Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2008 - (Page 13)

comprehensive review and understanding of applicable laws, regulations and standards. • Improved efficiency is a benefit of risk management that translates into an organized event that saves time. • The safety and health of our personnel is a huge benefit of a comprehensive risk management plan. • But the main benefits of an effective risk management plan are financial. If our risk management plan is organized for peak efficiency, meets all applicable laws, codes, regulations and health and safety standards, the overall benefits will be saving money. This is accomplished by reducing or eliminating injuries and through saving lives. ing and education, protective clothing and equipment and respiratory protection for fire fighters. Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives are the backbone for a successful risk management plan. We need to know where we are going and how we are going to get there. Goals establish the reason for the process, and the objectives associated with each of the goals are how we are going to achieve these goals. Our goals are: • To reduce the number of work related injuries • Improve the overall safety and health of our firefighters • Reduce the cost burden on our workmen’s compensation insurance To achieve these goals we will need to implement the following control measures: • Creation of a health and safety officer to be in compliance with NFPA 1521 Standard of Fire Department Safety Officer • Creation of a safety committee • An annual review of the fire department’s operations and the impact of any significant or catastrophic incidents • Review and update of the department’s safety and health program • Continual evaluation of our standard operating procedures • Implement and enforce a health and fitness program • Implementation of a non-punitive close-call reporting program Scope The scope of this program has been developed around these three main guidelines related to risk management in the fire service: • NFPA 1500 is the Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program. The standard is intended to apply to all aspects of a fire department’s operations and activities dealing with safety and health. It establishes the requirements of risk identification, risk evaluation, risk control techniques, program evaluation and review. • 29 CFR 1910.120 is a law that regulates hazardous waste operations and emergency response. It requires that members working at an incident site consider the following risks: exposures exceeding the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit), concentrations that are IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health), potential eye irritation sources, explosion sensitivity and f lammability ranges, and oxygen deficiency. It also requires a proactive health maintenance program. • 29 CFR 1910/156 is a law that provides requirements for trainTEXAS FIRE CHIEF Fall/Winter 2008 Responsibility Every member of an organization has a responsibility within the guidelines of this risk management plan. No employee is exempt from the responsibility of maintaining a safe, healthful and risk-free workplace. A risk management plan is usually comprised of three key players: top management, middle management and the employees. Top management’s most important responsibility is to ensure that an effective risk management program is established and operating correctly. Top management’s most important role is to demonstrate genuine support and commitment for the risk management plan. This will make it clear to the members that risk management is important and that they will be held accountable for their actions or inactions under the plan. Middle management acts as the link between top management and the employees. The middle management is the vital link of an organization. The two most important responsibilities of middle management are providing effective leadership and discipline. In the context of a risk management program, this leads to safer, more productive employment. Discipline is a key element in the risk management program and consistency is critical. The star employee and the trouble maker must be disciplined in the same manner when they violate the same policy. The employees’ responsibilities are to support, have active participation in and comply with the plan. In all actuality, these are the responsibilities of all of the members in an organization. This plan establishes a standard of safety for the daily operations of the North Richland Hills Fire Department. The standard of safety establishes the parameters in which we cnduct activities during emergency and non-emergency operations. The intent is for all members to operate within this standard of safety and not deviate from this process. We utilize a variety of control measures to ensure for the safety and health of our members. These control measures include but are not limited to training, health maintenance, vehicle maintenance, protective clothing and equipment, the exposure control plan, incident command system, personnel accountability and standard operating procedures. 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2008

Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2008 Contents Executive Director’s Report Texas Fire Chiefs Academy Project Reports Southwest Fire Rescue Conference Program Membership Application Customer Service Orientation in Fire Rescue Departments A Visit to the E-One Plant Index to Advertisers

Texas Fire Chief - Fall/Winter 2008

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