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Related Experiment Videos

Environmental study of firefighters.

J Jankovic1, W Jones, J Burkhart

  • 1National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26505.

The Annals of Occupational Hygiene
|December 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Firefighter exposure to numerous toxic combustion products like carbon monoxide and acrolein during structural firefighting is common. While self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) reduces exposure, some contaminants still exceed short-term limits, particularly during knockdown.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Environmental Science
  • Industrial Hygiene

Background:

  • Firefighter safety is paramount during structural firefighting operations.
  • Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is critical protective equipment.
  • Understanding airborne contaminant exposure is essential for risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify firefighter exposure to a range of combustion products during structural firefighting.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of SCBA in mitigating exposures.
  • To assess contaminant levels during different firefighting phases (knockdown and overhaul).

Main Methods:

  • Field measurements of various contaminants (CO, CO2, benzene, HCN, HCl, H2SO4, HF, acrolein, CH4, PNAs).
  • Utilized bag sampling with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solid sorbent tubes, and direct-reading meters.

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  • Conducted sampling inside and outside SCBA facepieces during knockdown and overhaul phases.

    • Main Results:

    • Carbon monoxide was the most frequent contaminant during knockdown, with 10% exceeding 1500 ppm.
    • Formaldehyde, acrolein, HCl, HCN, H2SO4, and HF frequently exceeded short-term exposure limits (STEL).
    • Approximately 50% of knockdown acrolein samples surpassed the STEL; overhaul exposures were generally lower.

    Conclusions:

    • Firefighters face significant exposure to multiple hazardous combustion products during structural firefighting.
    • SCBA use is crucial, but exposures can still occur due to early removal or non-use, rather than SCBA leakage.
    • A combination of sampling methods effectively characterized a wide spectrum of combustion products.