NIOSH Releases New Guidance to Cut Wildfire Smoke Exposure for Workers
Safety+Health Magazine reports that NIOSH has published a new resource addressing what it calls a “major health hazard”: wildfire smoke drifting across much of the United States from US and Canadian fires. The agency warns that exposure can cause eye irritation, sore throat, wheezing, coughing, asthma and COPD exacerbations, bronchitis, pneumonia, and adverse birth and cardiovascular outcomes, though long-term repeated exposure effects aren’t fully understood.
For outdoor crews, NIOSH recommends monitoring local air quality through EPA or state health department sites, rescheduling or relocating work away from smoky conditions, cutting back on strenuous activity, and taking frequent breaks in smoke-free areas. For indoor operations, the agency points to HEPA filters or electrostatic precipitators, closing windows and loading docks, running HVAC systems on recirculate, and installing the highest-efficiency filters the system allows. NIOSH also flags respirators as sometimes “the only” available control, but cautions that filtering facepiece respirators won’t block gases like carbon monoxide and shouldn’t be used by workers with facial hair that breaks the seal.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Crews doing HDD, civil, electrical, or scaffolding work outdoors should build air-quality checks into daily job briefings, using EPA or state health department data to decide whether to reschedule strenuous tasks to early morning or move work indoors.
- Employers relying on respiratory protection during smoke events need to verify fit for workers with beards or facial hair and stock alternatives, since NIOSH notes tight-fitting respirators don’t seal properly in those cases.
- Facilities managers and mechanical subcontractors should check HVAC recirculate settings and filter ratings now, before the next smoke advisory, since NIOSH recommends the highest-efficiency filter the system manufacturer allows.
