- Author
-
Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Title
- Fire and Emergency Medical Services Ergonomics. A Guide for Understanding and Implementing an Ergonomics Program in Your Department.
- Coporate
- U.S. Fire Administration, Washington, DC
- Report
-
Guide,
March 1996,
206 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. Telephone: 301-447-1000. Website: http://www.usfa.fema.gov
- Contract
- EMW-94-C-4459
- Keywords
-
medical services
|
ergonomics
|
fire departments
|
training
|
injuries
|
effectiveness
- Identifiers
- ergonimic-related disorders; developing an ergonomics program; ergonomic hazards; preventing and controlling ergonomic hazards; medical management; procedures for reporting injuries; implementing the ergonomic program; evaluating program effectiveness
- Abstract
- The application of ergonomics is increasingly gaining attention within U.S. industry as a means for improving the workplace and preventing chronic and sometimes debilitating medical disorders. Often the concept of ergonomics seems alien to the fire and emergency medical services because unlike most industrial work environments, the nature of the emergency response scene is forever changing and demands a less than routine approach to accomplish the job. Despite this thinking, the proper application of ergonomics to the fire and emergency medical services can have a very significant impact in reducing many of the injuries that occur on or off the fire ground or emergency medical scene. Consider that approximately 40% of all fire fighter injuries over the period of 1990-1994 are classified as sprains, strains, and other musculoskeletal ailments, many of which may be attributed to the poor design of equipment and other ergonomic concerns. These injuries often result in significant amount of loss time and other large costs to fire and EMS departments throughout the country. A large number of thse injuries are preventable by implementing an ergonomics program as part of the department's overall occupational safety and health program.