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The Dangers of Diesel Exhaust for Firefighters

According to a University of Cincinnati study published in the "Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine," firefighters who spend long hours in the firehouse may be exposed to the complex and carcinogenic mixtures that comprise diesel exhaust, especially if trucks are run in closed houses without adequate venting. Mike Dubron, president and founder of the Los Angeles-based Firefighter Cancer Network, has said that "all (cancers) are alarmingly increasing for firefighters."

  1. Lung Cancer

    • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded in a 2002 report that long-term exposure to diesel engine exhaust is linked to lung cancer. The California Professional Firefighters recommends that their members read the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's report "Carcinogenic Effects of Exposure to Diesel Exhaust" (1988, revised in 1998) which finds an association between occupational exposure to diesel engine emissions and lung cancer.

    Colorectal Cancer

    • According to the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, firefighting is one of the most documented risk-factor professions for colorectal cancer. Because protective equipment worn by firefighters may not be able to protect them adequately against cancer-causing agents, many carcinogenic chemicals including diesel exhaust fumes are inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

    Respiratory Disease

    • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirms that diesel exhaust is a pervasive airborne contaminant in workplaces where diesel-powered equipment is used. Due to expanding use of diesel equipment, over one million workers, including firefighters, are exposed to health risks. Diesel exhaust has been implicated as a cause of reactive airway disease and causes reduced expiration in breathing. According to the EPA, occupational reports of decreases in lung function, wheezing, chest tightness, and increases in airway resistance are acknowledged to be a result of exposure to diesel engine exhaust.

    Other Cancer

    • University of Cincinnati researchers discovered that firefighters are 100 percent more likely to develop testicular cancer, 50 percent more likely to develop multiple myeloma (incurable bone marrow cancer) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 28 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than the general population. Exposure to diesel fuel is a significant part of the overall exposure to chemicals that cause these increased health risks.

    Heart Disease

    • An article "Exhaust Linked to Heart Risk," in Fire Chief, January 2008, discusses the results of a study presented at a 2007 American Heart Association conference. The study indicates that blood is more likely to clot when people are exposed to relatively high levels of diesel exhaust for a short time. It asserts that this exposure "could lead to a blocked vessel resulting in heart attack or stroke."

    Grants

    • Each year the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards millions of dollars in grant funding to fire and EMS departments throughout the United States. One of the objectives of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is to help protect emergency personnel from the hazards of their jobs, including exposure to diesel exhaust.

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