Firefighter cancer testing project extended to Manchester

Up to 100 firefighters in Greater Manchester will be tested this week for cancer and other health issues as a new national health monitoring resarch project ramps up.

The move is being led by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

In February, the FBU and UCLan joined forces to launch a study to determine how many have occupational cancers and other diseases resulting from exposure to toxic contaminants in fire, with firefighters in Tyne & Wear among the first to be tested. The aim is eventually to test 1,000 firefighters in total across the UK.

The rollout of the testing programme follows research earlier this year for the union (again carried out by UCLan) that suggested toxic contaminants in fires can be directly linked to increased rates of cancer and mental health issue.

That study concluded that instances of cancer among UK firefighters aged 35-39 are up to 323% higher than in the general population in the same age category.

The research also found that firefighters are significantly more likely to die from rare cancers, heart attacks and stroke, and several other diseases.

Firefighters are currently not provided with regular health monitoring in the UK, despite the evidence of significant cancer and other diseases incidence and mortality rates, said the FBU.

The testing is being carried out by the UCLan’s Professor Anna Stec, a world expert in fire toxicity, and will run until Wednesday (26 April).

The 100 firefighters will provide blood and urine samples, which will be analysed for the number of biomarkers of cancers and other diseases, and toxic chemicals.

Earlier this month, a report from the Health and Safety Executive argued firefighters are regularly exposed to ‘forever’ chemicals in firefighting foam.

The results of the testing will be used to detect cancers and other diseases at the early stages, and to identify evidence linking occupational cancers with exposure to toxic fire chemicals, the FBU said.

This testing project is believed to be the first of its kind to take place for firefighters in the UK, and also follows the World Health Organization concluding that occupational exposure as a firefighter is carcinogenic.

Riccardo la Torre, FBU national officer, said: “Every one of the 100 firefighters taking part in Manchester is contributing to vital research on the urgent issue of firefighter cancer.

“The government and fire service employers have ignored firefighters and their exposures to toxic contaminants for far too long. Meanwhile, firefighters are dying far too often and far too early.

“Lack of health monitoring means these cancers are caught tragically late, at much more untreatable stages. We won’t stop until every firefighter in the UK has access to regular health monitoring,” he added.

Professor Stec said: “It is widely accepted that firefighters are dying from rare cancers up to 15-20 years earlier than the general public. These cancers and other diseases are detected far too late, with low chances of recovery. It is therefore vital that measures such as health monitoring is introduced so firefighters can be properly protected.”