2022 FDSOA Health and Safety Conference

UL Portion
Fire Service Exposures beyond Fire Attack

The fire service has witnessed growing evidence of increased occupational cancer and a growing body of literature focused on job-related exposures that may be encountered. It has been well documented that today’s structure fires can produce numerous known, probable and possible carcinogens. While much of this occupational exposure research has focused on structural fire responses, potential risks for post-fire scene investigators have not been characterized nearly as well. Similarly, live-fire training is evolving rapidly in part due to the use of new materials to provide smoke and fire development that appears more closely aligned with today’s fireground. However, the occupational health impacts of burning these fuels is unknown and claims that one fuel is more or less safe than another is rarely supported by data.
Underwriters Laboratories’ Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) is working on studies to characterize occupational chemical exposure risk for post-fire investigators and fire service instructors. This presentation will provide an overview of these studies and provide a glimpse into finding that will be released in 2022.

COVID-Long in the Fire Service

Understanding the Impact of COVID-Long in the Fire Service. This portion of the presentation will outline some of the unique challenges associated with long-term symptoms following COVID infection with a special emphasis on the range of symptoms and how they affect the ability of firefighters to return to work.