Queensland firefighters exposed to toxic firefighting chemicals have been offered free blood tests.

The Queensland Government has signed a policy providing tests to examine firefighters’ blood, as part of a baseline study to discover any long-term effects.

The chemicals perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) have been used on Defence bases and during firefighting drills for years, but are now banned.

Queensland Health and the State Government maintains its view that there is no consistent evidence that PFOA causes adverse health harm in humans.

However, international peer-reviewed studies have linked the substance with testicular cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) has offered free blood tests since late 2016, but assistant commissioner John Watson says it is still hard to tell how severe the long-term ramifications of exposure will be.

QFES says it will contribute to a baseline study too.