A CASE OF SEVERE THERMAL AND CHEMICAL BURN CAUSED BY AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT

Introduction: Airbags significantly reduces mortality and morbidity in motor vehicle crashes. However, the airbag produces its own range of injuries. These are usually minor ones, but in certain circumstances they could be severe or even fatal. This is a case report of a serious hand burn of a driver after airbag deployment in a moderate frontal collision. Materials and methods: Full forensic examination, including analyses of medical documentation, inspection of photos from the early stages of the injury and series of examination of the injured person. Case Presentation: In order to escape a hurdle a driver lost control over his automobile and hit frontally a tree next to the road. The airbag opened due to the crush. Right after the accident, the driver saw that his left wrist was edematous and inflamed, with formation of blisters. The medical examination established 3rd degree burn in the area. During one month of special therapy the status of the patient was studied by our team and more burns of 2nd degree on the right forearm and the front right surface of the neck were established. Discussion: The analysis of the morphological findings, compared to the present knowledge of the airbag’s set-up, led to the conclusion that the injury was due to combined mechanical, thermal, and chemical action. The injury of the wrist cannot be taken as an acceptable or ordinary one for the airbag. It is probably a result of a defect of the activated airbag module. Conclusion: The present case is an indicator for the fact that one can never be 100% sure of “safety” of the car safety system, until an accident happens

Airbag induced ocular injuries: A short report

Airbag is one of the new innovations in automotive safety. It is being increasingly installed in motor vehicles by the car manufacturers to cushion the vehicle occupants in the event of a car crash. However, increased general morbidity and mortality have been recorded following auto crash involving vehicles fitted this facility. Eye injuries, in particular, have escalated leading to higher ocular morbidity. The mechanisms of ocular damage by the airbag include mechanical, thermal and chemical.Two cases of airbag related ocular injuries involving two males aged 69 years and 55 years are presented. One was a driver while the other was a passenger. The former sustained globe rupture while the latter suffered thermal and chemical burns of the cornea.In conclusion, airbag does not provide 100% safety but only helps to mitigate injuries following a car crash. On some occasions, it could be a source of injury especially when the victim is not wearing a seat belt. In some cases, airbag related eye trauma could be very severe with resultant significant ocular morbidity

Skin burns from airbag exhaust gas: laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling. Final report

Honda Research and Development Company, Torrance, Calif.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/1073/2/86952.0001.001.pd

Characterisation of particulate matter originating from automotive occupant restraints

In 2012, in the UK, it was estimated that 6.5 million airbags required deployment at end of life. This process poses hazards such as that of occupational respiratory exposure to solid particulate matter (PM) effluents produced during the production of inflation gases for airbag deployment. To date methods for assessing effluent exposure has focused on vehicle occupants and not occupational exposures and has mainly centred on direct and static measurement of particle mass. This research programme evaluated existing methods of assessment and defined novel methods for more comprehensive characterisation. The methods were employed to characterise sub-micron PM effluents from driver airbags using non-azide, solid propellant and hybrid inflators. Testing was undertaken using a differential mobility spectrometer (DMS), gravimetric filtration, high speed photography and electron microscopy. A comparison of an effluent test tank and a vehicle of a comparable volume showed that the tank was able to replicate a vehicle environment and provide measurements with acceptable levels of inter-test variability with test duration of >900s. Characterisation of particle geometric mean diameter (GMD) and number concentration for airbag effluents showed that dominant particles were below 150nm in size, with smaller particles being emitted by hybrid airbags. Particle concentrations were also lower for hybrid airbags. By assessing transient behaviour it was identified that as time elapsed, concentration reduced whilst particle mean size increased. This data allowed identification of propellants used in airbags and a mathematical model was defined to describe effluent characteristics for each propellant employed. The particle sizes measured by DMS compared well with those obtained from TEM images which identified generally spherical particles, commonly accumulated as agglomerates. TEM also identified large concentrations of particles below the lower measurement range of the DMS, 1μm. This research has provided verification of existing test methodologies and allowed a more comprehensive assessment of airbag effluents than previously presented in the literature

ACSM Expert Consensus Statement: Injury Prevention and Exercise Performance during Cold-Weather Exercise

ABSTRACT: Cold injury can result from exercising at low temperatures and can impair exercise performance or cause lifelong debility or death. This consensus statement provides up-to-date information on the pathogenesis, nature, impacts, prevention, and treatment of the most common cold injuries

Impact Biomechanics of the Human Body

The research reported on in this dissertation has been systematically developed through a series of interrelated studies and experiments. The purpose has been to understand and characterize the effects of sever impact loading on the human body that results from accidents involving automobiles, motorcycles, boats, other vehicles, pedestrians, swimmer, et cetera. Previous work in this arena had relied strongly on simulations of human body anatomy, has focused on the microscopic mechanical properties of bone and soft tissue, or has resorted to analytical modeling. Literature regarding mechanical properties of human tissue is plentiful. The experimental results in comparison among researchers are often quite variable, probably due to the complexity and diversity of the hard and soft materials that compose the human body. The majority of the research involves mechanical properties of human and animal bones and rarely is a full intact bone or specimen used for testing purposes. Instead, small cube samples are usually tested under static conditions. One reason for the widespread use of small cubes is their ease of use in material testing. The mechanical properties, however, of a full intact bone and/or intact specimen are much different than those found in a small cube section of bone or a dissected soft tissue part. This is due to the anisotropic and viscoelastic nature of these materials. When bone is combined with the various soft tissue components (muscles, tendons, ligaments, vessels, nerves, fascia, fat, skin, et cetera), a black box complex composite structure is created that needs to be characterized as a material of its own. Hence, more realistic data is needed about impact trauma effect on the human body. This research helps bridge-the-gap to this previous research through the use of various intact cadaveric specimens. The approach has been to develop a unique impact biomechanics laboratory, an air bad research laboratory, and various other testing apparatuses. In addition, existing facilities such as a drop tower, standard structural mechanical test equipment, and, in one instance, a specialized marine research facility were used when appropriate. This research focuses on macroscopic effects of impact loading and includes: comparison of embalmed versus unembalmed specimens, fracture patterns of long bones, impact response of the frontal bone and face, and response of the spine. The study also includes evaluation of the air bad as a protective device and evaluation of a particular cage guard design for boat propellers as a safety device. Reduction or prevention of impact injury through design of protective devices/safer environments requires certain biomechanical information. This includes a characterization of how the body region of interest responds to impact forces in terms of mechanical parameters such as force-time histories of impact, accelerations/decelerations, and deformations in the tissue structures. Also, mechanisms by which the tissues fail, mechanical parameters by which they respond, and the values of the injury criteria are important results in impact biomechanics research. These biomechanical behaviors and injury characterizations are the essence of the different parts of this dissertation

Redefining Creep: A Comprehensive Analysis of Aviation Accident Survivability

Given the sheer amount of flights that occur on a daily basis around the world, aviation accidents are going to occur. The principles ensuring that an accident is as safe as possible are considered aircraft survivability or crashworthiness which is analyzed using the acronym CREEP; Container, Restraint, Environment, Energy Absorption, and Post-Crash Factors. CREEP is used by investigators to analyze survivability after a crash, but has significant short falls. By only focusing on a crash, CREEP misses several survivability concepts applicable to aviation such as aircraft equipped with ejection seats, inflight environmental factors, and high energy projectile strikes. To develop a more robust and comprehensive definition of CREEP, a mixed methods approach was conducted through a literature review, case study research, and conducting interviews. The literature review was done to establish a baseline for CREEP and demonstrate its focus on a crash. Case studies were evaluated and interviews were conducted to evaluate escape systems and other deficiencies identified with CREEP. Several case studies involved fatal injuries although no aircraft crash occurred. Interviews were conducted with escape system subject matter experts to identify the survivability of escape systems such as parachutes and ejection seats. Through case study and interview research, a new definition of CREEP was established; Container, Restraint, Environment, Energy absorption/Escape, and Post-event factors. By using the new definition of CREEP, investigators don’t have to just focus on accidents that involve a crash. The new acronym is more comprehensive and covers a much wider range of aviation systems

DART: Delta Advanced Reusable Transport. An alternate manned space system proposal

The Delta Advanced Reusable Transport (DART) craft is being developed to add, multiple, rapid, and cost effective space access to the U.S. capability and to further the efforts towards a permanent space presence. The DART craft provides an augmentative and an alternative system to the Shuttle. As a supplement launch vehicle, the DART adds low cost and easily accessible transport of crew and cargo to specific space destinations to the U.S. program. This adds significant opportunities for manned rated missions that do not require Shuttle capabilities. In its alternative role, the DART can provide emergency space access and satellite repair, the continuation of scientific research, and the furthering of U.S. manned efforts in the event of Shuttle incapabilities. In addition, the DART is being designed for Space Station Freedom compatibility, including its use as a 'lifeboat' emergency reentry craft for Freedom astronauts, as well as the transport of crew and cargo for station resupply