Paul Cochrane | Firefighters - Occupational Exposure Risks to Dermal and Respirable Hazards @IAQMarketer | Uploaded April 2022 | Updated October 2024, 5 minutes ago.
Across the United States there are over 1.1 million firefighters serving the nation. This number includes active career, volunteer and paid per call firefighters.
Responding to fires and emergencies, the work of firefighters can be quite dangerous. These dangers include potentially being exposed to a number of hazardous substances.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that firefighters can be exposed to hundreds of different chemicals in the form of gases, vapors and particulates, and that some of these chemical substances are known or suspected to cause cancer. A number of these hazardous substances are byproducts of combustion or burning, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Others come from the materials burning or in the fire debris, such as asbestos or lead from older structures.
NIOSH goes on to report that firefighters can come into contact with chemicals by breathing them in, getting them on their skin or in their eyes, or by ingesting them.
If protective clothing, known as turnout gear, is not adequately cleaned or stored after a fire response or training event, chemicals on the gear or equipment can contaminate vehicles and the fire station. Reusing dirty turnout gear or respiratory protection can also result in exposures to hazardous substances. These exposures can occur by skin contact with contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE) or by breathing in or ingesting particles from contaminated PPE.
These are all likely reasons why NIOSH states that cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters and why research suggests firefighters are at higher risk of certain types of cancers when compared to the general population.
To help educate firefighters and the public about these risks, and the need for effective training and sound work practices, the month of January is recognized as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month.
These are just a few of the many things to know about firefighters and exposure risks to dermal and respiratory hazards. To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
Across the United States there are over 1.1 million firefighters serving the nation. This number includes active career, volunteer and paid per call firefighters.
Responding to fires and emergencies, the work of firefighters can be quite dangerous. These dangers include potentially being exposed to a number of hazardous substances.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that firefighters can be exposed to hundreds of different chemicals in the form of gases, vapors and particulates, and that some of these chemical substances are known or suspected to cause cancer. A number of these hazardous substances are byproducts of combustion or burning, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Others come from the materials burning or in the fire debris, such as asbestos or lead from older structures.
NIOSH goes on to report that firefighters can come into contact with chemicals by breathing them in, getting them on their skin or in their eyes, or by ingesting them.
If protective clothing, known as turnout gear, is not adequately cleaned or stored after a fire response or training event, chemicals on the gear or equipment can contaminate vehicles and the fire station. Reusing dirty turnout gear or respiratory protection can also result in exposures to hazardous substances. These exposures can occur by skin contact with contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE) or by breathing in or ingesting particles from contaminated PPE.
These are all likely reasons why NIOSH states that cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters and why research suggests firefighters are at higher risk of certain types of cancers when compared to the general population.
To help educate firefighters and the public about these risks, and the need for effective training and sound work practices, the month of January is recognized as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month.
These are just a few of the many things to know about firefighters and exposure risks to dermal and respiratory hazards. To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
