Health and Safety

The UK Fire Brigades Union’s work on cancer in firefighters has been the focus of a Europe-wide meeting of firefighters and their representatives. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has led the way in the UK when it comes to tackling cancer in firefighters with its pioneering DECON project , which...

Cheshire firefighters have spoken out against a plan which is set to see some crews sent to incidents with no firefighting equipment except a single fire extinguisher. Additionally, this will involve attendance by just two to three firefighters, and in a pick-up truck rather than a fire engine. The...

The Fire Brigades Union has agreed at its annual conference to expand its work on the effects of fire contaminants – toxic substances produced by fires - on firefighters. In ongoing research with the University of Central Lancashire, which the union commissioned, it is thought that fire contaminants...

Firefighters in London and Manchester have signed agreements that will see them respond to Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA), following ballots of FBU members. MTAs are incidents when terrorists move through a location, aiming to find and kill or injure as many as possible. If firefighters respond...

World Cancer Day is being marked around the world today, and aims to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage prevention, detection, and treatment. A survey of 10,000 firefighters by the University of Central Lancashire found that rates of cancer were four times higher amongst surveyed...

Firefighters have been urged to protect themselves from toxic fire contaminants. Research has found more than four times higher rates of cancer amongst firefighters who took part, relative to the general public [1]. It is thought that toxic fire contaminants are playing a role in increasing...

The Fire Brigades Union has said that an inspection of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service confirms that the fire and rescue service is not getting the funding it needs from government. The report, released yesterday, comes from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services...

The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services State of Fire and Rescue 2021 report. The report includes an attack on firefighters’ right to democratically organise, including a recommendation to consider removing firefighters’...

The FBU's DECON campaign has been featured on BBC South Today. The DECON campaign aims to help firefighters protect themselves from fire contaminants, which it is thought could be linked to various cancers and other diseases. The South Today report spoke to FBU member Steve Burns, who was diagnosed...