The following is a reprint from today's Cal OSHA Reporter. Our members and their families need to be aware of the hazards and health risks of cleaning up after the devastating fires in So. Cal.
Val Afanasiev
By: RUTH MARVIN WEBSTER - Staff Writer
Wet dust down, don't just blow it around, experts advise
NORTH COUNTY ---- Once the flames of this week's wildfires are extinguished and the smoke has lessened, the daunting task of cleanup begins. Indeed, removal of debris from Sunday night's high winds and of soot and ash deposited by this week's wildfires has already begun in nearly every corner of North County ---- even in communities never immediately threatened by fire.
If fires continue to burn near your home, officials say, it may be futile to start to dust off the ash outside. It may be unhealthful, too, to be outdoors gathering broken branches and debris. The American Lung Association warns that those with lung or heart conditions, or with compromised immune systems, should avoid cleaning up altogether. Even for healthy individuals, the association suggests cleanup be done while wearing a well-fitted mask that has an Occupational Safety and Health Administration rating of at least N95.
Outside in the yard or garden, the most important thing to remember is not to not use leaf blowers, said Anita Tinsley, public information specialist for the Air Control Pollution District for San Diego County. Blowers stir up the settled ash and increase the pollutants in the air, she said, making breathing hard on lungs.
Even sweeping vigorously will stir up fine particles and should be avoided.
"When it comes time to clean up, please, oh, please ---- no leaf blowers,"
said Ross Porter, communications director for the American Lung Association in San Diego. "And spray water outside before you sweep, because blowers and sweeping just brings it all up again."
Hose it down, don't blow it around, is what local experts advise after a fire ---- but since we are also in a time of water conservation, it's important to be waterwise, too.
"Just a little bit of water will moisten the ash," said Peggy Petitmermet, who narrowly survived the 1996 Harmony Grove fire.
Petitmermet, an avid gardener and professional landscaper who specializes in fire-resistant landscaping, suggested just using a small amount of water outdoors. "After all that wind, those beds of leaves and branches are just kindling. Get it in piles and gather it up when it's still wet. ... Just a fine spray on things will clean off the leaves and keep the ash down."
It is best to wet dusty or sooty garden areas first by sprinkling around the house, letting the ashes drain into planters or onto lawns. When ashy water goes into street gutters, it goes downstream to pollute the urban runoff into rivers and the ocean. Therefore, it's best to wet the ashes down, then sweep them up into trash cans or bags for disposal.
Indoors, she advised using a damp cloth to collect dust. "We tend to get a lot of dust where we are in Elfin Forest anyway, so I just use a paper towel that is barely wet to wipe surfaces inside and hose off the window screens."
Porter of the Lung Association also recommends dusting indoor surfaces using a damp cloth, and using a mop on floors rather than vacuuming which can also just stir up dust and ash.
The Lung Association suggests not using spray products or strong chemical cleaning products, but using solid-type air fresheners.
Some clothing, carpet and other furnishings might require professional cleaning to eliminate smoke odor. According to the Red Cross, some products with tri-sodium phosphate are available to reduce smoke odors in fabric. A caustic substance, tri-sodium phosphate should be used with care and stored out of the reach of children and pets. It may also be used in small quantities in the washing machine to reduce smoke smells.
After the fire is also the time to change filters ---- in furnaces, air conditioners and in the car. "After this, everyone is going to need new air filters in their cars as well as their home heater and air conditioner,"
Porter said. "In general, we will need to check all the air filtration systems after this. Depending on your heater, you are supposed to change the filter every three months. There are different grades, but it can't hurt to change them."
And once the sky is blue and the onshore breezes from the coast begin again, go ahead and open windows and doors so fresh air can circulate through the house and dissipate the smell of smoke.
Contact staff writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 740-3527 or rwebster@nctimes.com.
Safe cleanup of fire ash
- Wash ash off children's toys before letting children play with them.
Clean ash off house pets.
Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and avoid skin contact with ash. If you do get ash on your skin, wash it off as soon as possible.
If you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees, wash the fruit or vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
Our region is being asked to conserve water. If you wet down ash, use as little water as possible.
The Regional Water Control Quality Board has asked the public to avoid washing ash into storm drains whenever possible.
Avoid getting ash into the air. Do not use leaf blowers or brooms, or take other actions that will put ash into the air.
Shop vacs and other common vacuum cleaners do not filter out small particles, but instead blow the particles out the exhaust into the air where they can be breathed. The use of shop vacuums and non-High Efficiency Particulate Air filter vacuums is not recommended. If available, High Efficiency Particulate Air filter vacuums can be used.
Well-fitting dust masks may provide some protection. A mask rated N-95 or P-100 will be more effective than simple dust or surgical masks in blocking particles from ash. Many ash particles are larger than those found in smoke; thus, wearing a dust mask can significantly reduce (but not completely
eliminate) the amount of particles inhaled.
Persons with heart and lung disease should consult their physician before using a mask during post-fire cleanup.
Gentle sweeping of indoor and outdoor hard surfaces followed by wet mopping is the best procedure in most cases. A damp cloth or wet mop may be all that is needed on lightly dusted areas.
Dispose of collected ash in the regular trash. Ash may be stored in plastic bags or other containers that will prevent it from being disturbed.
Source: The American Lung Association (from California Department of Health Services and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
