Health Hazard Evaluation Program Report No. 2023-0106-3432: Control of Diesel Exhaust at a Municipal Fire Station

Details

• Personal Author:
  Echt, Hannah ; Qi, Chaolong ; Hammond, Duane R. ; Niemeier-Walsh, Micah
• Description:
  The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from management at a city fire department. The deputy fire chief was concerned about firefighters' exposure to diesel exhaust when fire apparatuses were running in the apparatus bay. During our visits we (1) observed work processes and practices, (2) collected area air samples of diesel particulate (as elemental carbon), (3) measured real-time concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates, (4) measured real-time particle concentrations at vehicles' tailpipes while their engines were running, and (5) conducted a ventilation assessment at the station. Our results showed that levels of diesel exhaust particulate (as elemental carbon) and other components of vehicle exhaust were low in the apparatus bay and the living quarters. Most of the particulate in the apparatus bay were ultrafine particles, less than 1 micrometer in diameter. We observed consistent peaks in ultrafine particle concentrations in the apparatus bay during engine start events, but these levels returned to background within a few minutes. Air concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates were well below occupational exposure limits. Some recommendations included (1) opening or closing the apparatus bay doors depending upon where diesel-powered equipment is being operated, (2) developing and adopting a standard operating procedure for how to use the exhaust filter system and what to do if the system fails, and (3) coordinating the supply and exhaust airflow controls in the turnout gear room to keep continuous negative pressure relative to nearby spaces. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Firefighters
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
  • Vehicle Emissions
• Keywords:
  • Region 7; Fire fighters; Diesel exhaust; Motor vehicles; Particulates; Exhaust ventilation; Elemental carbon; Control methods; Ultrafine particles; Filters; Airflow;
  • Author Keywords: Fire Protection; Diesel Exhaust; Elemental Carbon; Ventilation; Engine Exhaust Filter; Fire Station; Firefighters
• Source:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2023-0106-3432, 2026 Apr; :1-29
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  10.26616/NIOSHHHE202301063432
• Document Type:
  Text
• Editor:
  Hamilton, Cheryl
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region OSHA ; Iowa ; Kansas City Region OSHA ; Ohio
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  30 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Watts, Shawna ; Feldmann, Karl ; Thompson, Drew ; Mayer, Alex ; Hartwell, Joseph ; Ramsey, Jessica ; O'Connor, Colleen
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071551
• CAS Registry Number:
  • Carbon (CAS RN 7440-44-0)
• Editor(s):
  Hamilton, Cheryl
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  922160 - Fire Protection - (NAICS 2022)
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/259326/cdc_259326_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 670.68 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b5b082dba95da8fb0cd4126335a743280b4de0f98306b8d4b95e30eccb4b4400522c902ec0b63009b692a7932abe5aa0b48646b94e6f16ddd13674c23afa26a9