Fire & Rescue Department Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) Programs
Two questions for British Columbia’s fire and rescue personnel…
- How many of you joined the emergency services to help your fellow citizens, and for the variety such work provides?
- How many of you joined the emergency services to sit at a desk, stare at a computer screen, and ‘push paper’?
British Columbia’s Fire and Rescue Services are under on-going pressure to comply with more laws and regulations, including Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Programs compliance. This creates greater administrative workloads. These added requirements result in Officers and department members spending more and more time at a computer, and less time ‘on the floor’ or the training ground.
WorkSafeBC OH&S Regulations state, in Part 3: Rights and Responsibilities…
“3.1 When program required
(1) An occupational health and safety program as outlined in section 3.3 must be initiated and maintained
(a) by each employer that has
(i) a workforce of 20 or more workers, and
(ii) at least one workplace that is determined under section 3.16 (2) (b) to create a moderate or high risk of injury”
Firefighting is a ‘High’ Hazard industry. Therefore all departments having a workforce of 20 or more employees must have and maintain a functioning Occupational Health and Safety Program.
What is an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Program you ask?
It is a system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, and maintaining an organization’s Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) process.
How does this correlate to a Fire & Rescue Department’s OH&S Program structure?
Typically it contains:
| · Administration | · Protective Apparel and Equipment |
| · References | · Emergency Operations |
| · Definitions | · Facility Safety |
| · Fire Department Administration | · Medical and Physical Requirements |
| · Training, Education and Professional Development | · Behaviour Health and Wellness Programs |
| · Fire Apparatus, Equipment, and Driver / Operators | · Occupational Exposure to Atypical Events |
How do you make an Occupational Health and Safety program work?
A Fire & Rescue Department’s manning levels, particularly for volunteer departments, did not traditionally include an Administrative / Clerical position. When implementing and maintaining an OH&S program became mandatory many departments immediately felt a strain on their resources. This was due to insufficient human resources in place or personnel having little interest in taking on the job. Therein lays the crux of the problem.
What options does your Fire & Rescue department have?
- Ignore requirements and do nothing…at your peril! Exposing yourself to preventable liabilities is never a good choice.
- Create an Administrative position, either full or part time, tasked with keeping records and reports generated by department operations and maintenance. Recruit for the additional position to be filled by a suitably qualified person. However the increased headcount is then reflected in greater administrative costs (e.g. hiring, benefits, training, etc.).
- Outsource – Contract the work to an outside company or organization
Solutions
Option #1 is not an option! If fulfilling Option #2 is not achievable that leaves Option #3. Terra Marique Risk Management Ltd. (TMRM Ltd.) can help your department comply with OH&S regulations. We have advised on, and developed, Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Programs for a variety of clients, and can deliver a Fire & Rescue-specific program for your department that is functional, regulatory compliant, and ‘user friendly’.
