The latest trends, technologies and products revolving around modern protective wear, efficient protective equipment as well as safety and hygiene when using respiratory protection systems can be discovered by trade visitors at A+A, the Leading International Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work, held in Düsseldorf from 5 to 8 November 2019.
By holding the expert seminars Respiratory Protection and Occupational Hygiene in the Fire Service at Congress Center Süd of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre (CCD Süd) on Thursday, 7 November, and Friday, 8 November 2019 A+A creates a forum for service and rescue forces, executives in professional and volunteer fire brigades as well as for safety officers from industry. Latest developments in the area of optimised respiratory protection and occupational hygiene in the fire service will be centrestage at these two events accompanying the trade fair.
In a 2-day series of lectures on respiratory protection participants can acquire hands-on knowledge about
• New safety provisions
• Technical innovations and standards
• Tactics for respiratory equipment use
• Latest insights from US studies
• Respiratory protection emergency management
Industry experts such as Jan Südmersen of the Osnabrück fire brigade, Thomas Kuhn, technology editor of “WirtschaftsWoche” magazine, Herbert Fischer of the “Kompetenzcenter Technische Sicherheit” centre of expertise, and Horst Widder of Merck KGaA’s plant fire brigade will attend. Partners to the expert seminar Respiratory Protection include the fire brigades of Berlin and Düsseldorf, WFVD (Werkfeuerwehrverband Deutschland – the Works Fire Service Association of Germany), Atemschutzunfaelle.eu as well as Messe Düsseldorf’s fire brigade.
Held concurrently will be the expert seminar Occupational Hygiene in the Fire Service under the heading “5th global seminar on occupational cancer among firefighters”. It counts on the support of FeuerKrebs gUG, the society for the promotion and sustainable improvement of the health and working conditions of fire fighters. The international lecture series addresses such topical issues as:
• FeuerKrebs (fire-induced cancer) in Germany
• Exposure to pollution in real fire training
• Developments in Scandinavia
• Human Biomonitoring Study
• Central Exposure Database
• Learning from NASA.
The seminar provides all service and rescue forces with an overview of current questions and solutions concerning occupational hygiene in the fire service as well as of the relationship between firefighting work and increased cancer risks as a result of firefighters’ bodies absorbing carcinogenic substances. “After every firefighting operation with respiratory equipment our colleagues are contaminated with pollutants,” says Armin Wernick of Messe Düsseldorf’s works fire brigade, and adds: “Which is why the protective wear has to be changed at the site already presupposing there are cleaning facilities available. Therefore PPE manufacturers are called upon to develop appropriate solutions.”
Speakers like Markus Bätge, Managing Director of FeuerKrebs gUG, Executive Chief Fire Officer Klaus Maurer, Alex Forrest, President of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, Ken Block, Executive Chief Fire Officer of the City of Edmonton, Peter Marshall, Secretary General of the United Firefighters Union of Australia, Dr. Juha Laitinen of the Finnish Institute for Occupational Health at the Work Environment, and Dipl. Biol. Tim Pelzl of the German Statutory Accident Insurance (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung e.V.), to name but a few speakers, will discuss the challenges associated with site hygiene with conference delegates from throughout the world. International legislation on cancer prevention, health and safety at work also feature on the agenda.
Up to 250 international participants are expected. Both expert seminars will take place from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm on 7 November and from 9.30 am to 2.30 pm on 8 November. The talks at the Respiratory Protection seminar will be delivered in German, the lectures at the Occupational Hygiene in the Fire Service seminar in German and English. The 2-day ticket costs EUR 310 online and EUR 340 on site in Düsseldorf. The ticket price includes participation in all lectures, snack lunch, coffee breaks, the get-together and admission to A+A. The individual agenda items can be combined at delegates’ discretion.
