Worker Safety and Health in Wildfire Regions

A guide to wildfire hazards, and how to stay safe
Smoke from wildfires presents a range of hazards for workers in the affected region. It contains chemicals, fine particles, and gases which can prove to be extremely harmful to workers' health.
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The greatest risk to health comes from breathing in the fine particles. It can:- Aggravate existing heart and lung conditions
- Cause coughing and wheezing
- Make it difficult to breathe
- Reduce lung function
- Worsen asthma
- Providing filtered ventilation systems for indoor work areas
- Limiting the time that workers are required to spend working outdoors
- Providing respiratory protective equipment, such as disposable filtering face pieces [dust masks] to their employees
Cleanup work in areas damaged or destroyed by fires presents its own hazards. Click To Tweet
- Injuries and/or death from electric shock as equipment is turned back on and power lines are reenergized
- Fires re-igniting from smoldering wood and/or debris coming into contact with flammable material[s]
- Leaks in pipes and/or tanks which contain flammable gases
- Unstable structures which can collapse without warning as a result of fire damage
- Falling objects, exposure to hazardous materials, and unexpected collapse of a structure during demolition work
- Carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of gasoline/diesel powered generators, pumps, and pressure washers
- Inhalation of ash, dust, and soot which causes damage to lungs