Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 91-152-2140, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Southern California

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5596595

Letts, D; Fidler, A T; Deitchman, S; Reh, C M

In response to a request from the National Park Service, an evaluation was made of the health effects of forest fire smoke exposure among wild land fire fighters from the National Park Service and Forest Service (SIC-0851) in Southern California. A survey was performed to determine whether these workers incurred cross season changes in lung function and respiratory symptoms during the 1990 fire season. An estimated 80,000 wild land fire fighters fight approximately 70,000 forest fires that burn 2 million acres of forested land each year. In June of 1990 spirometry was performed and a questionnaire administered to 105 preseason participants to establish a preseason baseline. Post season data were collected during September of the same year on 78 of these individuals. Overall the mean cross season changes for lung function for the 78 participants were -0.5% in 1 second forced expiratory volume (FVC1), 0.2% in forced vital capacity (FVC), -2.3% in the mean forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the FVC (FEF25-75), and -0.5% in the ratio of FEV1 to FVC. Dose related decreases in FEF25-75 and FEV1/FVC were observed with higher exposures. No significant increase in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms was noted cross seasonally and those which did occur were not associated with exposure. The authors conclude that there was limited evidence that forest fire fighting results in cross season changes in lung function. They recommend that a respiratory surveillance program be performed to examine the long term effects of forest fire fighting on lung function.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5596595
• Report Number(s): PB-92-133347/XAB; HETA--91-152-2140
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
CALIFORNIA
CLEARANCE
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EXCRETION
FIRE FIGHTING
INHALATION
INTAKE
LUNG CLEARANCE
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SENSITIVITY
TOXICITY
USA