Historical changes in chemical exposures encountered by Danish firefighters
Autor: | Julie Elbæk Pedersen, Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen, Johnni Hansen |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2019 |
Předmět: |
Truck
exposure assessment Plastic materials Firefighting Air Pollutants Occupational fireman History 21st Century Fires Danish 03 medical and health sciences smoke exhaust 0302 clinical medicine history science method Aeronautics Hazardous waste Risk Factors Occupational Exposure Smoke firefighter Humans extreme environment danish firefighter chemical exposure historical change Exposure assessment Vehicle Emissions Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health truck exhaust methodology denmark History 20th Century 030210 environmental & occupational health Work environment language.human_language Motor Vehicles exposure Firefighters language Environmental science exposure assessment methodology Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Environmental Monitoring |
Zdroj: | Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, Vol 45, Iss 3, Pp 248-255 (2019) |
ISSN: | 0355-3140 |
Popis: | OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to demonstrate the possibility of using history science methods in occupational studies by evaluating overall historical changes in Danish firefighting modifying chemical exposures from smoke and fire trucks. METHODS: Data on changes in Danish firefighting after World War II were searched for in both museums and the Danish library catalogue REX, accessing collections of literature from all institutes of the University of Copenhagen and the Danish Royal Library. RESULTS: Several historical changes were identified either increasing or reducing chemical exposures in Danish firefighting. New sources of chemical exposures included more toxic smoke combustion from plastic materials introduced in the 1950s, exhaust from new diesel engines introduced in the 1960s and new assignments relating to chemical cleanups in the 1970s and traffic accidents in the 1990s. Nevertheless, several improvements in the profession`s work environment may have reduced chemical exposures, for example, mandatory use of more effective respiratory protection equipment in the 1970s, incorporation of mechanical exhaust systems in the 2000s, and filters and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for diesel engines in the 2010s. CONCLUSION: The data showed that the work environment in Danish firefighting has undergone several improvements during the last decades. At the same time, however, several new chemical hazards have also been introduced. Consequently, no strong conclusions as to whether Danish firefighting overall has become a less hazardous profession can be made. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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