Suspected pesticide poisoning: a back-of-the-envelope health risk assessment.

Not all health risk assessment is of a formal and extensive nature. At times a ‘back-of-the-envelope’, or quick screening assessment, based on few or limited data may be appropriate. It may consist solely of discussion with a member of the public over the phone concerning a soil, water, food or air sample and its comparison with some national or internationally accepted standard or guideline; or it may deserve slightly deeper consideration. This article describes such an assessment, using the example of a suspected pesticide poisoning—an environmental health issue typical of those encountered by the Environmental Health Branch and the public health units each day.