Task and environment affect carbon monoxide exposure among wildland firefighters
In the United States, the number of acres burned each year from wildland fires has grown, increasing work-related risks to wildland firefighters. One invisible risk is carbon monoxide (CO), produced from the burning of fuels, such as in fires or from gasoline-powered engines. In a recent study led by Scott Henn, NIOSH industrial hygienist, he describes conditions that increase this risk. The study appeared in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygieneexternal icon.
Q: Why did you do this study?
A: Fighting wildland fires involves different tasks performed over many days, in different terrain and conditions, affecting how much CO wildland firefighters might encounter. Understanding conditions that increase CO exposure to wildland firefighters can help determine when to use protective measures that reduce exposure, such as rotating tasks and increasing CO-free breaks.