Occupational Health Testing Services

Huntington Beach, California, January 27, 2025

Last January, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion declaring the month as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month is also a nationwide event and a significant call to action as cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters. In fact, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the rest of the population.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) warns:

Firefighting settings are complex and contain various hazardous substances. Firefighters can be exposed to hundreds of different chemicals in the form of gases, vapors, and particulates. Some of these chemical substances are known or suspected to cause cancer. Some of these hazardous substances are byproducts of combustion or burning, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Others come from the materials burning or in the fire debris, such as asbestos from older structures. 

“Firefighters battling a blaze or those put in an emergency response situation could be exposed to any number of hazardous substances,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Even post-fire activities, such as investigations, could put these professionals at risk of exposure to dangerous materials.”

In California, fire departments can turn to the material, environmental, and industrial hygiene testing experts at LA Testing for help. Their laboratories offer testing services for asbestos, lead, smoke residues, combustion gases, particulate matter, chemicals, and even mold and other microbial hazards. They also provide sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, air monitoring instruments, and personal protective equipment. LA Testing has even sponsored an educational video about firefighters and occupational exposure risks to dermal and respirable hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/_5YE-L0Z7xc 

To learn more about this or other environmental, health, and safety testing resources, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com, or call (800) 755-1794. For access to test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.