Torts/Personal Injury,
Civil Litigation
Jun. 18, 2025
Lead and mercury exposure in firefighters: What to look for and what comes next
As urban fires grow more toxic, firefighters face mounting exposure to dangerous substances like mercury, lead, and carcinogens--risks that are reshaping legal protections, expanding the scope of workers' compensation, and highlighting the need for better exposure documentation and civil remedies when misrepresentation or third-party misconduct is involved.
As fire seasons grow, firefighters are exposed to more toxic materials. Common items such as PVC pipes, building materials, electronics, and plastics can be hazardous when decomposed, combusted, and transformed into particulate pollution absorbed through the skin, inhalation or digestion. With every urban fire, firefighters are exposed to mercury and lead in household items such as fluorescent lights, LCD screens, appliances, batteries, thermometers, paint, dust, pipes, stain...
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