| Document ID (ISN) | 78715 |
| CIS number |
02-737 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
| Year |
2001 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Austin C.C., Dussault G., Ecobichon D.J. |
| Title |
Municipal firefighter exposure groups, time spent at fires and use of self-contained-breathing-apparatus |
| Bibliographic information |
Dec. 2001, Vol.40, No.6, p.683-692. Illus. 37 ref. |
| Abstract |
The objective of this study was to develop better estimates of firefighter exposures for use in future epidemiological studies. The study population consisted of the 1883 firefighters of the fire department of the city of Montreal. The storage and distribution of self-contained-breathing-apparatus (SCBAs) were tracked for 12 months. Time spent at fires and use of SCBAs were calculated. Eight firefighter exposure groups were identified (based on job title, assignment to a fire district and time spent at fires), ranging from no exposures to 3,244min/year/firefighter. SCBAs appear to have been used for approximately 50% of the time at structural fires but for only 6% of the time at all fires. Failure of previous studies to identify homogeneous exposure groups may have resulted in misclassification and underestimates of health risks. The approach used in this study should facilitate the highlighting of exposure/response relationships in future epidemiological studies. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
fire fighting; fire services; risk factors; toxic gases; respiratory diseases |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
Canada; smoke; inhalation toxicity; epidemiologic study; self-contained breathing apparatus; exposure evaluation |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | Canada |
| Subject(s) |
Commerce, services, offices
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Industries and occupations
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Fire fighting, police, prisons and the armed forces
Fires
Diseases of the respiratory system (except for pneumoconiosis & similar)
|
