National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Outdoor Workers Exposed to Wildland Fire Smoke; Request for Information

NIOSH announces an opportunity for the public to provide information about approaches to assess and control the hazards of wildland fire smoke to outdoor workers. Wildland fire smoke is a complex mixture of potentially toxic gases and particles that can vary depending on factors in the wildland or wildland urban interface environment, such as weather, fire behavior, and the type of materials or vegetation burning. Because of this, outdoor workers may be exposed to varying types and amounts of compounds in wildland fire smoke throughout their work shift or during different fire events and job tasks. NIOSH is seeking information to develop a hazard review document that summarizes the scientific literature about the health effects from exposures to wildland fire smoke and provides recommendations to protect outdoor workers. The hazard review development process will involve review and assessment of the scientific literature about exposures to wildland fire smoke, potential health effects, outdoor worker populations at risk, and development or updating of recommendations to protect outdoor workers. The purpose of the hazard review document is to provide an overview of the relevant health effects literature and develop evidence-based recommendations to protect outdoor workers, including farm workers, construction workers, oil and gas workers, park rangers, emergency responders, and others, from the adverse health effects of occupational exposure to wildland fire smoke. Scientific information related to wildland fire smoke is requested on the following topics:

• Properties and characteristics of wildland fire smoke mixtures
• Potential for occupational exposures to outdoor workers
• Health effects of exposures
• Outdoor worker populations at risk
• Exposure monitoring
• Risk management and control
• Research needs.

To view the notice and related materials, visit https://www.regulations.gov  and enter CDC-2024-0019 in the search field and click “Search.”

Public Comment Period

Comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on May 13, 2024.   

Written comments, identified by CDC-2024-0019 and docket number NIOSH-352, may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Federal rulemaking portal: Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number. All relevant comments, including any personal information provided, will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov

• Mail: NIOSH Docket Office
  1090 Tusculum Avenue
  MS-C34
  Cincinnati, OH 45226