New legislation to expand coverage for Manitoba firefighters suffering from occupational cancers

WINNIPEG -

Manitoba is amending the Worker’s Compensation Act to expand the coverage for firefighters from occupational cancers.

On Friday the province announced five additional cancers will be deemed occupational. They include pancreatic, thyroid, penile, and female reproductive cancers of ovarian and cervical.

“By adding these cancers, we can ensure that adequate protections are in place for both our male and female firefighters and at-risk fire commissioner personnel and that Manitoba addresses the broadest array of presumptive cancers in the world,” said Premier Heather Stefanson.

“It’s really become a crisis in the firefighting community not only in Canada but around the world because we are now seeing with the new science that firefighters have continual exposure to these carcinogens that over time cause cancer,” said Alex Forrest, president of the Manitoba Professional Firefighters Association.

Forrest said the new legislation will serve as a template across Canada and around the world and will assist dozens of firefighters now fighting for coverage from the Workers Compensation Board (WCB).

The province said the WCB will be responsible for administering the changes and also identifying any concerns that might come up.

“What this does is that it treats a person that is diagnosed, or sadly if they succumb to that cancer, the same way as if they were in a fire and they die in a house collapse,” said Forrest. “They will be protected by Workers Compensation.”

The addition of female reproductive cancers to the list of presumptive cancers could also aid in the recruitment of female firefighters, according to Forrest.

“We’re now recognizing women’s reproductive cancers because I believe in the last number of years women’s reproductive cancers have not been given the appropriate attention that it now is in Manitoba,” Forrest said.

The legislation has been a work in progress for over 25 years concerning occupational health and cancer around the world, according to Forest, and people are just now realizing the level of danger firefighters face.

“Cancer is now the number one killer of firefighters around the world, said Forrest. “Every single time firefighters go into a house, you are going to be exposed to anywhere from five or six times the levels of carcinogens that the normal population will be exposed to.”

Research is ongoing to develop better protective gear for the first responders but Forrest said it is difficult to protect the firefighters from all the carcinogens without wearing something like a plastic hazmat suit to fight fires.