Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-2009-0025 and HETA-2009-0076-3085, Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services, Boca Raton, Florida, Tamarac Fire Rescue Tamarac, Florida, June 2009. Evaluation of Antimony and Mercury Exposure in Fire Fighters

摘要

In October 2008, NIOSH received an HHE request from the Fire Chief at BRFRS in Boca Raton, Florida. The request concerned the possible exposure of BRFRS fire fighters to antimony through their station uniform pants made of FireWear fabric. FireWear fabric contains antimony trioxide, which is often used for its flame retardant properties. In the weeks before the HHE request, 30 fire fighters had undergone hair testing for heavy metals after one fire fighter reported unexplained symptoms. All fire fighters were reported by the laboratory to have elevated antimony levels in their hair samples. As a result, BRFRS fire fighters ceased wearing the pants department-wide prior to submitting in early October 2008, and the HHE request was submitted. NIOSH investigators contacted the Acting Fire Chief at TFR in Tamarac, Florida to seek TFR participation in the HHE because its fire fighters were wearing uniform pants made from the FireWear fabric. In January 2009, NIOSH received an HHE request from the Acting TFR Fire Chief to evaluate antimony exposure in TFR fire fighters.