New UL Laboratories Help Safeguard Responders Against Cancer Risks
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — UL, a leading global safety science company, opens new state-of-the-art facilities in North Carolina to help fire service cleaning providers confirm compliance with the recently revised NFPA 1851 standard. This standard is designed to protect firefighters and other first responders who are exposed to chemical contaminants generated by fire. Along with testing, UL reviews required PPE maintenance information, including safe storage and cleaning procedures.
According to recent studies conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)1, firefighters experience a 9% increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14% increase in cancer-related deaths compared to cancer rates among the general population in the U.S. Firefighters’ increased exposure to harmful contaminants may be the source of the increased rate of cancer diagnoses.
The new testing capabilities in UL laboratories will help ensure the fire service’s turnout gear is being effectively cleaned by their service providers to reduce their risk of long-term exposure to harmful contaminates generated by fire.
UL’s new chemical and biological laboratories offer expanded capabilities to evaluate protective clothing in accordance with NFPA 1851, NFPA 1991, NFPA 1994 and NFPA 1971 standards.
To learn more about UL’s PPE testing and certification capabilities, visit UL.com/PPE.
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