Received from: FBU
Congress welcomes the Westminster government’s announcement, made at the FBU’s health and safety summit in April 2026, of the firefighters’ concordat on health and wellbeing.
Congress applauds the FBU’s long-running DECON campaign, which has highlighted the risks firefighters across the UK face at work because of the contaminants released by fire and other hazards.
Congress supports the University of Lancashire research into firefighter cancers, diseases and mental health, which the FBU commissioned as part of its campaign to keep firefighters and emergency control staff safe.
Congress notes the decision of the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2022 that occupational exposure as a firefighter was classified as carcinogenic.
Congress welcomes the government’s commitment to the concordat, which will be an agreement among key organisations to work together to improve firefighters’ health and wellbeing.
Congress further welcomes the pledge of new funding for research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to build the evidence base and better support understanding of how best to tackle firefighters’ health risks – including mental health, musculoskeletal health, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Congress supports the commitment made by ministers to increase health monitoring for firefighters, which is crucial to the early detection of ill health and early intervention to treat it.
Congress resolves to support the firefighters’ concordat on health and wellbeing, and back the FBU’s continued campaign to ensure the best prevention and control measures are implemented.
Fire Brigades Union