fire and emergency services company officer — lesson 10

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer — Lesson 10

Fire and Emergency Services Company Officer, 4th Edition

Chapter 10 — Safety and Health Issues

Fire and Emergency ServicesCompany Officer

10–2

Learning Objectives

1. Identify facts about emergency scene casualties and nonemergency workplace casualties.

2. Identify facts about safety initiatives and resources that focus on ensuring a safe work environment.

3. Identify the importance of physical fitness and wellness.

(Continued)


10–3

Learning Objectives

4. Recall various safety policies and procedures.

5. Distinguish among activities to ensure a safe work environment at the emergency scene, en route to and from the emergency scene, and at facilities.

6. Select facts about information included in a safety and health program.

7. Given safety scenarios, identify hazards. (Continued)


10–4

Learning Objectives

8.Select facts about maintaining an effective infectious disease control program.9.Recall information about conducting accident investigations.10. Complete an initial accident investigation.11. Identify facts about collecting data and completing accident report forms.12. Select facts about investigating injuries, illnesses, and exposures


10–5

Emergency Scene Casualties

• Approximately 88,000 per year

• Common firefighter injuries

• Common emergency medical services injuries


10–6

Firefighter Fatalities

• Average of 117 per year

• Leading causes

• Emergency responses result in only 3%.

• EMS operations fatalities


10–7

Nonemergency Workplace Casualties

• Any injuries or fatalities that occur while performing:– Administrative duties– Training– Code enforcements and inspections– Maintenance– Other nonincident-related situations

(Continued)


10–8

Nonemergency Workplace Casualties

• Training-related injuries

• Training related fatalities


10–9

Everyone Goes Home Initiative

• Strategic initiative resulting from the March 2004 summit hosted by National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, in cooperation with United States Fire Administration

• Goals– Reduce fatalities by 25% over next 5 years– Reduce fatalities by 50% over next 10 years


10–10

Objectives of the Everyone Goes Home Initiative

• Define and advocate the need for cultural change within the fire service relating to safety, incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability, and personal responsibility.

• Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for safety and health throughout the fire service.

(Continued)


10–11


• Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.

• Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe practices.• Develop and implement national standards for

training, qualifications, and certification equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform. (Continued)


10–12


• Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.

• Create a national research agenda and data-collection system that relates to the initiatives.

• Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of safety and health.

(Continued)


10–13


• Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.

• Ensure grant programs support safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.

• Develop and champion national standards for emergency response policies and procedures.

(Continued)


10–14


• Develop and champion national protocols for response to violent incidents.

• Ensure firefighters and families have access to counseling and psychological support.

• Ensure that public education receives more resources and is championed as a critical fire and life safety program.

(Continued)


10–15


• Strengthen advocacy for enforcement of codes and installation of home sprinklers.

• Ensure that safety is a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.


10–16

Firefighter Close Calls

• A close call is any event that came close to resulting in an injury or fatality.

• Web sites– FirefighterCloseCalls.com– EMSCloseCalls.com


10–17

Firefighter Safety Stand Down

• Sponsored by International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)

• Departments eliminate nonemergency functions and focus on safety issues

(Continued)


10–18

Firefighter Safety Stand Down

• Regular company-level safety training– Set time every work shift– Entire work shift every month– Company officer is responsible for

providing safety instruction and training.


10–19

Safety Standards

• NFPA 1500• NFPA 1561• NFPA 1581• NFPA 1983• NFPA 1852


10–20

Local Safety Policiesand Procedures

• Training sessions should be held periodically.

• Practical training evolutions and company level training should follow all appropriate safety policies.


10–21

Safety and Health Program

• Accident, injury, and illness prevention

• Medical infection or exposure control

• Physical fitness and wellness


10–22

Basic Workplace Safety

• Organizational goal attained through:– Training– Policies and procedures– Maintenance of facilities and equipment

(Continued)


10–23

Basic Workplace Safety

• Company officer’s responsibilities– Implement training requirements, policies,

and procedures– Report needed maintenance or

replacement of unsafe equipment


10–24

Emergency Scene Safety

• Address primary cause of fatalities through education, fitness, and wellness.– Nutrition– Weight control– Physical fitness– Tobacco use

(Continued)


10–25


• During emergency incident:– Monitor subordinates for physical stress.– Remove overexerted personnel from operation

and place in rehabilitation area.– Ensure that all personnel properly and safely use:

– Personal protective equipment– Respiratory equipment– Tools

(Continued)


10–26


• Operational procedures– Lockout/tagout procedures – Two unit members or mechanical devices

to lift objects or victims over a predetermined weight

– Appropriate protective clothing

(Continued)


10–27


• Operational procedures– Heavy items mounted in lower

compartments on apparatus– Respiratory protection program – Two in/two out program– Establishment of an initial rapid

intervention crew or team

(Continued)


10–28


• Operational procedures– Activation of personal alert safety system

(PASS) devices– Breathing air conservation procedures– Establishment of a personnel

accountability system


10–29

Safety En Route to and from Scene

• Apparatus and vehicle accidents– Safe apparatus design and maintenance– Proper driver/operator training and

certification– Privately owned vehicles– Cultural changes in responders


10–30

Safety at Facilities

• Proper maintenance

• Safety procedures


10–31

Information Included in a Safety and Health Program

• Reporting injuries, including location of first-aid facilities

• Reporting unsafe conditions and practices• Proper care, use, selection, and maintenance of

personal protective equipment (PPE) • Proper actions in the event of emergencies,

including exit routes during emergencies

(Continued)


10–32


• Identifying hazardous gases, chemicals, or materials and their safe use and emergency action following accidental exposure

• Description of the organization’s entire safety and health program (including its various components)

(Continued)


10–33


• On-the-job review of the practices necessary to perform initial job assignments in a safe manner

• Procedures to follow when exposed to bloodborne pathogens

• Proper procedures for lifting and back care• Proper handling and use of power tools

(Continued)


10–34


• Rules and regulations regarding the use of vehicles in both emergency and nonemergency situations

• Approved safety procedures for incidents involving trenching/shoring and confined-space rescues

(Continued)


10–35


• Safety procedures designed to provide fall protection

• Types of respiratory equipment and their use


10–36

Infectious Disease Control Program Requirements

• Must meet the NFPA 1581

• Developed and managed by designated infection control officer

(Continued)


10–37


• Education and training requirements• Vaccination and inoculation requirements• Documentation and record-keeping

requirements• Cleaning, decontamination, and disinfection

of personnel and equipment• Exposure control and reporting protocols

(Continued)


10–38


• Record-keeping– Exposure reports

–Maintained 30 years following termination or retirement

–Confidential

(Continued)


10–39


• Record-keeping– Training that involves:

–PPE–Exposure protection–Postexposure protocols–Disease modes of transmission


10–40

Investigation Policies

• Primary purposes– Reduce potential for accidents– Reduce severity of accidents

• Investigations must address root cause (basic reason) for accident

(Continued)


10–41

Investigation Policies

• Policy functions

• Investigative authority


10–42

Accident Investigations

• Approach should be:– Objective– Impartial– Fact-finding, not fault-finding

(Continued)


10–43


• Identify and document– Behavior or condition that caused an

accident (root cause)– Previously unrecognized hazards– Apparatus/equipment defects or design

flaws– Additional training needs

(Continued)


10–44


• Identify and document– Improvements needed in safety policies

and procedures– Facts that could have a legal impact on an

accident case– Historical trends


10–45

Human Factors

• Improper attitude

• Lack of knowledge or skill

• Physical unsuitability


10–46

Accident Scene Control

• Serious injuries: Stabilize victim and transport.

• Minor injuries: Treat at scene.

• Secure scene.

(Continued)


10–47

Accident Scene Control

• Anything involved in incident is evidence for:– Reconstructing the accident and

preventing similar accidents– Supporting potential legal cases


10–48

Accurate Data Collection

• Forms• General information• Employee characteristics (participant)• Environmental information• Apparatus/equipment information• Narrative report


10–49

Injuries and Illnesses

• First ensure prompt medical treatment.

• Investigations typically follow same procedure as accident investigations.

• Job-related illnesses may require additional time and resources.


10–50

Exposure Investigations

• Accurate and thorough documentation is key• Investigations should occur immediately after

any incident involving a known exposure.• Long-range investigations may occur at some

point in the future when symptoms of exposure appear sometime in future following exposure in the individual.


10–51

Summary

• An efficient and effective fire and emergency service organization depends on a safe, healthy, physically fit, and emotionally stable membership.

• The company officer must ensure a safe working environment though training, education, equipment, policies, procedures, leadership, and supervision.

(Continued)


10–52

Summary

• A safe environment is accomplished through the development and implementation of a comprehensive safety and health program.

• The organization must also make physical fitness a reality through the implementation of a holistic employee physical fitness and wellness program.

• Company officers must make safety and health their primary concerns for their subordinates.

fire and emergency services company officer — lesson 10

Documents

safety scenarios

safety initiatives

health program

learning objectives8

health issuesfire

safe work environment

accident investigations

yearsreduce fatalities