NCJ Number
68132
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 47 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1980) Pages: 48-51
Date Published
1980
Length
4 pages
Annotation
NONDUTY HAZARDS POLICE FACE ON THE JOB, SUCH AS POOR DIET, RADIATION, POLLUTANTS, OVEREXPOSURE TO LEAD, AND NOISE, ARE DISCUSSED TO MAKE POLICE MORE AWARE OF POSSIBLE HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS.
Abstract
POLICE OFFICERS COME INTO CONTACT WITH MANY SOURCES OF LOW-LEVEL RADIATION, SUCH AS TRAFFIC RADAR, HOME APPLIANCES, RADIOS, AND THE SUN WHEN WORKING OUT-OF-DOORS. TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, POLICE SHOULD KEEP APPLIANCES IN GOOD REPAIR AND HANDLE ALL RADIATION-PRODUCING EQUIPMENT CAREFULLY. LEAD CONTAMINATION IS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM FOR THE POLICE, SINCE FIRING RANGES COLLECT LEAD DUST AND MANY OFFICERS SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME IN TRAFFIC OR ON INDUSTRIAL SITES. FIRING RANGES SHOULD BE CAREFULLY VENTILATED, AND OFFICERS PERIODICALLY ROTATED FROM DUTIES THREATENING LEAD CONTAMINATION. OFFICERS SHOULD ALSO BE CAREFUL ABOUT DETECTION KITS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT CONTAINING CHEMICALS IN THE STATION HOUSE, DIRTY AIR ON THE JOB, AND TOBACCO USE IN CLOSED ROOMS OR PATROL CARS. POLICE EQUIPMENT CARRIED ABOUT THE BODY, SUCH AS GUNS OR HANDCUFFS, MAY CAUSE BACK PROBLEMS IF THEY ARE NOT PROPERLY DISTRIBUTED, AND COMMON POLICE ACTIVITIES WHICH INVOLVE MUCH SITTING OR WALKING MAY CAUSE FOOT AND BACK PROBLEMS. FURTHER, THE URGENCY OF MANY POLICE ASSIGNMENTS DISCOURAGES PROPER EATING HABITS, AND NOISE AND MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTS CAN CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS. A CHART IS INCLUDED.