Juha Laitinen works as a research scientist at the Emergency Services Academy Finland, and he has over 30 years of experience in chemical risk characterization, evaluation, and management. He also holds the title of associate professor in occupational toxicology at the University of Eastern Finland.

Since 2004 he has worked with instructors and firefighters by evaluating their chemical exposure. His research projects have addressed their exposure in training condition, in operative work and in wildland fires. He has also characterized chemicals, which absorbed into firefighting garments during operative work, and studied how well these agents are possible to clean in normal water washing procedure. Now he is working in the teams, looking for the best firefighting and personal protective equipment for firefighters in wildland fires and how it is possible to enhance washing efficiency of water washing procedure for firefighting equipment. As far, he has published 35 international peer-review articles concerning chemical exposure.