Cops coping with fumes

Health hazard

Carbon monoxide, found in the fumes, aggravates heart disease and affects one’s stamina. And in addition to all  this, certain hydrocarbons released along with this exhaust also cause severe headache and prolonged cough.

Although commuters are at risk from these threats, traffic policemen stationed at crowded junctions and crossings are often the worst affected. With shifts that extend from seven in the morning to two in the afternoon, and then from two in the afternoon to 10 in the night, their exposure to these fumes is both prolonged and continuous.

Although protocol dictates that they have to be supplied with masks to protect themselves, many of them have not been given these.

A traffic police inspector at the Cubbon Park Police Station says, “The department used to provide these officers with masks, but nowadays, the government has not been supplying them to us.”

Metrolife spoke to a few doctors to find out just how costly this apparent indifference to health safety can turn out to be. Dr Dayananda G, MD, says that prolonged exposure to traffic fumes can lead to a variety of respiratory disorders. “These range from small incidents of infection or coughing to much more long-term ones like asthma. When clubbed with certain cardio-vascular problems, the issue simply turns worse,” he says.

Dr Huliraj, an allergy and immunity specialist, points out other respiratory problems that these traffic policemen may face. “Being exposed to constant vehicular traffic, especially during peak hours, means that they are exposed to a lot of carbon monoxide. This can affect the lungs adversely, and make them prone to boughts of coughing and wheezing. This in turn can develop into an issue which has a long-term effect on the lungs,” he explains.

However, potential threats are not restricted simply to respiratory diseases.  Dr Dayananda adds, “Stress from long shifts makes traffic police officers more prone to systematic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Long hours of standing also mean that lots of blood is pooled in the lower peripheries of the body, which could cause deep vein thrombosis, a disorder wherein blood flows slowly and eventually gets thrombosed.”
There are certain steps that can be taken to reduce the possibility of traffic police officers developing some of these ailments. The most effective, says Dr Dayananda, would be for the authorities to increase the use of traffic filters or masks. “It also helps to offer more education about avoiding such fumes,” he says. “Another effective method would be to hold screenings and check-ups for these policemen on a regular basis. A similar practice is conducted in the health industry, where people who are exposed to X-rays are generally sent for regular check-ups,” he adds.

Dr Huliraj believes that in order to prevent these diseases, it’s important to widen the base of change. “It would help if more people tried to ‘go green’, or switched to vehicles that use less pollutants. Apart from this, it helps to follow protocol and wear a protective mask. And those who are prone to allergies should regularly do pranayama or breathing exercises. This helps in maintaining good lung condition,” he explains.