A firefighter was severely injured during shift change by a spare composite Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) bottle which came out of the compartment and hit the floor. The main valve assembly of the tank broke off completely sending the bottle off across the floor spinning and it hit the firefighter, severely injuring him.
Failure to properly secure a SCBA cylinder in the apparatus compartment by strapping or locking device resulted in a firefighter injury. The involved SCBA bottle was actually a 2216 pounds per square inch (psi) cylinder, but was carbon wrapped and looked almost identical to the fire department’s 3000 psi cylinder. The 2216 psi cylinder had been filled to 3000 psi prior to the incident. The unsecured over pressurized 2216 cylinder hit the floor. The main valve assembly of the tank broke off completely sending the bottle off across the floor spinning and
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hitting a firefighter. The pressure disc for the 2216 psi cylinder was set at 3360 psi and burst on impact with the floor. The fire and emergency services organization should consider assigning an investigation team to find out the cause of the incident and prevention in the future. Investigators must determine whether firefighters follow the departmental SOPs/SOGs (Travis Ford, 2012). National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1852, Chapter 6, section 6.3.8, which states SCBA cylinders should be stored in a manner that prevents damage to the valve and cylinder (Edition 2002). Ensure all SCBA cylinders are proper marked/tag to indicate psi requirement and maximum fill levels. Proper investigation and the reporting of findings of all firefighter deaths, injuries, and near misses can contribute significantly to the future reduction of tragic incidents (Travis Ford, 2012).
Establish a formal investigation team to identify and document what led to an incident of over pressurized and improperly secured SCBA cylinders which resulted in a firefighter injury to include corrective actions. The goal of the investigation must always be to detect and correct operational deficiencies (Travis Ford, 2012). Investigators should conduct interviews to gain subject’s version of events and details of the incident. To ensure all in-service SCBA cylinders are properly secured and meet manufacturer’s recommended psi compliance, the Fire and Emergency Services Organization have a duty to administer an immediate "safety stand-down" check to prevent future injuries. All assigned personnel must demonstrate how to properly identify the difference between 2216 and 3000 psi cylinders. Implement mandatory recertification training of all personnel qualified to fill SCBA
cylinders. The vast majority of firefighter fatalities and injuries are predictable and preventable. Ensure the injured firefighter receive immediate and appropriate medical treatment. Allow the investigation team to complete a thorough investigation report before any policy implementation or changes are made. A final report should contain pertinent facts with a complete description of the incident scene. Some of the information that needs to be provided are items examined, evidence collected, injury/bodily locations, photographs, interviews, diagrams and laboratory reports. Ensure interior (assigned personnel, firefighter union) and exterior (worker’s compensation insurer, equipment manufacturer, federal, state, or provincial occupational safety and health agency) parties are properly informed and or briefed on the findings from the firefighter injury due to the unsecured over pressurized SCBA cylinder (Travis Ford, 2012).
Greer, M. E. (2001, October). 90 Years of Progress in Safety. Professional Safety, 46(10), 20-25. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=5367632&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Act 1 of Mr. Burns was the only act in the play that places it characters in a casual setting. It was easy to decipher the type of characters the actors were portraying in the scene. For example, the actor who played a meek character ported this by taking up as little space as she could and crouching behind objects. Also, two characters were pretty intimate with each other. They cuddled around the fire when discussing the probability of a power plant shutting down and shared soft smiles with each other. I felt that the characters were allowed to be themselves in this scene compared to the other acts. In Act 2, the characters were at work that called for them to have a professional mindset, even though they were familiar with each other. The
As an employee of The New York City Fire Department, it is our duty to know its mission state and what its internal core analysis consists off. “As first responders to fires, public safety and medical emergencies, disasters and terrorist acts, the FDNY protects the lives and property of New York City residents and visitors. The Department advances public safety through its fire prevention, investigation and education programs. The timely delivery of these services enables the FDNY to make significant contributions to the safety of New York City and homeland security efforts. The New York City Fire Department’s internal core analysis consists of: Service: the department continues its unwavering call to protect and serve. Bravery: courage is the foundation of each character. Bravery is the ability to overcome fear through fortitude, instinct, compassion for others and training. Safety: our citizens must be reasonably free from danger, especially deliberate, harmful acts. With the best equipment and training, the department can reduce the risk to the public and its members at fires, emergencies and medical incidents. Honor: the enormous commitment necessary to perform the department’s tasks requires excellence of character. They inspire each other through pride in the unit, which is a belief that every action reflects on all the members of the unit, both past and present. Dedication: a commitment to the objectives to their mission is an essential part of their code of conduct. The faithful observance of duty, calls for the FDNY to fulfill their obligations professionally and honestly. Preparedness: by combining all of the components of their core values, the FDNY will maintain its constant state of readiness to meet all threats and c...
Dropping everything he’s doing Joe quickly runs to the fire poll and proceeds to exits the building, sirens soaring over head, and fire truck engines starting up, he rushes to slip on his gear, he feels good about himself knowing he’s a hero, he holds his helmet under his right arm, and jumps on the bright shiny red fire truck, he taps the sparkling smooth metal twice, and they pull out of the fire station, as they arrive at the house, he spots the bright red and orange fire, instantly everything slows down, and his heart speeds up, other than the thrill and overall well-being of this career. Job duties, Salaries, Requirements, Hours, and other information about this career are also something to think about.
In the case, “Facing a Fire” prepared by Ann Buchholtz, there are several problems and issues to identify in determining if Herman Singer should rebuild the factory due to a fire or retire on his insurance proceeds. I believe that this case is about social reform and self-interest. I think that Singer needs to ask himself, what is in the firm’s best economic interests. There are several things to question within this case, what should Herman Singer do and why, should he rebuild the factory or begin retirement, if he rebuilds, should he relocate the firm to an area where wages are lower and what provisions, if any, should Singer make for his employees as well as for the community?
In 2012, news reported of a man sustaining injuries when the battery of his vapor cigarette exploded while using it. The explosion resulted in severe injuries to his teeth, tongue and other parts of his
Gaining a better understanding of what exactly my hospital is dealing with will determine the appropriate course of action. Did the explosion send poisonous chemicals into the air or are the patients simply having a reaction from smoke? As the incident commander on duty it is my responsibility to implement the three key strategies of disaster response; protect and preserve life, stabilize the disaster scene, and protect and preserve property. I will also begin implementation of the hospital’s emergency operation plan. Although I have not yet established the cause of illness in the patients, it is important to treat the incident as a potential mass disaster situation. I will proceed with implementing the “3 C’s” of incident leadership; coordination, communication, and cooperation (Reilly & Markenson, 2011). Effective management of this crisis weighs heavily on my ability to coordinate, communicate, and cooperate not only
“On March 23, 2005, at 1:20 pm, the BP Texas City Refinery suffered one of the worst industrial disasters in recent U.S. history. Explosions and fires killed 15 people and injured another 180, alarmed the community, and resulted in financial losses exceeding $1.5 billion.” (U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2007) There are many small and big decisions and oversights that led to the incident. Underneath all the specific actions or inaction is a blatant disregard for addressing safety violations and procedures that had been pointed out to BP even years before this event. The use of outdated equipment and budget cuts also contributed to the circumstances that allowed this accident to happen.
Every year communities struggle each year around the nation with issues of life safety. In 2012, the nation’s fire departments responded to 31,854,000 responses that resulted in the deaths 0f 2,855 civilians and injuring 16,500 causing an estimated $12,427 million dollars in damage. (United States Fire Administration, 2014) These incidents put at risk 345,950 career and 783,300 volunteer firefighters that resulted in the deaths of 81 individuals (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2013) and nearly 70,000 reported injuries. ( Karter & Molis, 2013) These numbers represent incidents that are determined to be in the line of duty but do not take into consideration the long-term health risk issues that may develop. Evidence shows that he hazards associated with Fire and Emergency Services are consistent across the board whether paid or volunteer and jeopardize the lives and health of each individual, placing administrative and physical control measures reduces this risk to firefighter within an organization. While it is impossible to eliminate the hazards firefighters face, it is important to identify these hazards as the first step in reducing the potential for loss of life and wellbeing both physically and mentally.
Identification of the locations of safety equipment: fire extinguishers, O2 bottles, BVM, cardiac board, vitals
In this case a large engineering consulting firm was contracted by the government to perform civil engineering work for the installation of equipment that would be later used to train firefighters. Prior to the actual work being commenced on site, Donald J. Giffels, president of the consulting firm soon realized through careful observation that there was a significant amount of ambiguity in how critical safety systems were to be designed. In this situation, what are the ethical issues that the consulting firm faces in accepting such a contract from the government. What is the optimal strategy in responding to what Donald J. .Giffels identified as an unacceptable lapse in safety. These two important questions are discussed in further detail with a conclusion of noteworthy facts surrounding this case following.
Investigating an arson is very difficult because fires tend to destroy evidence and firefighters while fighting the blaze will move things around and destroy even more evidence. Once an investigation is open for an arson, investigators need to find the source of heat and the material ignited in order to determine if it was a set fire. The two most important question investigators will ask is where and how did the fire start? When a fire has multiple starting points that should raise the level of suspicion and dictate if the fire was purposely set. Other preliminary steps to take is for investigators to find ignition devices. These devices can be gasoline, chemicals, matches, or other types of accelerants. Accelerants also known as boosters speeds of the process of a fire by adding to the initial fire for the fire to burn rapidly and increase the intensity. Firefighter and law enforcement can look for melted metals or similar materials. This can mean that accelerants were used because metals usually burn at about 3,000*F. The most important thing for law enforcement and fire fighters when suspecting an arson is to not move and contaminate any physical evidence. The first thing they should secure is any harm or injuries and clear
My topic is about firefighting, and some things you could do to to have a better chance of becoming a firefighter. This topic is important to me and maybe others because firefighting is part of my career plan. My opinion on becoming a firefighter from what I have heard is that it would be very beneficial to start at 16 as a junior. Firefighting at age 16 can be very beneficial; however some people can’t due to lack of transportation, support from parents, or just not wanting to put in the time.
Nurses can experience injuries from hazardous drugs. Nurses that have to administer hazardous drugs daily are at an increased risk for experiencing problems from the drugs. Studies have shown that workplace exposures to hazardous drugs can cause both acute and chroni...
Regulation compliance, employee safety, fire safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, hazardous waste removal, training procedures, and management relations are samples of features taken into consideration during a Safety Major’s day. Though there are numerous specializations safety professions can choose, a base knowledge in all fields is essential for a successful career. Therefore, I intend to pursue a continuation of safety certifications that will demonstrate a persistent ability to learn about my career. For the initial duration of my profession, I hope to obtain an Environmental Health and Safety specialist entry level position for an established organization. If the opportunity arises, I will promote within the same organization until