Fire Officer II

1. Fire Officer II Accident Investigation and Prevention Module 11

2. Unit Objectives Continued: • 3-7 this duty involves reviewing injury, accident, and health exposure reports, identifying unsafe work environments or behaviors, and taking appropriate action to prevent reoccurrence, according to the following job requirements. • 3-7.1 analyze a member’s accident, injury, or health exposure history, given the case study, so that a report is prepared for a supervisor and includes action taken and recommendations given.

3. Unit Objectives Continued: • Prerequisite Knowledge: The causes of unsafe acts, health exposures, or conditions that result in accidents, injuries, occupational illnesses, or death. • Prerequisite Skills: The ability to communicate in writing and to interpret accidents, injuries, occupational illnesses, or death reports.

4. Accident Investigations: • Domino effect • Identifies dangerous procedures, equipment, and conditions • Keep data – NFPA 1500 recommends autopsy • Public safety officer benefit act of 1976 (PSOB)

5. Conducting Accident Investigations • It should determine the root cause and be objective, impartial, and fact-finding, not fault-finding.

6. Investigations Serve To: • Identify behaviors or conditions • Identify unrecognized hazards • Identify training needs • Identify improvements • Identify legal impacts • Determine eligibility for PSOB death benefits

7. Understanding Human Factors: • Some employees are more accident prone that others. Human factors are individual attributes that influence members accidents.

8. Control Human Factors Through: • Motivation • Training • Technical revisions

9. Three Human Factors: • Improper attitude –readjust through counseling, training, or discipline. • Lack of knowledge/skill – train. • Physically unsuited – personnel may have to be reassigned.

10. Other Factors Include: • Developing and enforcing policies. • Document training and investigate accidents.

11. Analyzing Accident/ Injury Reports: • Designed to improve workplace safety. • Objective and impartial. • Look for patterns and common elements. • Accidents are the result of unsafe acts or conditions. • Look for the root cause.

12. Unsafe Act May Result From: • Inadequate training • Inadequate supervision • Improper attitudes of the individual(s) involved

13. Ask Questions: • Who was involved? • What was involved? • What were the circumstances? • What was the root cause? • Conclusion?

14. The success or failure of the safety program is determined by the attitudes and behaviors of the firefighters. • The CO must take corrective actions for negligent actions.

15. A solution may emerge. Company officers directly influence firefighters’ attitudes toward safety by setting the example. • For more information, contact the National Safety Council @ P.O. Box 558, Itasca, IL 60143-0558, or (800) 621-6244.

16. Wellness Programs: • Designed to maintain occupational health of firefighters, monitor personnel, and maintain confidential health and fitness records.

17. Wellness Programs: Records should include: • Results of medical exams • Results of fitness tests • Occupational illness • Occupational injury • Exposures to haz mat (confirmed/suspected) • Exposures to disease (confirmed/suspected)

18. Three Subprograms: • Medical • Fitness • Member or employee assistance program (EAP)

19. Medical Program: • The fire department physician should conduct all exams to determine if the firefighter is physically capable of performing assigned tasks. Keep records confidential.

20. Physical Fitness Program: • Firefighting is physically demanding requiring strength, endurance, and flexibility • Everyone should be physically fit • Should help personnel achieve and maintain • Pass out two articles • “Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a carrier” • Susan Rabin

21. Member Assistance Program: • The EAP deals with problems resulting from stress, substance abuse, and personal matters. • Offers professional counseling. • Should also include members’ families.

22. Group Activity 11-1 • Given a scenario, working as a group analyze the scenario and develop a report and a solution to the accident.

23. Summary: • Firefighting is dangerous. • Company officers must be aware of the causes of accidents. • Prevent by setting a good example. • Address stress and substance abuse. • Teamwork is required. • The CO is a vital link.