Chapter 5: Safety and risk management Flashcards
Accident
A unplanned event that interrupts an activity and sometimes causes injury or damage; a chance occurrence arising from unknown causes; an unexpected happening due to carelessness, ignorance, and the like.
Hazard
Any arrangement of materials and heat sources that presents the potential for harm, such as personal injury or ignition of combustibles.
Health and safety officer
The member of the fire department assigned and authorized by the fire chief as the manager of the safety and health program.
Immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
Any condition that would do one or more of the following: (1) pose an immediate or delayed threat to life, (2) cause irreversible adverse health effects, or (3) interfere with an individuals ability to escape unaided from a hazardous environment.
Incident Action Plan
The objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy, tactics, risk management, and member safety that are developed by the incident commander. Incident action plans are updated throughout the incident.
Incident command system (ICS)
A system that defines the roles and responsibilities to be assumed by personnel and the operating procedures to be used in the management and direction of emergency operations; also referred to as incident management system (IMS)
Incident Safety Officer
An individual appointed to respond to or assigned at an incident scene by the incident commander to perform the duties and responsibilities specified in NFPA 1521, standard for fire department safety officer.
Incident Safety Plan
The strategies and tactics developed by the incident safety officer based on the incident commanders incident action plan and the type of incident encountered.
Incident Scene Rehabilitation
The tactical level management unit that provides for medical evaluation, treatment, monitoring, fluid and food replenishment, mental rest, and relief from climate conditions of an incident.
Operational Period
A term used in a written incident action plan identifying a period of time during a long-term incident that a specific incident action plan covers. For federally funded incidents, the operational period is 12 hours; local incidents may use operational periods of 8 hours.
Personnel Accountability System
A method of tracking the identity, assignment, and location of fire fighters operating at an incident scene.
Preincident plan
A written document resulting from the gathering of general and detailed data to be used by responding personnel for determining the resources and actions necessary to mitigate anticipated emergencies at a specific facility.
Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)
A dedicated crew of four firefighters who are assigned for rapid deployment to rescue lost or trapped members.
Rehabilitation
The process of providing rest, rehydration, nourishment, and medical evaluation to members who are involved in extended of extreme incident scene operations.
Risk-benefit analysis
A decision made by a responder based on a hazard and situation assessment that weights the risks likely to be taken against the benefits to be gained for taking those risks.
Risk management
Identification and analysis of exposure to hazards, selection of appropriate risk management techniques too handle exposure, implementation of chosen techniques, and monitoring of results to the health and safety members.
Safety Unit
A member or members assigned to assist the incident safety officer; the tactical level management unit that can be composed of the incident safety officer alone or with additional assistant safety officers assigned to assist in providing the level of safety supervision for the magnitude of the incident and the associated hazards.
Safety responsibilities of the fire officer include…
Identifying hazards and mitigating dangerous conditions, identify and correct behaviors that could lead to firefighters injury or death, and set a good example of safe practices.
Everyone goes home program was developed by
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to prevent line of duty death and injury.
Key recommendation developed by the NFFF during the firefighter life safety summits
- Work in teams at emergencies.
- Fire officers must maintain accountability
- Every company must operate within the parameters of the incident action plan.
- Reliable 2-way radio communications must be maintained
- Adequate back-up lines must be in place to ensure safe egress.
- Rapid intervention crews must be established.
- Air supplies must be monitored, firefighters must leave IDLH environments when low air alarm sounds.
- All firefighters must watch for indications of building collapse.
NFPA’s firefighters fatalities in the US noted the leading cause of line of duty death.
2011, heart attacks are the leading cause of death for firefighters, accounting for 41 percent of all LODD from 2007-2011. The NFFF noted that a disproportionate number of firefighters older than 49 die of cardiac arrest while on duty.
Firefighter’s regular physical exams
Should be scheduled for as long as the firefighter is engaged in performing emergency duties, with an emphasis on identifying risk factors that could lead to a heart attack under stressful conditions.
Ways to reduce the risk of fatal heart attack
- Lifestyle can often reduce the risk of a fatal heart attack
- Physical fitness
- stopping smoking
- lowering high blood pressure
- lowering cholesterol level
- maintaining a healthy weight
- managing diabetes
What accounts for the largest percentage of traumatic firefighter deaths?
Motor vehicle collisions, almost 40 percent died in their personal vehicles, more than 3/4 who died were not wearing a seat belt. Excessive speed given road conditions and operator error are frequently cited as causes of these fatal collisions.
Driver minimum qualifications are established in
NFPA 1002, Standard for fire apparatus driver/operator professional qualifications.
NFPA 1451, Standard for a fire and emergency services vehicle operations training program.
NFPA 1500, Standard on fire department occupational safety and health program.
Requiring firefighters to wear seat belts
A simple requirement that could prevent 8 to 12 fatalities every year, many of the firefighters killed in MVA’s are thrown from the vehicle.
The primary factors that cause death while operating in burning buildings.
Asphyxia and burns followed by trauma.
The importance of maintaining crew integrity
82 percent of the fatal fire suppression incidents tallied in the report involved the death of a single firefighter. Many of these firefighters became lost and disoriented, and died before the IC was aware that a firefighter needed help.
OSHA and NFPA 1500 established specific requirements for FF operating in an IDLH environment. This 2 in 2 out rule includes the following.
- A designated officer in charge
- 2 FF who enter an IDLH environment together stay in visual or voice contact at all times.
- 2 properly equipped and trained FF must:
Be positioned outside the IDLH environment
Account for the interior team
Remain capable of rescue of the interior team
What is the rated air consumption time based on?
The rated time is based on a standard consumption rate for an individual at rest and does not reflect typical experience in firefighting operations.
The minimum size of an interior work team
Two firefighters
The fire officer maintains situational awareness by
staying oriented, making observations, providing and receiving regular updates with in ICS, listening to fire ground communications, and continually performing risk-benefit analysis.
General knowledge requirements for an effective incident safety officer
- Safety and health hazards involved in emergency operations
- Building construction
- Local fire dept PAR
- Incident scene rehabilitation.
During extended operations
A relief rotation can be established to ensure that safety supervision is maintained at all times.
How many firefighter injuries occur compared to LODD
For every one FF LODD, there are nearly 1000 FF injuries.
Principles that should be implemented to prevent FF injuries.
- Physical fitness
- PPE
- Fire station safety
- Clothing
- Housekeeping
- Lifting techniques
The six components of an infection control program
1) A written policy with the goal of identifying and limiting exposures
2) A written risk management plan to identify risks and control measures
3) Annual training and education in infection control
4) A designated infection control officer
5) Access to appropriate immunizations for employees
6) Instructions for handling exposure incidents.
The most important first step with any exposure
to wash the exposed area immediately and thoroughly with soap and running water.
After an exposure
The fire department infection control officer should be immediately notified after the incident has occurred.
At a minimum exposure reporting forms should include
- A description of how the exposure occurred
- Mode of transmission
- Entry point
- Use of personal protective equipment
- Medical follow-up and treatment
An accident investigation normally consists of three phases.
- Identification and collection of physical evidence
- Interviews with witnesses
- Written documentation (at the end of an investigation)
