Resolution No. 34
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health & Safety
Re: Toxic Flame Retardants and their Contribution to Cancer and Health Issues in the Fire Service
1 | WHEREAS, the International Association of Fire |
2 | Fighters has recognized through multiple cancer |
3 | studies on fire fighters the proven correlation |
4 | between firefighting and occupational related cancer; |
5 | and |
6 | WHEREAS, since 2002, 56 percent of the Line of |
7 | Duty Deaths reported to the IAFF have been the |
8 | result of occupational cancers and that this |
9 | unacceptable statistic is one of the major health |
10 | related issues facing our members; and |
11 | WHEREAS, the continual mounting weight of |
12 | scientific data points to fire fighters having a much |
13 | higher risk of developing cancer due to their contact |
14 | with known carcinogens, to include flame retardants, |
15 | due to skin absorption, ingestion, breathing of air and |
16 | other routes of exposure during and after a |
17 | firefighting incident; and |
18 | WHEREAS, the toxins contained within chemical |
19 | flame retardants, and those compounds released |
20 | when they burn, contribute to high rates of certain |
21 | cancers among fire fighters. When chemical flame |
22 | retardants burn they convert into dioxin and furans, |
23 | which expose fire fighters to dangerous levels of |
24 | extremely toxic and cancer-causing chemicals that |
25 | can penetrate protective gear; and |
26 | WHEREAS, representatives of the major |
27 | manufacturers of these flame retardants, in the states |
28 | where they have legislatively opposed banning the |
29 | use of these carcinogenic flame retardants, have been |
30 | shown by investigative journalists and our own |
31 | affiliates in these states, to use a campaign of |
32 | misinformation, lies, and deceit; and |
33 | WHEREAS, chemical industry interests attempts |
34 | at the federal level to amend preemption language in |
35 | the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that far |
36 | exceed the preemption provision currently in place |
37 | under TSCA; and |
38 | WHEREAS, an analysis of 32 related fire fighter |
39 | cancers studies published in the The Journal of |
40 | Occupational and Environmental Medicine along |
41 | with the recent NIOSH and Nordic fire fighter cancer |
42 | studies established that fire fighters have |
43 | significantly elevated rates of cancer, which is likely |
44 | due to their routine exposure to complex mixtures, |
45 | such as the toxic products created when chemical fire |
46 | retardants burn; and |
47 | WHEREAS, the presence of certain chemical |
48 | flame retardants are a direct threat to the health and |
49 | safety of our members. More importantly, they are a |
50 | threat to the health and safety of the people we are |
51 | sworn to serve. That’s why the IAFF has established |
52 | a position and strategy paper on the ban and |
53 | restriction of flame retardants and actively endorsed |
54 | the updated California flame retardant standard TB- |
55 | 117-2013 and continue to support state and |
56 | provincial associations that are pursuing legislation |
57 | such as California Senate Bill 1019; and |
58 | WHEREAS, the National Fire Protection |
59 | Association, International Code Council, |
60 | Underwriters Laboratories and other similar |
61 | organizations play an important role in the |
62 | development of flame retardant tests and related |
63 | standards for upholstered furniture, furniture textiles |
64 | and the like; and |
65 | WHEREAS, firefighting has inherent risks, but all |
66 | efforts to minimize fire fighters’ exposure to toxic |
67 | chemicals and other fire ground health and safety |
68 | issues must be aggressively pursued; therefore be it |
69 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF formulate a position |
70 | on the use, regulation, testing and health-based safety |
71 | standards for flame retardant chemicals and other |
72 | toxic chemicals, which fire fighters are exposed to on |
73 | a daily basis; and be it further |
74 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF ensure that any |
75 | federal legislation on the use or manufacturing of |
76 | flame retardants, industrial chemicals and other |
77 | toxins shall protect the rights and abilities of state |
78 | and municipalities to enact laws regarding the use of |
79 | said products, while opposing any and all federal |
80 | legislation that has preemption against allowing |
81 | states to ban or regulate flame retardants, industrial |
82 | chemicals, toxins and other specific hazardous |
83 | chemicals; and be it further |
84 | RESOLVED, That the position of the IAFF will |
85 | continue to support affiliates at the local, state and |
86 | provincial level in any attempt to ban flame |
87 | retardants, industrial chemicals and other known |
88 | toxins through legislation, regulation or standard |
89 | changes; and be it further |
90 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF work to ensure that |
91 | the use of carcinogenic flame retardants and other |
92 | toxic chemicals are eliminated and safer alternatives |
93 | or methods are pursued, such as California’s standard |
94 | TB-117-2013, including the development of non- |
95 | toxic standards through the National Fire Protection |
96 | Association, International Code Council, |
97 | Underwriters Laboratories and similar testing |
98 | Organizations; and be it further |
100 | RESOLVED, That the IAFF gather additional |
101 | scientific research and studies regarding fire fighter |
102 | exposure to carcinogens, toxic flame retardants and |
103 | other toxic chemicals, as well as continue to educate, |
104 | train and heighten the awareness of its members to |
105 | the dangers of these toxic chemicals and seek |
106 | preventative measures to lessen fire fighters risk of |
107 | developing cancer. |
Submitted by: Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts
Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire
Professional Fire Fighters of Vermont
Professional Fire Fighters of Maine
Cost Estimate: None
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