Main outcome measures—Frequency, nature and location of incidents, populations
potentially exposed and with symptoms.
Results—Most of the 402 incidents identified were not associated with sites governed by the Control of Industrial Major
Accident Hazard Regulations but with
smaller industrial sites and commercial
premises. About two in every thousand of
the estimated 236 000 members of the
public considered to be at risk from exposure reported symptoms, which were
mainly nausea, headaches, and irritation
of the eye, skin and respiratory tract. The
most commonly reported chemicals that
members of the public were exposed to
were smoke toxins, miscellaneous organics, toxic gases and flammable gases. A
health authority was reported to be involved in only 34 (8%) of the incidents and
in only 3 of the 29 incidents where more
than 100 members of the public were
exposed