Flame-retardant contamination of firefighter personal protective clothing - a potential health risk for firefighters

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexander, Barbara M. ; Baxter CS
• Description:
  There is a high incidence of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers in firefighters that may be related to their occupational exposure to hazardous substances. Exposure may result from contaminated personal protective gear, as well as from direct exposure at fire scenes. This study characterized flame retardant contamination on firefighter personal protective clothing to assess exposure of firefighters to these chemicals. Samples from used and unused firefighter protective clothing, including gloves, hoods and a coat wristlet, were extracted with methylene chloride and analyzed by EPA method 8270D Specific Ion Method (SIM) for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Until recently PBDEs were some of the most common flame retardant chemicals used in the US. Fifteen of the seventeen PBDEs for which analysis was performed were found on at least one clothing swatch. Every clothing sample, including an unused hood and all three layers of an unused glove, held a detectable concentration of at least one PBDE. These findings, along with previous research, suggest that firefighters are exposed to PBDE flame retardants at levels much higher than the general public. PBDEs are found widely dispersed in the environment and still persist in existing domestic materials such as clothing and furnishings. Firefighter exposure to flame retardants therefore merits further study. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Environmental Exposure Firefighters Fires Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Flame Retardants Chemical Composition Chemical Properties Exposure Levels Exposures Fire Fighters Firefighters Fire Fighting Equipment Flame Retardants Hazards Methylene Chloride PBDEs Personal Protection Personal Protective Equipment Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Protective Clothing Protective Equipment Protective Materials Risk Factors

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  13
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048004
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2016 Sep; 13(9):D148-D155
• Contact Point Address:
  Barbara M. Alexander, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1090 Tusculum Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45226
• Email:
  BAlexander@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:76f9afcd5ac05e4b08455eaec7311a534e39aa719e16144c98a378deac55d621b51cedaa751931662cc2ac6e7cf80aee2de4f2cfe7bd7977579d72d9508948e8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202895/cdc_202895_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 751.21 KB ]