is your DECONTAMINATION process working?
There has been growing concern among the fire and life safety community that repeated exposures to harmful contaminants is likely causing increased rates of cancer in firefighters. This includes the fire scene and the subsequent post fire scene exposures to contamination clothing, tool, apparatus, and stations. The exposure to chemicals via permeation/penetration of combustion byproducts through or around personal protective equipment (PPE) or from the cross-transfer of contaminants is raising more and more of a concern to the firefighting community.
Test For The Dangers You Can't See!
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Many materials found in modern buildings and furnishings are increasingly synthetic and can generate many toxic combustion byproducts when they burn. Toxic substances identified in the fire smoke include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen cyanide (HCN) to name a few. Many of these compounds are known as potential human carcinogens and have been measured on firefighters PPE. VOCs and HCN have also been measured off-gassing from turnout gear following use in live fires which can be transferred to the fire department vehicles and firehouse living spaces.
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