A University of Ottawa researcher who visited Blackfalds for a talk last night says one of the main ways firefighters get exposed to toxic chemicals on the job is through their skin.

In a study that Jennifer Keir has been working on since 2015, samples of air, urine and wipes were taken from Ottawa firefighters before and after fighting a live blaze, then examined.

“We found significant increases of certain compounds in their urine and in their skin, bunker gear, on their clothing and quite high levels from the smoke itself,” Keir says.

“We had a link between how much was on the skin and how much was in the urine which leads us to believe that one of the main routes of exposure to chemicals for firefighters is through their skin.”

Keir says many studies on the topic have used data gathered from training fires but not from actual emergencies.

Given what she’s discovered, Keir says there isn't enough research to indicate what's the best way to reduce that exposure other than trying to keep the contaminated items isolated.

She says showering off and cleaning those items promptly would reduce the chance for your body to absorb those compounds.

The next step in her study is to evaluate the efficacy of skin wipes that some fire departments have their members use.