IARC Monographs Volume 132: Occupational exposure as a firefighter

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is pleased to announce that Volume 132 of the IARC Monographs, Occupational exposure as a firefighter, is now available online.

Occupational exposure as a firefighter is complex. Firefighters respond to various types of fire (e.g. structure, wildland, and vehicle fires) and non-fire events (e.g. vehicle accidents, medical incidents, hazardous material releases, and building collapses). They may be exposed to a mixture of combustion products (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, particulates), chemicals in firefighting foams, flame retardants, diesel exhaust, building materials, and other hazards, such as night shift work and ultraviolet radiation. Changes in types of fire, building materials, personal protective equipment, and roles and responsibilities among firefighters have resulted in significant changes in firefighter exposures over time. 

The Working Group evaluated occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) on the basis of sufficient evidence for cancer in humans. Occupational exposure as a firefighter causes mesothelioma and cancer of the bladder. There was limited evidence in humans for cancers of the colon, prostate, and testis, and for melanoma of the skin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There was also strong mechanistic evidence that occupational exposure as a firefighter exhibits multiple key characteristics of carcinogens in exposed humans.