By Renatta Signorini
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
One person was admitted to Indiana Regional Medical Center Tuesday and nearly 20 others were treated after they were exposed to cadmium at an industrial plant, according to spokesman Mark Richards.
Hazmat crews treated a number of people — fewer than 20 —at the hospital Tuesday afternoon after they were exposed to the metal. Richards said at about 1:40 p.m. that everyone exposed
had been treated and sent home except for the one patient who was
admitted.
Richards said the exposure occurred at a plant near Homer City. He was unsure of the name.
The hospital has large decontamination tents specifically for hazmat situations, Richards said.
According to the Occupational Safety &
Health Administration, cadmium can be highly toxic. Exposure to the
metal can cause cancer. Inhalation exposure to high levels over a short
period of time can result in flu-like symptoms and can damage the lungs.
Chronic exposure to a low level over time can result in kidney, bone
and lung disease, the OSHA website states.
The administration estimates that
approximately 300,000 workers are exposed to the metal annually in the
United States, mostly in the manufacturing and construction sectors.