Grey-collar jobs fall somewhere between white-collar office roles and blue-collar labor positions, where you work in highly skilled, hands-on environments. If you're a paramedic, firefighter, or airline pilot, your job requires not just expertise but quick decisions and exposure to some intense situations.
While these roles come with a sense of fulfillment, they also bring occupational hazards. You're on the front lines, dealing with hazardous materials, unpredictable environments, and even dangerous chemicals, which could affect your long-term health.
One significant risk that often gets overlooked is the potential exposure to cancer-causing agents. Surprised at cancer risk in the workplace? Don’t be.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists workplace exposure as a significant cancer risk. An estimated 2-8% of cancer cases are caused by workplace exposure to carcinogens. Today, we’ll explore how different grey-collar roles could be impacting your health in ways you might not expect.
Paramedics
As a paramedic, you're the first line of defense in medical emergencies, rushing into situations where every second counts. From stabilizing patients at accident scenes to providing life-saving treatment in transit, your work demands focus, resilience, and courage.
You navigate high-stress environments and are constantly exposed to various hazards: bloodborne pathogens, bodily fluids, and toxic chemicals, just to name a few. But beyond the immediate dangers, there’s a hidden risk: long-term health issues, including cancer.
While you're busy saving lives, you may be unknowingly exposing yourself to carcinogens. Be it ambulance diesel exhaust, hazardous materials at accident sites, or even the radiation from frequent X-ray use, they add up over time.
These exposures put you at a higher risk for certain cancers. According to research conducted by the Workers’ Health & Safety Center, the highest risk of cancer faced by paramedics involves melanoma. These professionals are 2.18 times more likely to suffer from melanoma cancers than the general public.
Prostate cancer falls second on this list, with the risk of its instance being 1.73 times higher in paramedics than in other workers. Beyond these two, the paramedics face a 5% elevated risk of cancer in the stomach, pancreas, colon, rectum, testis, kidney, and thyroid.
What Injury Risks Do Paramedics Face at Work?
The most common injury risks that paramedics face are trips, slips, and falls, often taking place while lifting/carrying patients on stretchers. They’re also exposed to transportation incidents. If an accident takes place, they can get thrown around the back of the ambulance, incurring fatal injuries.
Firefighters
As a firefighter, you’re the one running into danger when everyone else is running out. Whether battling roaring flames, rescuing people from burning buildings, or handling hazardous materials, your job demands bravery and physical endurance.
But what many don’t realize is that firefighting carries more than just immediate risks—it has long-term health impacts, too. While fighting fires, you’re exposed to dangerous carcinogens, including asbestos, benzene, and formaldehyde, that are released when buildings, vehicles, and other materials burn.
On top of these threats, the Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) emerges as another threat to your health. Excelling at putting out fires caused by highly flammable liquids, the AFFF has been used extensively by firefighters for decades, notes TorHoerman Law. However, the presence of the toxic PFAS chemicals in the foam is a more recent revelation.
The carcinogenic nature of PFAS has led to many firefighters suffering a cancer diagnosis. A large population of these firefighters is now coming forward to file a firefighter foam lawsuit against the AFFF manufacturer. They seek not just compensation but also justice for the way they’ve been wronged despite choosing a dangerous career to save lives.
Is There a Replacement for AFFF?
Yes. In recent years, several safer replacements of AFFF have emerged. One of them is Fluorine-free foams (or F3), which are designed without the use of fluorinated surfactants, which is an environmental hazard. Other alternatives include eco-gel, compressed air foam systems (CAFS), and water mist systems.
Airline Pilots
As an airline pilot, you're not just flying planes. You’re navigating thousands of miles across the globe, ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers high above the earth.
From takeoff to landing, you’re in charge of complex systems, making split-second decisions while battling fatigue, irregular schedules, and long hours. It’s a thrilling career, but it comes with its share of hidden risks.
One of the lesser-known hazards is radiation exposure. At high altitudes, you’re exposed to cosmic radiation that increases the higher and longer you fly. Over time, this elevated exposure has been linked to higher cancer risks.
An article published by the Air and Space Forces in 2023 examined this threat closely. After scanning the health records of 900,000 aviation staff, they were 24% more likely to suffer a cancer diagnosis.
Among the aircrew staff, the risk of melanoma ran the highest (87%), followed by thyroid cancer (39%) and prostate cancer (16%). The ground crew, on the other hand, faced a higher risk of nervous system cancers.
Can Flights Expose You to the Risk of Cancer?
The earth’s atmosphere grows thinner at higher altitudes, which leads to an elevated risk of cosmic radiation. However, for passengers, this exposure is far too low to contribute to the risk of cancer. The aviation crew—who fly on a daily basis—face the true force of this threat.
Grey-collar jobs—that require both skills and hardiness—are undoubtedly rewarding in their own ways. However, what we often tend to overlook is the risks they involve, not just of injury but also their long-term health consequences. If you’re in such a job, you must have a comprehensive idea of the risks you face at work to take preventative measures accordingly.