Efficacy of a proactive health and safety risk management system in the fire service

Gerald S. Poplin, Stephanie Griffin, Keshia Pollack Porter, Joshua Mallett, Chengcheng Hu, Virginia Day-Nash, Jefferey L. Burgess

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the efficacy of a fire department proactive risk management program aimed at reducing firefighter injuries and their associated costs. Methods: Injury data were collected for the intervention fire department and a contemporary control department. Workers’ compensation claim frequency and costs were analyzed for the intervention fire department only. Total, exercise, patient transport, and fireground operations injury rates were calculated for both fire departments. Results: There was a post-intervention average annual reduction in injuries (13%), workers’ compensation injury claims (30%) and claims costs (21%). Median monthly injury rates comparing the post-intervention to the pre-intervention period did not show statistically significant changes in either the intervention or control fire department. Conclusions: Reduced workers’ compensation claims and costs were observed following the risk management intervention, but changes in injury rates were not statistically significant.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number18
JournalInjury Epidemiology
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2018

Keywords

  • Firefighting
  • Injury
  • Risk management
  • Workers’ compensation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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