Any place that human beings dwell in should be in condition that it does not pose any health risks or dehumanises in anyway. In short, this implies that living house should live up to the set state guidelines for instance, should be habitable during cold seasons, have clean drinking water and be hygienically on form (Kemp, 1999). Among the issues, that contravenes these rules and makes a house uninhabitable are lead-base paints and moulds.
Lead-based paints
Painting purpose is to add aesthetic value and give a beautiful and relaxing ambience to our homes but some paints for example Lead-based paints used in painting walls in some dwelling houses are harmful to human health.
Peelings of lead-based paints from old, deteriorating or poorly maintained apartment wall surfaces exposes occupants of such apartments to health risks. Inhabitants get exposure to lead poisoning mainly through ingesting of falling paint chips especially young children and inhaling of lead dust that grinds and piles on from peelings of painted doors and windows.
Effects of lead in human beings
Lead has several health effects, which include, causing of anaemia. When lead enter the blood stream it destroys the red blood cells, which are responsible for oxygen transportation in the body. Lead also causes brain damage especially in young children, high blood pressure, delayed growth, kidney damages, and sperm damage resulting to infertility in men among many other health effects.
Moulds
Moulds are type of fungi and have the ability of growing on almost every surface if provided with the right conditions that is wetness and high humidity levels in the air. A mould releases tiny spores in the air and thus exposing dwellers through breathing in contaminated air.
Touching and eating of items or foods with moulds is another way that exposes an individual to moulds. Moulds do not pose healthy worries to healthy individuals. However, people who are allergic or have respiratory problems have all the reason to worry about as they are at risk of suffering from irritations, running noses, skin diseases, lung congestion and asthma.
Remedies to peeling lead-based paints and moulds
According my mandate and obligation as an environmental health inspector, I would enforce the set regulation on public health and safety. As the saying goes ‘prevention is better than cure’, I would concentrate much on advising the low-income generating tenants on how to deal with the above health threats.
This will include, immediate cleaning of dropping paint chips, maintaining thorough cleanliness of walls and windows surfaces frequently, informing of landlords of peeling paints, checking and stopping sources of wetness, warming of houses to keep off moulds, and washing children hands before eating among others.
Protecting the health of swimmers
Recreational swimming pool are becoming a common thing in social areas but if not taken well care swimming pool waters can be a health threat due to causing and spreading diseases. The pool water usually undergoes treatment process to ensure that the water is clean and safe for consumers. There are several processes used to treat swimming pool water, which include chlorination and ozonation.
Conclusion
So far, most people consider chlorination the common way of treating and disinfecting. It is a reliable ability of eradicating water borne diseases. However, chlorination method has been related to several health hazards due to chlorine compounds such as chloramines, a substance that causes cancer, red eye and skin rashes, which results from, by products of chlorine.
Ozonation on the hand is a technology that has proven highly in reducing organic load in water hence making swimming waters safe for consumers and even pool attendants. Nonetheless, ozonation system machine are expensive when considered as preferred method of water treatment compared to chlorination.
Finally, I would recommend a combination of the two process of water treatment in recreational swimming pools and spas to ensure maximum the health of general consumers. I would also give advice the pool attendants to use small amounts of chlorine to reduce its risks in cases where the owners opt for chlorination.
Reference
Kemp, K. (1999, December 14). The Implied Law of Habitability. Web.