Long-tern, often secondary, exposure has been found to cause toxins. What are the risks. By Kristie Macris

A recent report in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine warns firefighters that long-term, often secondary, exposure to toxins cause cancer. While the danger of exposure to chemicals and other toxins is well known and often protected against, the report looked at exposure not from the fire directly, but from exposure when they are near the scene, on a non fire call, and even back at the firehouse after they have removed the protective gear.

Researchers found that firefighters are more likely to develop testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma compared with the general population. In the study, the team collected data on 110,000 firefighters from 32 published studies that looked at the risk of 20 different cancers.

Firefighters are exposed to many carcinogens, including benzene, diesel engine exhaust, chloroform, soot, styrene and formaldehyde. These chemicals can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and exposure occurs both at the scene of a fire and in the firehouse, where idling fire trucks produce diesel exhaust. The report suggests firefighters take showers immediately upon returning to the firehouse as one short term solution to chemical exposure.

Roger W. Giese, the director of the environmental cancer research program at Northeastern University, admits that little is known about how environmental exposures trigger cancer; that it is not clear what components or mixtures of chemicals are causing these cancers.

Long-term exposure to fine particle pollution is the most dangerous. In October, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new nationwide soot standards. According to the California Air Resources Board, diesel soot accounts for 70 percent of the cancer risk from toxic air pollution statewide. While idling restrictions are in place for buses and even passenger vehicles in most states, police and emergency vehicles are exempt from the restrictions, but not exempt from the exposure to toxins.

Soot and exhaust created by idling police cars and exposure during fires is of particular interest to law enforcement. The EPA states that particulates from diesel exhaust include several chemicals known to cause cancer, aggravate respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, and are a source of heart and lung damage that can lead to premature death. Soot can be dangerous whether inhaled over a short-term or over a long-term at lower levels.

While exposure to soot is an ongoing hazard in law enforcement, there are several chemicals and toxins that deputies may come into contact with during the course of work that may also cause physical harm and health conditions later on down the line. It is important to document all exposure to chemicals and infectious diseases.

PORAC offers the easy to use, online Hazardous Exposure Listing Program (HELP), which allows all members to register and keep detailed records of any toxic exposure. Visit the PORAC website for more information on reporting toxins and HELP.