Workers' Compensation Benefits for Exposure to Wildfire Smoke
Workers' Compensation
Wildfire smoke can contain harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can cause various health problems, including respiratory illness, heart disease, and cancer. Workers exposed to wildfire smoke regularly are at an increased risk of developing these health problems.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS
Workers’ compensation benefits may be available to exposed and injured workers, including the payment of temporary disability benefits, medical benefits, and permanency benefits.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE
The potential for occupational illness from wildfire smoke exposure depends on a number of factors, including the level of exposure, the duration of exposure, the worker's age and health, and the type of work they do. Workers who are most at risk of developing health problems from wildfire smoke exposure include:
-
Firefighters
-
Emergency responders
-
Construction workers
-
Landscapers
-
Farmers
-
Outdoor workers
HOW TO PREVENT EXPOSURE
To prevent exposure to wildfire smoke, workers should:
-
Stay indoors when possible.
-
If they must go outside, wear a N-95 respirator or other approved respiratory protection.
-
Avoid strenuous activity when the air quality is poor.
-
Monitor air quality reports and follow the recommendations of local health officials.
MEDICAL ATTENTION
If you experience any health problems after being exposed to wildfire smoke, such as shortness of breath, coughing, or chest pain, see a doctor right away.
MORE PRECAUTIONS
Here are some additional tips for protecting yourself from wildfire smoke:
-
Keep windows and doors closed when the air quality is poor.
-
Use an air purifier if you have one.
-
Take a shower or bath after being outside to wash away any pollutants that may have settled on your skin or hair.
-
Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
-
Get plenty of rest.
If you have any underlying health conditions, such as asthma or heart disease, talk to your doctor about how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
Recommended Citation: Jon L. Gelman, Workers' Compensation Benefits for Exposure to Wildfire Smoke, www.gelmans.com (June 7, 2023), https://www.gelmans.com/ReadingRoom/TabId/65/ArtMID/1482/ArticleID/1102/preview/true/Workers-Compensation-Benefits-of-Wildfire-Smoke-Exposure.aspx
….
Jon L. Gelman of Wayne, NJ, is the author of NJ Workers’ Compensation Law (Thomson-Reuters) and co-author of the national treatise Modern Workers’ Compensation Law (Thomson-Reuters). For over five decades, the Law Offices of Jon L Gelman 1.973.696.7900 jon@gelmans.com have represented injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.
© 2023 Jon L Gelman. All rights reserved.
Attorney Advertising
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Disclaimer
Download Adobe Reader
Updated: June 7, 2023
More links
-
AirNowAirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data. Our recently redesigned site highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information at state, national, and world views. A new interactive map even lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor.
-
NIOSH: Outdoor Workers Exposed to Wildfire SmokeWorkers can have different individual risk factors such as age and health conditions (e.g., pre-existing heart or lung disease) that make them more likely to be affected by wildfire smoke. Some health effects known or suspected to be caused by wildfire smoke .
-
OSHA: WildfiresEach employer is responsible for the safety and health of its workers and for providing a safe and healthful workplace for its workers.
-
Statement by Governor Murphy on Worsening Air Quality in New JerseyThe New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has declared an Air Quality Action Day for Particulate Matter for Wednesday, June 7. Levels of fine particulates will rise into the unhealthy range for sensitive groups statewide today and potentially extend into the evening hours due to wildfire smoke transport from the Canadian wildfires. Governor Phil Murphy released the following statement in response to today’s air quality in New Jersey:
-
FEMA: WildfiresWildfires can ruin homes and cause injuries or death to people and animals.
-
FACTSHEET WORKER PROTECTION FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE CAL/OSHA WILDFIRE SMOKE STANDARD 2021California’s recent wildfire seasons have confirmed fears of worsening fire conditions that have become a year-round threat. Increasingly, workers in the path of wildfire smoke have been the focus of concern given the health impacts of exposure.
-
Outdoor Workers Exposed to Wildfire SmokeWildfires may present a major health hazard to outdoor workers from exposure to smoke.
-
Exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 and site-specific cancer mortality in Brazil from 2010 to 2016: A retrospective study.Exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 can increase the risks of cancer mortality for many cancer sites, and the effect for wildfire-related PM2.5 was higher than for PM2.5 from non-wildfire sources.
-
Short-Term Acute Exposure to Wildfire Smoke and Lung Function among Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Officerscute short-term exposure to wildfire-associated air pollutants may impose subtle but clinically important deleterious respiratory effects, particularly in the peripheral airways.
-
Working in Smoke:: Wildfire Impacts on the Health of Firefighters and Outdoor Workers and Mitigation StrategiesWildfire smoke can contain carbon monoxide, benzene, formaldehyde, particulate matter (PM), acrolein, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).