New study shows chemical exposure dangers to firefighters
New research being conducted by the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) in Australia suggests that these concerns should be taken even more seriously and is also recommending certain practices to be undertaken during different types of structural fires.
The work in Australia uniquely involves the measurement of chemicals not only in the fireground environment but also the concentrations of these chemicals that accumulate in the firefighter clothing and on the firefighter's skin.
Different types of fire exposure are being assessed. These include ordinary house fires, larger scale structural fires, car fires, and industrial fires. The types of chemicals that evolve during these events vary dramatically.
For example, large-scale structural fires often show a greater variety of different chemical contaminants. It is well known that the burning of modern materials produces a cocktail of various hazardous chemicals compared with the combustion of normal construction materials.
These chemicals range from highly volatile substances such as formaldehyde and benzene to more persistent contaminants that are larger chemical molecules, and are equally dangerous for continued exposure.
The TSWG studies show that the amounts of these chemicals that stay in the clothing or reach the firefighter skin change with the nature of the chemical.
As would be expected, chemicals that evaporate easily dissipate rapidly and do not generally result in clothing contamination or skin absorption. However, the research does show these chemicals do reach the firefighter's skin.
On the other hand, there are many chemicals produced in fires that are not very volatile but can still permeate into firefighter clothing and skin.
As we have reported before, these chemicals often adsorb onto the soot particles that in turn get trapped in clothing materials and deposit on the firefighter's skin. Some of these chemicals are highly toxic and are known carcinogens.
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