Occupational Health and Fitness for Work of Firefighters

Inah Kim; Jaechul Sung

doi:10.5124/jkma.2008.51.12.1078

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 51(12); 2008 > Article

Kim and Sung: Occupational Health and Fitness for Work of Firefighters

Focused Issue of This Month

Fire: Health Care for Firefighters and Fire Exposers

Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2008; 51(12): 1078-1086.

Published online: December 31, 2008

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2008.51.12.1078

Occupational Health and Fitness for Work of Firefighters

Inah Kim, MD¹, Jaechul Sung, MD²

¹Daejeon Regional Cancer Center, Chungnam National University Hospital, Korea. ptdoctor@hanmail.net

²Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Korea. jsong@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

Due to the various toxic chemicals, accidents and job stress, the firefighter has been known as a dangerous job. However, in Korea, there is no proper system to improve their health or job fitness. The authors tried to look into the current state of occupational health problems of firefighters and to suggest some important points to improve their health and fitness for work. The injury incidence of firefighters was higher than that of other jobs and their life expectancy was shorter than any other public servants. Even though the health examination for firefighters was applied since 2004, there is no appropriate approach to examine the health and to assess the fitness for firefighting work. A standardized periodic special health examination based on their work conditions or health risks, for instance various chemicals, physical factors and psychosocial factors, is needed. We suggest that the other health examination system that firefighters can take a specialized health examination in case of uncommon situation to be a risk on health. In addition, the fitness test for injured or ill workers is necessary. As a conclusion, the comprehensive occupational health management system is necessary to make firefighters healthy and for the citizens' safety.

Firefighter; Occupational health management; Fitness for work

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Figure 1

Frequency of work related injury and death(2002~2007)(5).

Figure 2

The average life span of the Korean public servants(8).

Figure 3

A suggestion to improve the occupational health management system for firefighters.

Table 1

Role of modern firefighter(3)

Table 2

Health examination for the firefighters(13)

Table 3

Examples of category B conditions, as specified in NFPA 1582(18)

^*The risk of hypoglycemia is unpredictable. The single best indicator of risk is the history of a previous episode. However, at least one incident has occurred in which an applicant, previously refused hire because of insulin-dependent diabetes, was hired in Florida after policy of the fire marshal's bureau was overturned based on ADA consideration. The applicant had been insulin-dependent for 5-year and took insulin every 2 hours at work and every 4 hours on her days off.

^†Some signs of damage such as mildly elevated renal function tests and mild retinal disease may not impair a candidate's ability to perform. Significant visual impairment or heart failure that results in a low exercise tolerance are reasons for exclusion