans and animals. See Mold |
| Heightened Awareness: |
A sense or tendency of a person after a flood or fire, to perceive that the interior environment or contents are somehow different than what they were prior to the exposure. Education Note: a) The heightened awareness by a claimant is an impression or perception about their environment after the fact, whether real or perceived, to them the smells to the indoor environment and/or contents, are a concern. Often, other persons such as contractors and adjusters, cannot smell, sense or experience the same heightened awareness as the claimant. Mostly, this is due to the fact, they have no prior memory which may help them recognize or trigger what the environment use to smelled-like. b) Some persons are sensitized, and even de-sensitized, to certain smells and odors. Each persons sensory receptors are different, and what may be an acceptable smell or odor to you, may not be acceptable for another person. c) Some contractors get themselves into trouble, because they never asked the claimant at the time of loss, if they, any of their family or employees have asthma or allergies, or are chemically sensitive. If the answer to any of your questions is yes, you may need to modify your mitigation strategy. d) Adding fragrances and masking agents to the interior environment after a flood, sewage or a fire, may trigger some persons heightened awareness sensations, which may cause the contractor to completely clean and restore the interior of a home. The court action costs the contractor's insurance company over $500-K. See Limonene, Sensory Perception |
| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP): |
An indoor inflammatory disease from the inhalation of dusts, spores, and airborne contaminates. HP occurs less often than allergic rhinitis and asthma, but when diagnosed, it is often a more severe of a allergic reaction and it is harder to control. Health and Safety Note: Water damage contractors have a due diligent responsibility to advise building occupants, that if they have allergies, it may be harmful for them to be in the effected zone or building during the containment, drydown and dehumidification period. |
| Particulate Matter: |
a) A solid material that is a byproduct of construction waste which easily becomes airborne and can be inhaled. b) An airborne dust, spore, pollen or bioaerosol which can result in asthma and allergy-like conditions when inhaled. c) A solid material that settled out of air which can easily become airborne through disturbance or increased air movement. d) Particulate matter in water, especially contaminated water, while it is in a dissolved state. e) When surface water is removed, particulate matter constitutes the insoluble sand, clay, fines and other solid matter after an outdoor flood indoors or a blackwater sewage contamination from main-line sewer backflows. The former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop warns that every day, the average persons respiratory system receives more than two table spoons of particulate matter (dust, pollen, tar, rubber, acids, metals, smoke, clutch and brake materials, bacteria, mould, and many other hazardous and allergic matter). |
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The Disaster Advice Glossary operates on TechMerit Technoloy.
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