When fighting fires, firefighters and other first-aiders (policemen, ambulance) are exposed to potentially hazardous fire by-products that may contain PAHs or other volatile organic compounds, or released fibres (asbestos, CFRP, GRP), dust and other particles. To protect your health, it is important to be aware of these risks and take appropriate protective measures.
This information will help you to better understand the dangers and take the necessary precautions. This is because combustion processes generally produce substances that are hazardous to health and are contained in fire smoke/fire by-products. Several aspects make fire incidents in housings, vegetation or vehicle particularly risky! These risks remain relevant also for everyone that is involved in fire clean-up and fire damage repair activities.
Things you should know!
Numerous materials
In everyday life, we come into contact with numerous materials that however release toxic gases or particles when burned. This applies to residential buildings, vehicles and even nature (vegetation). These include plastics, chemicals and other synthetic materials as well as organic substances.
Unpredictability
The circumstances of any fire-event are unpredictable. The intensity and way of burning may vary, which highly influences the generation of specific toxic substances
Smoke fumes
Smoke fume contains always hazardous substances. Among these can be carbon monoxide, tar, soot and other particles which may lead to respiratory and other health issues.
A matter of time
In many cases the exposure against particles can strongly increase in a very short time thus increasing the danger and necessitating quick and immediate reactions.
Long-term after effects
Although the acute danger during the actual fire event is obvious, the remaining hazardous residuals in the air and materials can also negatively impact your health long after exposure. Particles released during combustion and after the fire event always pose a non-visible long-term threat for your health and represent a major challenge for firefighting and related activities. This is why special care is taken to highlight these risks in action plannings.
Protective measures
Only use purpose-built and correctly fitted personal protection equipment (PPE) to minimise potential exposure to hazardous substances. Removing contaminated PPE as soon as possible reduces the risk of transmission by up to 90%. Accordingly, change your PPE timely and introduce it to proper cleaning and maintenance.
Convenience and routine
Standardised procedures are important but they should not become overly automated or carried out uncritically simply because they have become routine. They should also be practices regularly. A quick check or putting things off until tomorrow can exactly be what lead to increased and unnecessary additional risk.
Your employer’s or your chief’s duties to protect you!
- Training: Your employer has to train you and your colleagues regularly how to safely work with fire by-products.
- Documentation: Your employer has to document which substances you have been exposed to and for how long. They have to keep record for 40 years and provide the documentation to you when you change your workplace or retire.
- Protection: The PPE your employer acquires has to be state of the art. This is one of your employers’ general duties. The officer in charge has to decide on the PPE depending on the activity, considering proportionality aspect and after assessing the risk. They have to take care that the PPE is in perfect shape, authorised and tested for fire services and regularly maintained and cleaned. This is prerequisite to participate in any fire-fighting activity.
Your own duties to support your protection!
- Personal protection: Always check your PPE. Wear them completely and correctly not only during an incident but also during training session. Train as you fight!
- Respiratory protection: A full beard in particular but already stubble hampers the tightness and consequently the protection effect of face masks. When wearing a respirator, smoothly shaved skin guarantees the desired protection.
- Personal hygiene: Clean your hands, arms, face and neck after ever fire-fighting incident with special care to avoid any exposure through your skin. Take a shower within an hour! A timely and warm shower opens your skin pores and supports the removal of hazardous substances from your body. Avoid using soap-based cleaning and skin-care products.
- General organisational hygiene: To avoid spreading hazardous substance, never take contaminated working clothes home with you. It is of utmost importance to take the training and information provided by your employer seriously and to actively ask questions whenever you feel insecure. Avoid to eat, drink and smoke at the event of fire. If necessary, keep a safety distance and clean your hand thoroughly before ingestion.
Take-home message
Exposure to carcinogenic fire by-products is a serious health risk no firefighter or anyone first-aiding or restoring should take lightly. With your active support and by adhering to compulsory safety measure, safety can be warranted and risks minimised: for yourself and for your comrades. Consider your employers instructions carefully and actively ask for support in situations in which you think that your health may be at risk. Stay clean and healthy – your safety comes first!
