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Health hazard evaluation report: evaluation of diesel exhaust exposures at multiple fire stations in a city fire department.

Couch J; Broadwater K; de Perio MA

Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2015-0159-3265, 2016 Dec; :1-19

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2015-0159-3265.pdf

20049064

The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from fire fighters in a city fire department to evaluate potential diesel exhaust exposures in three fire stations. They were concerned that diesel exhaust from fire fighting apparatus could enter the living and sleeping areas of the fire stations. They were also concerned about diesel exhaust exposures in the apparatus bay during apparatus start-up and maintenance. Each station had an attached living and sleeping quarter that was connected to the apparatus bay by one or more doors. All of the diesel powered vehicles used ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, and the fire engines and fire trucks were equipped with exhaust control systems. We collected air samples for elemental carbon. It is used as a marker of diesel exhaust. We also sampled for 1-nitropyrene, another chemical found in diesel exhaust. We evaluated airflow patterns in the fire stations. We measured low levels of diesel exhaust in the living areas and apparatus bay at all three fire stations. We found no 1-nitropyrene. We found no evidence that diesel exhaust was flowing into the living and sleeping quarters from the apparatus bay in the three fire stations. We recommended having the apparatus bay exhaust fans operate automatically when bay doors are opened, moving turnout gear away from apparatus exhaust pipes, and removing exercise equipment from the apparatus bay.

Region-9; Fire fighting; Fire fighting equipment; Diesel emissions; Diesel exhaust; Carbon; Elemental carbon; Motor vehicles; Ventilation; Exhaust gases; Exhaust ventilation; 1-Nitropyrene; Equipment maintenance; Equipment operation; Building ventilation; Air sampling; Air flow; Author Keywords: Fire Protection; California; Fire Fighter; Fire Station; Diesel Exhaust; Ventilation; Elemental Carbon; 1-nitropyrene

5522-43-0; 7440-44-0

20161201

Field Studies; Health Hazard Evaluation

2017

PB2017-101412

HHE-2015-0159-3265

DSHEFS

Services

NAICS-922160

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

CA; OH