FEMALE firefighters are at increased risk of breast, ovarian and cervical cancers and need annual health monitoring for early prevention of these conditions, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) delegates told the TUC women’s conference today.

They highlighted research showing that firefighters are four times more likely to develop cancer than other people and at a much younger age.

They noted that only 9 per cent of Britain’s firefighters are women, so the research focused mainly on men, and that the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) had failed to recognise cancer as a prescribed disease in firefighters.

In a motion accepted by the conference, the union called on fire and rescue services to introduce annual cancer health monitoring for their female workers to ensure early detection and for the IIAC to recognise cancer in firefighters as an industrial injury.

The latter measure would enable those who develop cancer as a result of their occupation to receive benefits, the FBU delegates said.

Unison’s Amanda Brown seconded the motion, insisting that firefighting was a “carcinogenic profession.”

She said: “This is not acceptable. Nobody goes to work to get cancer.”

Alison Hewitt of the Society of Radiographers said firefighters should be offered X-rays, mammograms, MRIs and ultrasounds regularly.