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. 2025 May 1;67(5):353-362.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003336. Epub 2025 Feb 7.

First-Responder Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Cleanup Operations: A Qualitative Study

Addison C Testoff  1 , Paola Louzado-Feliciano, Kevin J Moore, Alberto J Caban-Martinez
Affiliations

First-Responder Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Cleanup Operations: A Qualitative Study

Addison C Testoff et al. J Occup Environ Med. .

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify and describe factors that impacted first responder's health and safety during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup.

Methods: Prediscussion survey and six focus group sessions conducted in May 2017 among Louisiana first responders.

Results: Among the 50 first responders 98.0% were male, 98% Caucasian, 95.3% non-Hispanic, 70.0% married, and group mean age, 40.6 years (SD = 9.8). Oil exposure was reported by 56.2% of first responders, with 59.3% reporting skin contact, 77.8% inhalation, 11.1% ingestion, and 36.7% visited a doctor after the oil spill event. The following four focus group themes emerged: 1) collaboration between fire personnel and incident command staff; 2) ensuring access to personal protective equipment; 3) establishing contamination control protocols; and 4) providing training.

Conclusions: Louisiana first responders at the oil spill cleanup reported postevent health effects and factors to improve response activities.

Keywords: first responders; oil spill, hazardous exposures; qualitative methods.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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