New NIOSH Center Addresses Firefighter Safety and Health Risks
NIOSH has launched a center focused on improving firefighter safety and health through research and coordination with partner organizations.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Oct 09, 2024
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has announced the launch of its new Center for Firefighter Safety, Health and Well-being.
According to a recent release, this initiative aims to improve the health and safety of firefighters by addressing the specific hazards they face in their line of work. This focus extends to both immediate dangers as well as long-term health risks on the job.
“Firefighters are vital to the safety of our communities, risking their health and safety to protect our own,” NIOSH Director John Howard said in a statement. “The [center] allows NIOSH to bring together our research and knowledge in a way to better protect firefighters from both immediate and long-term risks from their jobs.”
The center will streamline communication between NIOSH and partner organizations, enabling faster responses to emerging threats in firefighting, coordinate research on critical issues like hazardous exposures such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), evaluate PPE, and focus on the health conditions of wildland firefighters.
Also, the new center will oversee programs like the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer and conduct health hazard evaluations and fatality investigations. These efforts aim to refine and prioritize research to prevent injury and illness among firefighters.
More details are on the Center for Firefighter Safety, Health and Wellbeing webpage.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.