Chemical emergency due to irritant gases: the case of the Urban Pre-University Institute José Luis Dubrocq

Abstract

Chemical emergencies pose a risk to human health and risk management. The World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization define them as dangerous events or situations resulting from the release of a substance or substances hazardous to human health and/or the environment in the short or long term. This article aims to analyze the impact of irritant gases as a causative agent of a chemical emergency at the Urban Pre-University Institute José Luis Dubrocq, in Matanzas, where students suffered acute poisoning from exposure to pepper spray. Irritant gases constitute a heterogeneous group of chemical compounds capable of inducing acute or chronic inflammatory responses in the respiratory tract, mucous membranes, and skin. These events transcend the academic sphere in a world where these substances are present in dissimilar activities carried out by the human being, from industry to self-defense devices. Furthermore, understanding their risks is essential for designing preventive protocols and mitigating damage.