Fitness-For-Duty Assessments of Industrial Firefighters: Guidance for Occupational Medicine Physicians
ACOEM GUIDANCE STATEMENT Fitness-for-Duty Assessments of Industrial Firefighters: Guidance for Occupational Medicine Physicians Faiyaz A. Bhojani, MD, MPH, DrPH, Luis A. Castillejo-Picco, MD, MS, PhD, David Cathcart, DO, MPH, Edward A. Emmett, MD, MS, Stephen Frangos, MD, MPH, P. Mark Glencross, MD, MPH, Chris J. Herman, CFPS, Kevin O’Shea, MD, MPH, Paul Rountree, MD, and David E. Turner, MD, PhD, MPH, MBA, ACOEM Task Force on Fitness-for-Duty Assessments for Industrial Firefighters Industrial firefighters share many characteristics industries to develop fitness-for-duty guid- The questionnaire was reviewed by with municipal firefighters; however, employers ance for industrial firefighters and address the University of Pennsylvania Institutional frequently have not addressed or characterized the the lack of standards and guidance specific Review Board (IRB), which concluded the unique job duties, hazards, and specific physical/ to this population. This lack of a standard- project did not meet the criteria to be mental demands associated with industrial fire- ized approach could result in firefighters considered human research and was thus fighting. In addition, gaps exist in the medical being improperly assessed for their capa- exempt from further IRB oversight. The literature with regard to industrial firefighter dem- bility to safely perform industrial firefight- Task Force engaged ORCHSE Strategies, ographics, behavioral risk factors, and chronic ing duties and puts the firefighter, his/her LLC, a health, safety, and environmental diseases. Finally, the proper methodologies for coworkers, the workplace, and the commu- control network that sponsors a cross- fitness-for-duty assessment of employees acting nity at risk. This increased risk has the industry forum for purposes of benchmark- in this capacity are lacking.
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