Republic of the Philippines

Mindanao State University

College of Health Sciences
9700, Marawi City, Philippines

NSG 130 DISASTER NURSING

TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARD

A Paper Presented to
Prof. Ulysses T. Abellana, RN, MAN
Professor, College of Health Sciences,
Mindanao State University—Main Campus
Marawi, City

SECTION – D

Submitted by:
GROUP 6
Postrano, Wyndylle N.
Pangcatan, Norhasnie M.
Paporo, Nashrena
Mustapha, Norol-khairah
Obinay, Manal
Mustapha, Shalimar
Pangcatan, Norjannah L.

APRIL 2023
 TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARD
1. UTILITY FAILURE
It is any disruption in the services necessary for the safe and proper operation of a
building, including; electricity, water, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, telephone,
internet, and water utilities.
A utility failure may be wide-spread or limited to a specific building or area within a
building. Power and utility outages may be advertised and scheduled in advance to perform
preventative maintenance.
Types of Utility Failure:
A. Power outage- is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly. A power outage
may: Disrupt communications, water and transportation. Close retail businesses, grocery
stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks and other services.
B. Elevator failure
a. Elevator Misleveling is most common type of elevator accident. It accounts for
roughly 25% of all elevator mishaps. Elevator misleveling happens when an
elevator car fails to stop with the base aligned to the floor of the building. Instead,
the elevator shaft stops below or above the building’s floor. This can form a
lopsided edge of inches, or even feet, which creates a tripping hazard for
unsuspecting passengers trying to enter or exit. When the elevator door opens,
trip and fall victims can violently smash onto the ground resulting in broken arms
and wrists, fractured hips, torn ligaments, neck and back injuries, and traumatic
brain injuries.
b. Elevator overspeed incidents are among the elevator malfunctions that appear
in our forensic casework. The sudden and unexpected acceleration of an
elevator beyond the accepted contract speed, followed by an abrupt stop, can
result in serious injuries for passengers. Overspeed incidents are often caused
by the failure of the elevator controls system to accurately regulate the
acceleration of the elevator creating what the industry identifies as an
“overspeed” condition.
c. Elevator Plunges happen when the elevator cables or ropes failed to support
the elevator and causing the elevator to fall rapidly. Elevators have a series of
brakes and cables that keep them from falling. They can plunge, but it's very
rare.

Moment overcrowded elevator with 11 people crammed inside plunges into the basement
at a Brazilian residential building leaving three injured (March 20, 2023)

Three passengers were injured and taken to a hospital after the elevator they were in dropped
from the first floor to the basement at a condo in Brazil. Eleven passengers boarded the lift in
the 10th floor and it descended without issues to the lobby, but the doors did not open before
it violently dropped. The building's manager suggested that the elevator, which has been
taken out of service as part of the investigation, plunged because of excess weight.

NSG 130 DISASTER NURSING

GROUP 6 SECTION-D 2
 C. Serious gas leak- refers to a leak of gaseous product from a pipeline or other
containment into any area where the gas should not be present. Gas leaks can be
hazardous to health as well as the environment. Even a small leak into a building or
other confined space may gradually build up an explosive or lethal concentration of gas.
Small gas leaks may not have a smell or other physical signs. However, if there is a gas
leak in the home, a person may notice:
 the smell of sulfur or rotten eggs
 a hissing or whistling sound near a gas line
 a white cloud or dust cloud near a gas line
 bubbles in water
 a damaged gas pipe
 dead houseplants
D. Plumbing failure/flooding- It is the accidental admission or escape of a fluid through a
hole or crack. This may result in covering or submerging of normally dry surface with a
large amount of water.
RECOMMENDATION
Power outage
 Report outages immediately to Facility Services.
 Do not use candles or other type of open flame for lighting.
 Proceed cautiously outdoors or to an area that has emergency lighting.
 Provide assistance to others who may be unfamiliar with the space.
 Remain in a safe location. Back-up generators will supply emergency lighting to
most areas.
 use flashlights to evacuate and conduct safety checks.
Elevator failure
 Activate the emergency button/telephone.
 Do not attempt to evacuate the elevator or help others evacuate.
 Do not pry open elevator doors or climb through the elevator roof escape hatch.
Serious Gas Leak
 Evacuate the premises.
 Leave the doors and windows open.
 Call for help.
Plumbing failure/flooding
 Clear everyone from the area.
 Turn off the water to the house.
 Turn off the power.
 Call a plumber.
 Work on clean up and damage mitigation.

NSG 130 DISASTER NURSING

GROUP 6 SECTION-D 3
 2. HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATION
Hydrocarbon contamination is of great worry because of their widespread effect on all
forms of life. It occurs due to toxic organic substances, petroleum, and pesticides which is a
serious concern for the environment. Contamination caused by petroleum hydrocarbon is a
matter of worry because these are harmful for various life forms.
CRUDE OIL
• Crude oil contamination is the mother component of all petroleum hydrocarbons.
• It is a complex mixture hydrocarbons with 4-26 or more carbon atoms in the
molecule.
• It is extracted usually from the upper strata of the earth.
• Crude oil is the key component in causing oil pollution since it has the following
properties:
 Lighter than water
 Immiscible with water
 Highly flammable
 Spreads on water forming slicks
 Generally liquid at room temperature
Cause

 Hydrocarbon pollution is caused mainly by accidents on oil platforms and ships used for
hydrocarbon transportation but also by discharging water into the sea which is used to
wash tanks of tanker vessels
 Oil spills in oceans, leakages in pipelines carrying crude oil and gas exploration activities
 Accidents during production, refining, transportation and storage of petroleum and its by
products
Effects

 Effects Loss of species diversity both flora and fauna

 Economic loss
 Human health hazard and diseases
 Global warming acid rain ozone depletion
Recommendation
There are several methods to control the oil pollution:
 Routinely inspect storage tanks as required by law.
 Use automatic nozzle shutoffs to reduce the potential for overfilling fuel tanks.
 Set up an oil-recycling program to deliver used oil to a designated collection site.
 Keep spill control equipment readily available.
 Properly dispose of use oil and fuel-absorbent materials.
 Preventive maintenance of aging pipelines

NSG 130 DISASTER NURSING

GROUP 6 SECTION-D 4