FOCUS Firefighter health
the fact that fires may present dramatic and persistent adverse effects on the environment has been accentuated by a number of high impact incidents over the past 20 years. They were present in abundance around the collapsed World Trade Center in 2001 and more recently (together with the other persistent organic fire pollutants) were identified in soil following the Grenfell Tower fire.
Halogenated gas phase fire retardants Gas phase flame retardants, such as those based on organohalogen or organophosphorus compounds, have proven effective in suppressing ignition. Halogenated gas phase fire retardants (HFRs) act by releasing hydrogen bromide (HBr) or hydrogen chloride (HCl), which interferes with gas phase free radical reactions, reducing heat release but typically producing more HCN and CO, smoke and other products of incomplete combustion. The dense smoke obscures escape
routes and contaminates property, while the resultant halogen acids are highly corrosive – potentially increasing the costs of unwanted fires. The threat to people, structures and goods involved in the fire must be offset against their cost effectiveness, versatility and ease of incorporation. Many flame retardants are toxic before they decompose. They are typically added at loadings of 10 to 20%, thus a flame retarded UK sofa could contain over 1kg of toxic tris(chloropropyl)phosphate (TCiPP).
38 MARCH 2020
www.frmjournal.com
Future research
It is clear that unwanted fires present a significant long term toxic hazard. The magnitude and severity of particular aspects of the contamination by fire effluent and residues have yet to be assessed. The following concerns need to be addressed.
Firefighters •
•
to identify the major carcinogens in fire effluents and use this knowledge to protect firefighters and the public
to investigate the abnormally high cancer rates of firefighters and other post fire workers
In the USA, it has been reported that cancer accounts for 56% of deaths amongst serving firefighters, which is around twice the national average. In most states in Canada and in the majority of US states, presumptive legislation recognises certain cancers as occupational diseases amongst firefighters. For example, in British Columbia, the following cancers are now recognised as firefighter occupational diseases: brain; bladder; colorectal; kidney; ureter; testicular; lung; oesophageal; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; leukaemia; breast; prostate; and multiple myeloma. It is also becoming more widely recognised
that exposure to fire effluent is not only through inhalation, but also by ingestion, and crucially through the skin. In the UK, there is no guidance advising firefighters how to minimise exposure
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