To browse Academia. Austin CC Respiratory protection for wildland firefighters is a complex issue and the subject of heated debate and diverging opinions. Sampling has shown that wildland firefighters are exposed to a complex mixture of combustion products including carbon monoxide, irritant gases and vapours, carcinogens and ultra fine respirable particles. The U. National Fire Protection Association has recently announced that it is proceeding with the development of a new wildland firefighting respiratory protection Standard, but it will be some time before respirators certified for wildland firefighting will become available.
In the meantime, if administrative controls are unsuccessful in reducing exposures to acceptable levels, wildland firefighters should be provided with air purifying respirators for ultrafine particulate matter, organic vapours and acids, acrolein and formaldehyde.
However, wildland firefighters should be cautioned that at high work levels the effectiveness and duration of air purifying cartridges is unknown. There is also a concern that firefighters using air purifying respirators may unknowingly expose themselves to higher levels of contaminants not removed by their respirator than they would otherwise.
Until a respirator is developed for wildland firefighters that effectively removes carbon monoxide, air purifying respirators should be used in conjunction with a carbon monoxide alarm. If it can be shown that other toxic contaminants are below short-term occupational exposure limits at the CO alarm set point, the use of a certified disposable dust mask in conjunction with a CO alarm may be sufficient.
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Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, To assess acute respiratory effects experienced by wildland firefighters.
