Ethical Use of Wearable Device Data in Occupational Settings: Perspectives from the Fire Service

Details

• Journal Article:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Personal Author:
  Topazian, Rachel J. ; Wec, Aleksandra ; Ali, Joseph ; Frattaroli, Shannon ; Locke, Paul ; Taylor, Jennifer A. ; Crifasi, Cassandra K.
• Description:
  Objective: Despite interest in using wearable technology to improve firefighter health and safety, there is little evidence on data privacy preferences in the fire service. Methods: We conducted interviews and focus groups with career firefighters and fire department and union leaders in Maryland and Virginia and with national-level leaders (March to November 2023). Results: We conducted 4 focus groups and 35 interviews (65 participants). Leaders were optimistic about using wearable data to help firefighters obtain benefits, improve safety, conduct prevention, and advance administrative priorities. Firefighters described tradeoffs between safety and autonomy, privacy, and job status. Firefighters opposed using wearables on calls, whereas leadership was supportive. Participants identified implementation barriers and conditions for ethical implementation of wearables. Conclusions: Wearable data could protect health and safety but must be utilized in a way that respects autonomy and privacy preferences.
• Subjects:
  • Firefighters
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
  • Wearable Electronic Devices
• Keywords:
  • Fire fighters; Wearable technologies; Qualitative analysis; Ethics; Electronic devices; Biomonitoring; Surveillance; Injury prevention; Occupational safety and health;
  • Author Keywords: occupational health and safety; wearable devices; data privacy; firefighters; autonomy
• Source:
  J Occup Environ Med 2025 Sep; 67(9):e621-e629
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Colorado ; Pennsylvania ; Virginia ; Philadelphia Region OSHA ; Denver Region OSHA
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  9 pdf pages
• Volume:
  67
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071356
• Contact Point Address:
  Rachel J. Topazian, PhD, Assistant Professor, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13080 E. 19th Ave, Aurora CO 80045 | Mail Stop B137
• Email:
  rachel.topazian@cuanschutz.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  Johns Hopkins University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• End Date:
  20280630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/258831/cdc_258831_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 199.65 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:efcca4550659c2921042239cf34f5f445081c6c80df858b45af3fd47b3036cfd844770f1d40ae071594383521ec2f10a3c51abe17ed29f710e0afcfe63acff08