American Public Health & Minimum Housing Standards

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Potential Microbial Diseases
Microbial Hazard Elimination
Potential Physical Hazard
Physical Hazard Elimination
Potential Chemical Hazard
Chemical Hazard Elimination
Reference List

Abstract

Hoarding may seem a minor problem, yet it leads to deplorable consequences for both the hoarder and the people that live in the vicinity. Although Roy, the man, who considers himself an inventor, and Loretta, a mother of a young daughter, may seem lacking similarity, their cases of hoarding are quite similar to each other. Both expose themselves to a range of threats and deny having a problem. Major chemical, physical and microbial hazards that they face can be eliminated by taking elaborate steps in intervention and the removal of the objects hoarded.

Potential Microbial Diseases

The threats that Roy is exposed to due to his metal junk hoarding issue include Tetanus, Hantavirus, Bubonic plague, Salmonellosis and Rat-Bite Fever. Seeing that Roy is surrounded by metal in his yard, getting cut is a viable threat for him. Rusty metal, in its turn, hosts C.Tetani bacteria, which, when being introduced to a human body through cuts, trigger a rapid development of tetanus (Yue & Shifferli, 2014).

Moreover, the fact that Roy leaves a variety of trash in the junkyard, where he hoards metal, means that the junkyard may become a shelter for a variety of rodents, including rats. The latter, in their turn, may spawn the development of Hantavirus, Bubonic plague, Salmonellosis and Rat-Bite Fever (Potter, 2007). According to the existing evidence, rats are traditionally considered the transmitters of the above-mentioned diseases. Even though Bubonic Fever is considered to have been vanquished, it may still be spawned by the viruses carried by rats.

In Loretta’s case, the threats of potential microbial diseases are nonetheless severe. First and most obvious, collecting clothes and cardboard bags is most likely to lead eventually to increases in dampness levels in the room and, as a result, the appearance of fungi. The latter, in its turn, will become the breeding ground for hyphae, which, in its turn, will lead to the development of fungi and mold. As a result, Loretta and her child may develop major breathing issues after inhaling the spores disseminated by the fungi (Soler & Schlosser, 2012).

Microbial Hazard Elimination

In order to address the specified problem, Loretta will need to not only remove the items that clutter her house from the room, but also sanitize the latter with chemical cleaning methods. The premises should also be checked for pests, as the garbage, which could be seen among the boxes, must have attracted insects and, thus, needs a proper cleansing. In addition, sanitizing the premises with the help of an appropriate cleaning liquid.

As far as Roy’s case is concerned, taking the cars to the local junk yard and sanitizing the area will help address the issue. In Roy’s scenario, waste disposal techniques will be required in addition to the traditional methods of cleaning. Roy must be capable of recognizing the problem and sorting the things in his possession out, making reasonable choices concerning what needs to be removed and what may remain in his possession. It will also be essential to use trucks in the process of the objects removal. In addition, the fact that the aforementioned objects are located in the area, which is

Potential Physical Hazard

Apart from microbial hazards to fight with, both Roy and Loretta need to be weary of the physical hazard, which their habit of hoarding things may lead to. As far as Roy’s case is concerned, there is a potential threat of being injured in the process of dissembling cars. There is no need to stress that most of the objects are very heavy and may cause a severe damage in case of falling on their owner.

Lorretta and her child may suffer from a different kind of a physical threat. With a number of inflammatory objects stocked in Loretta’s room, there is an obvious fire hazard for Loretta and her child. In addition, being pregnant, Loretta may lose her child if she keeps accumulating junk instead of disposing of it.

Physical Hazard Elimination

It is quite obvious that both cases require an urgent removal of most of the objects. Loretta needs to move the things that her room is packed with either to corresponding containers, drawers, shelves, etc., or to throw them away. Roy, in his turn, needs to take most of his cars to the car junk yard, as these vehicles are not suitable for being kept outside of a garage.

Potential Chemical Hazard

Apart from storing rusty cars in his yard, Roy confessed to have acquired large amounts of various chemicals, including gasoline. Therefore, gasoline poisoning can be viewed as a major threat to Roy’s health, as well as the health of the people living in the vicinity. The same concerns the batteries that Roy stores in his yard. In addition, the fact that Roy stores various solvents shows that he is exposed to the threat of spilling them and, therefore, causing a chemical burn.

Loretta faces a different type of chemical hazard – she has to handle the issue of being exposed to a variety of chemical affinities, which she has acquired in the course of hoarding.

Chemical Hazard Elimination

In Roy’s case, removing gasoline from the yard is the only way of eliminating the threat, since the owner clearly cannot take proper acre of his possessions and may overlook gasoline leakage. Therefore, it is imperative that the gasoline cans should be permanently removed from the area. In addition, the batteries that Roy also stores in his yard may cause lead or mercury poisoning, which is why they must be removed from the area as well. Likewise, Loretta will have to remove the chemical affinities, which she does not use, from her room in order to facilitate safety and prevent possible accidents.

Reference List

Potter, P. (2007). Rats, global poverty, and paying the piper. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13(10), 1622–1623. Web.

Soler, Z. M. & Schlosser, R. G. (2012). The role of fungi in diseases of the nose and sinuses. American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy 26(5), 351–358. Web.

Yue, M. & Shifferli, D. M. (2014). Allelic variation in salmonella: An underappreciated driver of adaptation and virulence. Frontiers in Microbiology 4(419), 1–10.

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