Introduction toEmergency Services Occupational Safety

and Health

1-1

Chapter 1

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the history of occupational safety and health in industry.

• Discuss the history of emergency service safety and health programs.

• Identify, by using historical data, the safety and health problem as it is today.

1-2

Learning Objectives

• Describe the efforts that have been made to address the safety and health problem among emergency service occupations.

• Describe the 16 Life Safety Initiatives.• List the national agencies that produce annual injury

and fatality reports for emergency services.• Identify the information that can be obtained from

annual injury and fatality reports.

1-3

Introduction

• Firefighting has a high rate of acute and chronic injuries and deaths

• Firefighters are exposed to a wide range of hazards• Emergency medical service responders face many of

the same hazards as firefighters• Most firefighters are also responsible for emergency

medical response

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History of Occupational Safetyand Health in Industry

• Hippocrates (460-377 BC)• Paracelsus (1493-1541)• Agricolos (1494-1555) • Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714)• 1911 fire at Triangle Shirtwaist• Federal Occupational Safety and Health Legislation

1-5

History of Emergency ServicesSafety and Health

• High injury and death rate for firefighters– Considered part of the occupation

• Maturation of occupational safety and health• Shortcomings of early texts

– Improvement– Prevention

Cont. 1-6

History of Emergency ServicesSafety and Health

• America Burning in 1973– Focused on firefighter safety– Perspective of staffing, education, and equipment– First publicized documents referencing firefighter safety

• 1980s– Significant increase in interest in the safety problem– Trend has continued into the 21st century

Cont. 1-7

History of Emergency ServicesSafety and Health

• NFPA 1500– Standard was controversial– Positive step in the safety and health area

• Emergency services are traditional• Reluctant to make and accept change

Cont. 1-8

History of Emergency ServicesSafety and Health

• Changes since NFPA 1500– Organizational charts reflecting a health and safety officer– Text books on the subject– Safety and health committees– Standard operational procedures with a focus on safety– Incident management systems– Improvements in personal protective equipment– Fitness and wellness programs have been adopted

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Identification of the Safety Problem

• Local program for local problems– Design and development

• Data – Local statistics gathered– Determine the local safety and health problems– Compare to the larger population

Cont. 1-10

Identification of the Safety Problem

• Organizations that gather national data– National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)– United States Fire Administration (USFA)– National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)– International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)– National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH)

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Review of National Injury Statistics

• NFPA Firefighter Injury report– Injuries by type of duty– Nature of injuries– Fireground injuries by cause– Injuries per department by population

• Injuries per 100 firefighters

• Rate of injuries per 1000 fires

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Firefighter Casualties 2001- 2010

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Injuries by Type of Duty

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Nature of Injuries

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Fireground Injuries by Cause

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Injuries by Size of Population Protected

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Rate of Injuries per 1000 Fires

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What Is Being Done?

• Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives• National Fire Fighter Life Safety Summit

– Established objectives of reducing fatality rates– Produced an agenda of initiatives – Common goal of reducing firefighter deaths– Adoption of 16 firefighter life safety initiatives

Cont. 1-19

What Is Being Done?

• Risk management• SAFEOPS

– Supervision– Attitude– Fitness/wellness– Education– Organizational

involvement– Procedures– Standards and regulations

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Is it Working?

• Rate of illness, injuries, and fatalities are constant• Efforts must be continued and expanded• Continued efforts can lower these statistics• New programs are being developed frequently

– Increase preparedness– Minimize to potential for injury and deaths

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Summary

• Occupational safety and health emphasis is relatively new for emergency service providers

• With good risk management the frequency and severity of injuries could be reduced

• Better programs, research, data, and organizational commitment to improve are still needed

• Unprecedented meeting of 200 fire service leaders in Tampa resulted in the development of the 16 firefighter life safety initiatives

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Summary

• Occupational safety and health emphasis is relatively new for emergency service providers

• With good risk management the frequency and severity of injuries could be reduced

• Better programs, research, data, and organizational commitment to improve are still needed

• Unprecedented meeting of 200 fire service leaders in Tampa resulted in the development of the 16 firefighter life safety initiatives

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