Comprehensive Firefighter Wellness Program Guide

1. Chief Officer Training Curriculum Operations Module 5: Health and Safety Officer, Laws and Standards

2. Objective • To compare health and safety laws, standards, and regulations to written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for proper SOP content

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

4. The Health and Safety Officer (continued) • Volunteer departments—HSO may be promotion and not chief officer • Better not to split responsibilities • Only one HSO

6. Firefighter Injury and Deaths • 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

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

8. Ending up dead or injured at work is against the law!

9. Health Risk Factors Name several health risk factors that affect firefighters: • On the fireground • Long-term

10. Fireground Risk Factors • Physical fitness • History of illnesses • Medications

11. Long-Term Risk Factors • Smoking • Hearing loss • Back injuries • Cancer

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

13. Long-Term Risk Factors (continued) • Back injuries—largest category of workers’ compensation injuries • Cancer—skin cancer among most common

14. Firefighter Wellness Programs List the components of a comprehensive wellness program:

15. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) • Annual physical exams • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Physical fitness program • Infection control program

16. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) What vaccinations does your department provide for its members?

17. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) Vaccinations: • Hepatitis B • Hepatitis A • Tetanus • Flu shot • Measles

18. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) Post-exposure exams: • Hazardous materials • Blood or body fluids

19. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) Define an EAP and list some of the components:

20. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) • Substance abuse • Alcoholism • Drug addiction • Tobacco • Stress management—CISM • Family relations • Legal and financial concerns • Health promotions

21. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) Physical fitness program: • Medical screenings • Fitness assessments • Fitness standards • Exercise program • Nutrition

22. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) • 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

23. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) What program or operation affects the health and safety of firefighters on an emergency scene?

24. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) Refreshment Rest Medical Evaluation Treatment

26. Firefighter Wellness Programs (continued) • 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

27. Record Keeping and Documentation • NFPA 1500, Chapter 10, paragraph 4 • Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

28. Record Keeping and Documentation (continued) Employee medical records—confidential: • Annual physical report • Return-to-duty reports • Workers’ compensation reports • Records of vaccinations • Exposure reports

29. Record Keeping and Documentation (continued) • Compile statistics • Evaluate department records: • Annual injury/illness report • Lost-time report • Workers’ compensation expenses • Medical exams/therapy expenses

30. Activity 5.1 Action Plan for Health Maintenance

31. Consensus Standards • Procedure or document that can be followed • Developed reactively • Not mandatory unless adopted by public authority

32. Consensus Standards (continued) NFPA: • Over 270 codes and standards • Fire service safety and health • Protective clothing and equipment • Fire apparatus and equipment • Professional qualifications • Fire service training

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

34. NFPA Standards (continued) • Protective clothing and equipment standards • Design criteria for fire apparatus and equipment • Professional qualifications • Training standards

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 volunteerFF

36. Federal Regulations (continued) Regulations affecting worker safety and health: • 1910.20—Medical Record Keeping • 1910.1030—Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens • NFPA 1581, Standard for Fire Department Infection Control Program

37. Activity 5.2 Laws, Standards, and Regulations

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

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

40. Effect of Laws, Standards, and Regulations on Operations (continued) • 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

41. Module Summary • Health risk factors—fireground and long-term • Wellness programs • Record keeping and documentation • Laws, standards, and regulations