What Clean-up Volunteers Can Expect(thanks to Katrin Faridani presently involved in the clean-up)
- even when completely covered with oil repelling gear volunteers should expect that the clothes they are wearing will be ruined
- today (Tuesday) was a mild day without a strong breeze but she still needed a hat (like a toque) and cotton gloves under her rubber gloves in order to stay properly warm
- many volunteers are wearing face masks to protect themselves fromoil splashes and to cut some of the smell (which is apparently more like regular gas than diesel) but people should expect to find the fumes will get to them after a few hours
- this is HARD, HEAVY work that people will find physically draining. Katrin saw lots of stiff, sore, exhausted people and the situation is only made worse by the emotional impact of realizing that no matter how much oil you’ve removed there is literally more on the beach when you’ve finished than there was when you started.
- people are showing up in the early morning and trying to stay and work all day but end up getting exhausted, so that by lunch time more people are hanging around doing nothing than are actively working on the beach.
- doing this kind of volunteering often gives people a positive, uplifting feeling. However, for many, spending too long doing back-breaking labour in what looks like a hopeless situation may cause them to go back to work on Monday tired and sore and depressed. This is a real possibility.
EHH Strategy
We think that a one day commitment on a weekend is enough. We are going to work in shifts while we are there and try and ensure that folks are well nourished and alternate stints of heavier work with lighter work where possible.Four hours of hard work from a person is four hours of work that wouldn’t happen if they didn’t show up at all. It all makes a difference.We want to help but we also want volunteers to know that this is a horrifying thing they are about to be witness to—this may not be for everyone—if one gets there and discovers this, we want them to say so, there is no shame in that and we are firmly committed to the well-being of the volunteers that go out under our flag.
Medical Information for Clean-up workers
Thanks to Dr. Lee In Kyu, a pediatric neurologist and professor with Soonchunhyang University Hospital and Medical School, for doing some research for us on Hydrocarbon Intoxication.
Dr. Lee believes that there are no serious or long term effects from breathing the fumes from the oil spilled at Tae-an. He states that people can, and likely will, experience headaches, light headedness or dizziness and mild bronchial irritation from inhaling the fumes. Some time away from the fumes will see these symptoms disappear. He strongly recommends that people working in the clean-up do so in 1 to 2 hour shifts and then remove themselves to a place where there are no fumes for about the same length of time.
Dr. Lee did point out that if a person ingested some of the crude oil, they also will not suffer any complications unless they vomit, which could induce hydrocarbon pneumonia which could bring on pulmonary failure. So he suggests we don’t eat the oil and if we do – don’t vomit.
I did a little research about health risks for people who clean oil spills.
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/clausen310705.html
http://www.theolivepress.es/2007/06/21/thousands-of-prestige-oil-spill-volunteers-suffer-health-problems/
http://media.www.dailytargum.com/media/storage/paper168/news/2005/02/24/HealthScience/Toxicologist.Studies.Lasting.Effects.Of.Exxon.Valdez.Oil.Spill-875532.shtml
After reading these articles, I wonder if EHH should direct it´s relief efforts in more indirect and more safe ways such as feeding volunteers, collecting old clothing for one-time use, or raising money.
By: Edvenchers on December 12, 2007
at 7:34 pm
today was a very different day. Much colder but not as much wind. So eventhough I mentioned the shovels and buckets yesterday, today what was most effective were the pads that were laid on the beach and soaked oil up. I used one pad 15 tiems and each time it worked, yet I saw many people discarding them after three or four uses. I think instead of the buckets and shovels which are sitting on the beach unused at this moment, boxes of the pads would be far more effective as they remove oil from water surface as well as sand. I would suggest the foam kind (pictures are on their ay) and not the cotton pads that look like sanitary napkin material. The foam ones pick up again and again. and to get several boxes, but bring them out sparingly, as they seem to be very attractive for people to use, but as I said they dont realize how much they can be used and I have seen many in garbage bags that could work far loonger.
By: Katrin Faridani on December 12, 2007
at 7:47 pm
Also, there is a LOT of garbage around. Part of it is rubber gloves and the overalls, but these pads mentioned above are not getting picked up off the beach. The logic behind that is that the tide will bring in more oil and they will soak it right up, which they do to a certain extent but again, there are an awful lot of them just laying about. Pick up of those is a job and a half in itself.
Remember to reuse everything until it falls apart. The Koreans wanted to give me new boots today when mine from yesterday were 10 feet away and they just coudnt graso the fact that I did NOT want new boots. So your rubber gloves if properly cleaned can go several days.
Here is an idea I had. Wear the cheap kitchen gloves, then cotton work gloves over then, then heavy dity rubber gloves over that. If possible get smothe ones as the kitchen pink ones with the rough surface only trap sand and oil and cannot be cleaned easily. The smoothe ones I saw many people wearing were easy to wipe clean and therefore reusable.
By: Katrin Faridani on December 12, 2007
at 8:04 pm
Edvenchers – thanks for the post. I hope to meet tomorrow afternoon with Dr. Hong Sae yong, one of Korea’s foremost toxicologists to talk about this futher. I am delighted that you have offered a suggestion and some resources to expand the discussion and reanalyze the thrust. I believe there is a significant difference between inhaling fumes and inhaling hydocarbon particles – duration of exposure seems to be another critical factor but …… We all know about assumptions. I hope to have better information tomorrow.
It’s hard in a short time to create and offer up a vision of what we can and will do for the folks at Padori – certainly clean-up will not be the greatest need and already plans are being laid down to help in the ways you have suggested.
Keep posting – keep raising questions – keep sharing information. Don’t limit yourself to posting comments – we will happily receive and post all views and information that relate to this horrible situation.
That applies to one and all. There really is no boundary prescribing how one helps.
Thom – let’s get particle masks.
By: kordolphin on December 12, 2007
at 10:34 pm
“So he suggests we don’t eat the oil and if we do – don’t vomit.”
Shucks.
I was planning on eating some of that oil.
By: Carioca on December 13, 2007
at 10:46 am
Thanks to Dr. Nah Joo ok, a professor and doctor of Pulmonary Medicine at Soon Chun Hyang School of Medicine in Cheonan, for tracking down the masks she recommends for doing clean-up work. Making a difference, she was on the phone and until she found a supply of these particle filtering masks. We will have them for this weekend and we will also provide the villagers of Padori Beach a large supply of masks.
Buying your own mask? They are literally translated as Stop Dusk Masks, used by chemical workers, cost 600 won a piece and can be found at an industrial supply store.
By: kordolphin on December 13, 2007
at 6:38 pm
I’ve just got back from a day at the beach at Padori and thought I’d share my experience with those of you who will be heading out there over the next few months!
The first thing I noticed was the vast amounts of volunteers who are facing the cold, the fumes and the hard work to do their bit towards cleaning up this mess! People are arriving by the coach load, they are parked on school playing fields and pretty much in every available space around the beach! However, there are still not enough people to cope with the huge amount of work to be done on this small area of natural beauty!
Stepping onto the beach you instantly get a shockingly dismal picture of the damage that has been done! It literally looks like a huge fire has blackened every rock within the sea’s grasp!
Within seconds of getting to work you will see evidence of the damage done to the eco-systems in Padori. Shellfish and crabs are dead or dying. The only surviving creatures are bugs (a warning for those that don’t like bugs…there are many big creepy crawlies underneath the bigger rocks. So, if you don’t like them….stick to the smaller rocks) and even they are covered in oil and unable to clean themselves.
The work is slow, tedious and grueling made even more uncomfortable by the difficult terrain and the biting winds. The Korean volunteers will crouch in the same way they do for eating or resting however this is practically impossible for us and therefore we are forced to kneel or sit on the rocks which is extremely uncomfortable!
Another thing that struck me was the ways in which this community is pulling together. Those who cannot scrub rocks or are taking a break are standing in the cold sorting the used rags, serving hot food to the volunteers or keeping the passageways to the beach clear. Nobody in the vicinity of Padori is resting, they stop for just a few short minutes to eat and warm up before heading back to the difficult, back breaking work.
Any foreigner in Korea will be used to being stared at every day! It’s no exception here! There are many reporters around who want to take shots of the ‘waeguks’ working hard!
The harrowing part of the day is spending hours cleaning, rubbing, scrubbing these rocks only to know that when the tide comes in again it’s going to be back to square one and the next day could be even colder, even wetter and even messier. It does, at times, feel like you’re hardly making a difference but you have to remind yourself that there is only one way that this oil is going to get moved and that is by people working together to do their little bit. So, don’t expect to leave at the end of the day and see how much work you’ve done! But do remember that you have certainly made it no worse!
Things to take with you:
+As many layers of clothes you can spare to destroy. I cannot describe in words how cold it is out there. Layer up the gloves and the socks and try to take ear muffs if you have them! A hat is also necessary not only to keep warm but to keep the hair out of your eyes (if you have long hair).
+Old spare clothes/rags/sheets/clothes/towels. These are to mop up the oil from the rocks! Anything that is unwanted and absorbent is great! I saw a lot of cloth signs (like those advertising banners you see outside shops and schools. These are easy to come by and are super useful)
+A mask, scarf and hat will help to keep you hidden (as a foreigner) if you want to keep low-key.
+The obvious-rubber boots, protective clothing.
+There is free hot food for all the volunteers (rice, soup, ramen). There is also coffee, cakes, fruit, kimchi etc etc. However, this food has to come from somewhere so it wouldn’t hurt to bring food!
By: Lisa Lally on December 15, 2007
at 6:58 pm
What a great play you guys did.
I am just one of korean.
By: eric on December 17, 2007
at 1:20 pm
I was reading that mask should be fitted with a type A filter. This is to protect against highly toxic Volatile Organic compounds. VOC.
-http://www.theolivepress.es/2007/06/21/thousands-of-prestige-oil-spill-volunteers-suffer-health-problems/
The “stop dust mask” recommended in a previous post. Do these have this type A filter?
By: kevin on December 20, 2007
at 1:05 pm
to Katrin Faridani, Lisa Lally, and Expat Helping Hands,
I live in Incheon, where I teach Korean English TESOL teachers. I have five days vacation next week (Friday 28 December to Tuesday 1 January). I would like to volunteer at the oil spill during some of these days. Do know who I could contact to find out about transport and accommodation. I will make sure to bring clothes that I can throw out afterwards. Thanks very much.
Iris Ralph
By: Iris Ralph on December 23, 2007
at 8:24 pm
Please ignore my last message–I saw the “How to volunteer” link. Apologies for not noticing this link in the first place (!)
By: Iris Ralph on December 23, 2007
at 8:28 pm
I have been out to Padori several times in the last week or so. Yesterday I took out a couple of Canadian guys who are teaching in Jin ju – Jake and Aaron. The weather was nasty. Dress warm.
If you are picking up your own gear – the XXL one piece suits (we have been using Safeguard stuff) are likely a good idea so you can bundle up underneath. Rubber boots are now being recycled at the beach so unless you have an abnormally large foot size you will find boots to wear there.
The basic gear for cleaning is a suit, cotton gloves, rubber gloves, rubber boots and a mask (recommend 3M masks the 700 won variety are more than adequate). These are all relatively cheap to purchase at an industrial supply store.
Anyone wanting to make their way to the beach on their own can take a bus to Taean then find the local bus to Padori and return the same way. If staying over I recommend going back in to Taean (20 or 30 minutes) and grabbing a minbak there. Most businesses at the beach are shutdown but there is a relatively large convenience store open in the village.
If you get stuck and need help and school is on contact Mr. Kim the English teacher. Otherwise phone me at 010-6487-3009 and we will take care of you.
By: kordolphin on December 24, 2007
at 2:00 pm