Excerpts from BusinessInsurance.com:
There's a potential new safety standard being considered by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that could have major implications for small emergency response organizations. If implemented, it might force some of them to shut down entirely. One particularly controversial element under discussion is a possible ban on installing fire poles in new fire stations.
OSHA has asked the National Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health to provide recommendations for a proposed emergency responder preparedness program. The Emergency Response and Preparedness Subcommittee is now working on drafting this standard.
The draft outlines several requirements aimed at identifying and mitigating health and safety risks for emergency responders and their staff. These include medical evaluations, training protocols, and improved workplace safety measures.
For instance, the proposal would require baseline and annual medical exams for firefighters and other personnel. These exams would involve a detailed medical history, a physical exam, and lab tests to identify any conditions that might impair their ability to perform essential job functions. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 64 firefighters died in the U.S. in 2014, with sudden cardiac events accounting for 56% of those deaths.
However, the current proposal doesn’t clarify who will cover the costs of these medical evaluations. This lack of clarity raises concerns about the financial burden on small departments, many of which already operate on tight budgets.
Phil Stittleburg, chief of the LaFarge Fire Department in Wisconsin, a volunteer department with an annual budget of around $65,000, explained that requiring annual physicals could force difficult choices between funding medical exams or replacing critical equipment like helmets on schedule.
The draft also suggests that new fire stations should use stairs or slides instead of fire poles for rapid access, effectively banning the installation of new poles two years after the rule is finalized. This provision aims to reduce injuries caused by improper use of poles. For example, in April 2012, a firefighter in Alameda County, California, suffered a leg fracture after landing incorrectly at the bottom of a pole, according to OSHA.
"OSHA recognizes that sliding down poles can lead to serious injuries," said Bill Hamilton, a fire protection engineer with OSHA. "Eliminating new poles in favor of stairs or slides is one way to reduce those risks."
Despite the safety rationale, some stakeholders worry that removing fire poles could spark backlash, as they are deeply rooted in firehouse culture and tradition.
"This is a clear regulatory move against something that’s part of the fire service’s identity," said Kenneth Willette of the National Fire Protection Association. "While there may be benefits, it could become a hot-button issue that hinders the overall goal of the proposal."
To ensure the proposal is well-informed, the subcommittee has decided to gather more data on the number of injuries and fatalities related to fire poles compared to stairs and slides before finalizing the recommendation.
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