United States Fire Administration Chief Officer Training Curriculum Operations Module 5: Health and Safety Officer, Laws and Standards

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-2 Objective  To compare health and safety laws, standards, and regulations to written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for proper SOP content

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-3 The Health and Safety Officer  Reports to head of organization  Trained to Fire Officer I  Has major effect on department emergency operations  Performs duties outlined in NFPA 1521  May be full or part-time

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-4  Volunteer departments—HSO may be promotion and not chief officer  Better not to split responsibilities  Only one HSO The Health and Safety Officer (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-5

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-6  1988 to 1992—average of more than 100,000 firefighter injuries each year –50% occurred on fireground  1977 to present—average of one death every 3 days –Over 50% occur on fireground Firefighter Injury and Deaths

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-7 Firefighter Injury and Deaths (continued)  The leading cause of firefighter deaths is heart disease/stress.  25% of stress-related deaths are less than 40-years old

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-8 Ending up dead or injured at work is against the law!

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-9 Health Risk Factors Name several health risk factors that affect firefighters:  On the fireground  Long-term

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-10 Fireground Risk Factors  Physical fitness  History of illnesses  Medications

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-11 Long-Term Risk Factors  Smoking  Hearing loss  Back injuries  Cancer

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-12 Long-Term Risk Factors (continued) Hearing loss:  Hearing protection program—OSHA standard  Mandated protection for personnel on apparatus  Baseline audiometric test  Annual testing  Standards in NFPA 1582

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-13 Long-Term Risk Factors (continued)  Back injuries—largest category of workers’ compensation injuries  Cancer—skin cancer among most common

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-14 Firefighter Wellness Programs List the components of a comprehensive wellness program: List the components of a comprehensive wellness program:

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-15 Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)  Annual physical exams  Employee Assistance Program (EAP)  Physical fitness program  Infection control program

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-16 What vaccinations does your department provide for its members? Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-17 Vaccinations:  Hepatitis B  Hepatitis A  Tetanus  Flu shot  Measles Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-18 Post-exposure exams:  Hazardous materials  Blood or body fluids Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-19 Define an EAP and list some of the components: Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-20  Substance abuse – Alcoholism – Drug addiction – Tobacco  Stress management— CISM  Family relations  Legal and financial concerns  Health promotions Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-21 Physical fitness program:  Medical screenings  Fitness assessments  Fitness standards  Exercise program  Nutrition Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-22  Exposure-control plan for members at risk  Training and education  Engineering and work control practices  Hepatitis B vaccination  Medical treatment, post-exposure evaluation, and follow-up  Record keeping Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-23 What program or operation affects the health and safety of firefighters on an emergency scene? Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-24 Rest Medical Evaluation Treatment Refreshment Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-25

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-26  Provide on-scene screening process to determine if personnel operating in danger of collapsing  Provide monitoring device to gauge how firefighters react physiologically to stress of operation Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-27  NFPA 1500, Chapter 10, paragraph 4  Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 Record Keeping and Documentation

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-28 Employee medical records—confidential:  Annual physical report  Return-to-duty reports  Workers’ compensation reports  Records of vaccinations  Exposure reports Record Keeping and Documentation (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-29  Compile statistics  Evaluate department records: –Annual injury/illness report –Lost-time report –Workers’ compensation expenses –Medical exams/therapy expenses Record Keeping and Documentation (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-30 Activity 5.1 Action Plan for Health Maintenance

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-31 Consensus Standards  Procedure or document that can be followed  Developed reactively  Not mandatory unless adopted by public authority

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-32 NFPA:  Over 270 codes and standards  Fire service safety and health  Protective clothing and equipment  Fire apparatus and equipment  Professional qualifications  Fire service training Consensus Standards (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-33 NFPA Standards  NFPA 1500, Standard for a Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program  NFPA 1521, Standard for a Fire Department Safety Officer  NFPA 1561, Incident Management System  NFPA 1581, Fire Department Infection Control Program  NFPA 1582, Standard for Medical Requirements for Fire Fighters

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-34  Protective clothing and equipment standards  Design criteria for fire apparatus and equipment  Professional qualifications  Training standards NFPA Standards (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-35 Federal Regulations OSHA:  Branch of Department of Labor & Industry  Created in 1970  23 states and two territories have state- operated programs  Remaining states governed by Federal program, excluding municipal and volunteer FF

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-36 Regulations affecting worker safety and health:  —Medical Record Keeping  —Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens  NFPA 1581, Standard for Fire Department Infection Control Program Federal Regulations (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-37 Activity 5.2 Laws, Standards, and Regulations

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-38 Standard Operating Guidelines  Developed by department in standard format  Affect only the department that writes and adopts them  Must meet or exceed applicable laws and regulations

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-39 Effect of Laws, Standards, and Regulations on Operations  Provide a safe and healthy work environment  Reduction of risk and decrease in liability  Fire chief assigns HSO as program manager

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-40  Promotes positive image inside/outside department  Provide basis for department SOPs  HSO develops network that provides information on new issues/changes  HSO provides this information to the department Effect of Laws, Standards, and Regulations on Operations (continued)

United States Fire Administration Ops 5-41 Module Summary  Health risk factors—fireground and long- term  Wellness programs  Record keeping and documentation  Laws, standards, and regulations