scope:

It is important to understand potential hazards associated with an oil spill so that efforts can be made to reduce acute health impacts, particularly during emergency response. The potential health hazards from a petroleum spill depend on many factors, the most important are the:

· Chemical and physical properties and composition of the petroleum product;

· Environmental conditions both during and after the release;

· Location and types of tasks performed by the oil spill workers;

· Control measures used to minimize worker exposure.