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Government must introduce health checks for firefighters after Grenfell, union says
8 February 2025, 07:24 | Updated: 8 February 2025, 08:18
The Fire Brigades Union has written to the Government urging it to act on comments made on LBC about introducing regular health check-ups for firefighters.
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During an interview on January 3, Health Minister Andrew Gwynne told us he was "happy" to look at recommendations from the union, following a report into the health impacts of the Grenfell Tower Fire.
A major study led by the University of Central Lancashire revealed one-in-four firefighters who responded to the fire in 2017 now suffer life-changing conditions.
They reported 66 cases of digestive diseases, 64 respiratory diseases, 22 neurological diseases and 11 cancers.
General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union Steve Wright, who was elected to the role in January, told LBC he was yet to receive a follow up on the minister’s comments.
The Department for Health has now received a letter from Mr Wright saying, "There can be no prevarication or delay in protecting firefighters from life threatening conditions".
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He told LBC: “These illnesses and these deaths are preventable. Firefighters are being let down by their employers and the Government. But the Labour Government has a huge opportunity to right those wrongs.
“We welcome the comments Andrew Gwynne made on LBC, saying he’s going to look at things is great, but we need firmer decisions on this, we need a time frame, specific details about what this actually means and I'm willing to sit round the table asap to do that.”
The first-of-its kind research from UCLAN, assisted by the FBU, exposed debilitating impacts linked to the toxic fumes produced by Grenfell’s cladding and was described as ‘the ultimate sacrifice’ by one firefighter who spoke to LBC.
The study was led by Professor Anna Stec, a world-leading expert in fire chemistry and toxicity.
Professor Stec told LBC: “We cannot correlate firefighters’ specific exposures at Grenfell to their health outcomes now, because firefighters are exposed to toxins accumulative over their career, but we can say it definitely accelerated health outcomes that were reported.”
Professor Stec said she believed all firefighters should have regular health monitoring to give them a better chance of defeating any life-changing illnesses they develop because of their work.
“Firefighters are exposed to toxic chemicals through skin absorption, ingestion and also the most common route, inhalation,” the professor explained, “however, because we've got breathing apparatus very commonly used by firefighters, it seems the skin intake of toxins and digestion are a pretty prevalent way for those toxins to be consumed.
“Firefighters are exposed to chemicals not only at fires but also at fire stations, fire engines and contaminants can be found on the personal protective equipment – they bring those contaminants further on.
“Firefighters have higher rates of cancers and disease. Those cancers are rare, which means they're mostly asymptomatic and by the time they have any symptoms and go to the GP, it's usually detected at advanced stage, giving smaller chances for them to recover.”
Meanwhile, Steve Wright said the need for health checks was even more pressing because hundreds of buildings across the UK still have dangerous cladding on them.
He said: “We had a fire a few months ago in Slough where firefighters attended a six-story block of flats, and the building was wrapped in a dangerous cladding that wrapped Grenfell Tower.
“Residents are at risk and firefighters are at risk from attending these dangerous buildings We want to work with the Government around the 58 recommendations that have been made in the Grenfell Tower Fire Phase 2 report. We hope there will be action to start making these buildings safer across the UK.”
The Government is expected to publish a response to the Phase 2 report from the Grenfell Inquiry within six months, once it has fully considered its findings.
A Government spokesperson said: “The health and safety of firefighters is of paramount importance and emerging research indicating that they may be exposed to contaminants is concerning. Fire and rescue authorities, as employers, must take seriously their responsibility for the health and wellbeing of firefighters."
