Putting health in focus: Solutions to support firefighters

From fighting fires to handling non-fire-related hazards, firefighters are at risk of being exposed to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductive toxicka substances in their working environments.
In 2022, The World Health Organization classified firefighting as carcinogenic on the basis of ‘sufficient’ evidence for cancer in humans. A study by The Journal of Occupational Medicine also supports these findings, stating that firefighters are three times more likely to die from certain cancers than the general population.
One of the contributing reasons is that firefighters are regularly exposed to a wide variety of airborne chemicals and contaminants during a fire. Substances including aerosols, dust, smoke, fumes, and gases, settle in and on personal protective equipment (PPE) such as uniforms, helmets, and breathing apparatus; carcinogens can then be absorbed into skin or inhaled.
To minimise the harm caused, the Cancer Directive EU states that it’s important that employers of firefighters and rescue workers assess the risk exposure to carcinogens and take the necessary measures to protect the health and safety of their workers. One of these measures is to ensure the optimum condition of PPE. PPE is the protective clothing and equipment that is worn by firefighters to protect them from thermal exposure, physical hazards such as falling items, and respiratory risks such as smoke inhalation. To reduce contact with carcinogens, it’s critical that it is reprocessed gently but thoroughly, frequently, as often as required and in compliance with the manufacturer's care recommendations.