Fitness for Duty Evaluations in Hazardous Materials Firefighters

Details

• Personal Author:
  Aldrich JM ; Artzerounian D ; Christiani, David C. ; Gassert T ; Hu H ; Kales SN ; Kelsey K ; Polyhronopoulos GN ; Sweet C
• Description:
  We analyzed results from the medical examinations of 340 hazardous materials firefighters and applied various objective standards in simulated fitness for duty determinations. Ten percent had elevated blood pressures, 13% had far visual acuity worse than 20/30 in one or both eyes, and 38% had abnormal audiometry. The strictest standards for resting blood pressure and corrected visual acuity would have failed 2% and 1% of the cohort, respectively. For audiometry, 0%-5% of the cohort would have failed, depending on the hearing requirements set. The strictest hearing standard did not allow for corrective devices so that few failures would be reversible. Visual and audiometric testing and measurement of resting blood pressure all have significant clinical yields. Studies of simulated firefighting are needed to establish minimum hearing requirements and determine whether corrective devices can be worn safely during duty. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Eye Firefighters Fires Hazardous Substances Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Safety Sense Organs Vision Disorders

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• Keywords:
  Audiometry Blood Pressure Fire Fighters Fire Fighting Hazardous Materials Hazards Health Hazards Hearing Disorders Hearing Impairment Hearing Loss Occupational Health Protective Clothing Protective Equipment Simulation Methods Vision Disorders

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• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  40
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20030560
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 1998 Oct; 40(10):925-931
• Contact Point Address:
  Stefanos N. Kales, MD, MPH, Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, The Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
• Email:
  stefokali@aol.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1999
• Performing Organization:
  Occupational Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19960601
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  19990531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e37b660c6a21da60ecd41ccb3bfdc5429637e445d0b6f8f351fad3154373edc926a4417960aae58457a2a52fa59d0fb6922e216fb378f0b9bb5a240de7df4777
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191123/cdc_191123_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.09 MB ]