Safety for Chimney Sweeping Activities

Due to an aging workforce, attrition and increased demand, the U.S. endures a persistent shortage of chimney sweeps. Much like the truck driver shortage, rising salaries and job security will likely attract people without college degrees in the coming years.

As new hires join the ranks of experienced professionals, it’s essential for companies to educate workers on chimney sweep safety measures. When employees are not properly trained or do not have access to chimney sweeping protective clothing, many suffer debilitating health conditions.

What Hazards Do Chimney Sweepers Face?

When removing soot and materials that cling to the inside of a chimney, sweeps typically use a mix of hand tools and equipment. It’s not uncommon to begin the process by using long-poled brushes to scrape off loose debris. Needless to say, the process releases airborne particles that can be inhaled.

Vacuum cleaners and industry-specific equipment are also employed to efficiently extricate soot, creosote, and other unknown substances. These rank among the common materials chimney sweeps are exposed to daily.

• Asbestos: Many older chimneys were insulated with asbestos that has not yet been removed. In some cases, the inside of transite flues are laced with asbestos. Asbestos exposure has been linked to cancer fatalities and other long-term ailments like mesothelioma. In the United States, some studies suggest 12,000-15,000 asbestos-related deaths occur per year, while others estimate closer to 40,000 per year.
• Bird and Bat Droppings: Birds and bats use dormant chimneys for shelter, leaving excrement behind. When sweepers prep the chimney for the cold weather months, dried bird and bat droppings turn to dust. Dried feces particles often carry infectious diseases that can sideline a worker for upwards of a year or prove fatal.
• Black Soot: Once freed from the chimney walls, these small black particles can be breathed into the lungs or absorbed through the skin. Soot is a carcinogen that has been linked to lung cancer and other types of cancer.
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: When chimneys are blocked or not properly vented, carbon monoxide can become trapped. This colorless, odorless gas poses a significant health and safety risk. Inhaling carbon monoxide causes people to feel dizzy and lightheaded, putting chimney sweeps at risk of falling from heights.
• Combustible Gases: Blockages from soot buildup and bird nests can result in combustible gases getting trapped. When chimney sweeps break through these barriers, gases can ignite or be inhaled by unsuspecting workers.
• Creosote: Homeowners sometimes worry that this oily, flammable substance will result in a chimney fire. When sweeps remove creosote, it routinely causes eye irritation and has also been tied to skin cancer.  
• Organic Vapors:The use of organic solvents helps reduce health problems and environmental risks. However, chemical repellents and cleansers produce vapors that are unsafe to inhale.
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): These organic materials become lodged in the soot chimneys sweeps remove. Exposure increases the risk of a variety of health problems, including cancer.
• Silica or Silicon Dioxide: Present in the mortar used between bricks and blocks, scraping and brushing releases particles into the air. Inhaling silica can result in irreversible lung conditions, cancer, and heart complications.

Chimney sweeps face numerous hazards, including respiratory problems from inhaling soot, creosote, silica, and organic vapors. They also face the risk of skin irritation and eye irritation from contact with creosote and other substances.

Additionally, chimney sweeps have an increased risk of developing bladder, esophageal, and lung cancer, as well as ischemic heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others.

Transferring Hazardous Materials from Job Sites

The presence of hazardous, transferable materials, such as asbestos, bat droppings, and soot, requires heightened chimney sweep safety measures on every job site. These threats are prone to clinging to standard work attire and boots, increasing the risk that spouses, cohabitants, and children will be exposed to cancer-causing agents.

Research indicates that chimney sweeps are at increased risk of liver, bladder, throat, and lung cancer. Workers are also more likely to suffer heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, and COPD, as well as hard impact fall injuries. The consistent and proper use of chimney sweeping protective clothing provides the safety and security needed to protect workers and their loved ones.

Chimney Sweep Safety Measures Mandated By OSHA, CDC

Both the CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) task employers with following chimney sweep safety measures that include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and specialized clothing. Chimney sweep companies must deploy equipment such as fans and commercial-grade vacuums to manage airborne particles.

These health and safety organizations also mandate the use of respirators when these controls are not adequate or feasible. OSHA publishes a Small Entity Compliance Guide that chimney sweep businesses can use to stay in compliance.  

Chimney Sweeping Protective Clothing Procedures

Teaching new hires chimney sweep safety measures requires instructions and demonstrations on how to don and doff protective clothing. While wearing adequate PPE prevents inhalation and skin contact, procedural steps help avoid inadvertent contamination and carrying hazardous material(s) home. These are the proper steps to take when putting on or taking off disposable protective clothing and equipment.  

Donning PPE:

• Remove street clothes and store them safely
• Wash and sanitize hands
• Put on disposable coveralls or suitable protective clothing
• Donn head protections
• Put on work-appropriate footwear and shoe coverings
• Donn ear protections and respirators
• Put on protective gloves

Chimney sweeps may need to carry sanitary sealed containers to store street clothes.

Doffing PPE:

• Strip off disposable coveralls
• Remove head protection and foot coverings
• Remove eye protection and respirators
• Place used PPE in a designated container
• Last, remove protective gloves and wash up

With the contaminated PPE and disposable clothing secured, workers would be wise to shower if practical. Given the mobile nature of the occupation, hand sanitizers and other personal hygiene products are helpful.

Protective Clothing Chimney Sweeps Require

It’s essential for workers to wear an N95 filtering respirator when clearing away caked-on debris from chimneys. The N95 provides an exceptional defense against airborne particle inhalation because it filters out the ultra-fine contaminants. That being said, there are other types of PPE that chimney sweep operations need to have at every job site.

• Coveralls: Lightweight, disposable coveralls prevent airborne particles from coming into contact with the skin on most of the body. Top-tier products also offer splash resistance to protect workers from harsh chemicals seeping through materials. Disposable coveralls help ensure no contaminants are spread beyond the worksite, after a job is completed.
• Head Wear:The leading disposable protective clothing lines offer coveralls with respirator-fitting hoods. Eliminating seam openings reduces potential contact.
• Eye Wear: It’s essential that the eyewear workers use seals tightly against their faces. Gaps allow particles and chemicals to infiltrate.
• Gloves: Chimney sweep gloves must be rugged enough to withstand climbing and handling equipment. They also need to insulate their hands from soot, creosote, bat droppings, and chemicals.
• Footwear:Chimney sweeps must utilize common sense footwear that provides traction on roofs, minimizes hard impacts, and insulates their feet from contaminants and chemicals. When work boots cannot deliver all of these facets, disposable footwear coverings keep them free of hazardous materials. Shoe and boot covers also commonly come with anti-skid or “non-slip” finishes to help workers have more traction, which is critical while working at heights.

Based on the laws of supply and demand, as well as the rising wages and job security chimney sweep positions offer, an influx of workers is expected. They will require health and safety training and an understanding of OSHA regulations. Without proper PPE and disposable chimney sweeping protective clothing, hard-working people remain at unnecessary risk of devastating health conditions.