NT firefighters exposed to nasty air contaminants for 12 years due to lack of monitoring, union claims

The firefighters’ union says NT fireys have potentially been exposed to harmful chemicals due to a lack of post-fire atmospheric monitoring, which would potentially put the service in breach of national legislation.

The UWU NT alleges that structural fires, such as this one in Darwin in 2020, have placed NT firefighters under significant risk due to failure to adhere to national WHS laws. Picture: Che Chorley

Territory fireys have accused the department of failing to provide critical safety equipment and essential monitoring in contravention of national workplace law, unnecessarily exposing them to hazardous chemicals.

The United Workers Union, which represents firefighters in the NT, claimed a lack of monitoring of potentially hazardous air contaminants after structural and car fires has put firefighters at increased risk of developing serious illnesses.

The accusations centre on claims the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) failed to implement regulations 49 to 51 of the Act, specifically atmospheric monitoring for potentially hazardous air contaminants and the recording of exposure to those contaminants.

A source within the fire service, who asked not to be named, said the alleged breach of the national Work Health and Safety Act – which was implemented in 2012 – was discovered by accident.

The source told this masthead NTFRS members first discovered the Act was allegedly not being properly implemented in the NT while receiving hazardous materials training interstate.

The interstate trainers were reportedly shocked to learn NTFRS was not implementing atmospheric monitoring after structural and car fires to mitigate exposure to harmful chemicals.

United Workers Union NT secretary Erina Early was scathing in her assessment.

“This is negligence – plain and simple,” she said.

UWU NT Secretary Erina Early. Picture: Floss Adams

“NTFRS ought to have known of these risks – it is their obligation as the employer.”

An internal message sent to firefighters on October 8 alerted personnel to updated protocol within the NTFRS relating to “atmospheric monitoring of air contaminants following fire incidents”.

The union boss claimed prior to the new protocols, firefighters had allegedly been instructed to shed their heavy, cumbersome respiratory protection after fires had been extinguished, potentially exposing them to hazardous air contaminants.

Structural fires, such as this one in Darwin CBD in 2020, may have exposed NT firefighters to hazardous contaminants due to a lack of monitoring by NTFRS, UWU NT says. Picture: Che Chorley

Ms Early said the consequence of the alleged failure to monitor atmospheric conditions were two-fold; first, that firefighters have been potentially exposed to harmful chemicals, and second, they would be unable to seek workers’ compensation if they succumb to illness as there would be no evidence of any exposure.

The union also claimed NTFRS did not report its breach to NT WorkSafe.

Ms Early said the union wanted contamination records for all structure and car fires to be added to firefighters’ records back to 2012; the immediate enforcement of atmospheric monitoring post-fire; and an investigation into “why the [alleged] conduct of NTFRS has been allowed to occur and further expose our firefighters to a much higher risk of cancer and other illness”

When asked to respond to these allegations, NTFRS said it would not publicly comment on internal policies and procedures.

“All NTFRS members are taught national training standards for dealing with incidents and emergencies,” a spokesman said.

“To ensure their safety and wellbeing, all firefighters wear personal protective clothing and equipment that comply with current Australian standards.”

Originally published as NT firefighters exposed to nasty air contaminants for 12 years due to lack of monitoring, union claims