The mission of the Health and Safety Division is to control and eliminate recognized workplace hazards, attain an acceptable level of risk and promote the wellness of workers. This is accomplished with a continuous proactive process of anticipating, identifying, designing, implementing and evaluating risk-reduction strategies.
It is the policy of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department to operate with the highest possible levels of safety as well as provide an occupational safety and health program that seeks to comply with NFPA 1500.
The prevention and reduction of accidents, injuries and occupational illnesses are goals of the Department and shall be primary considerations at all times. In accordance with NFPA 1500, the Chief of the Department has designated a departmental Health and Safety Officer who works to maintain safe and healthful working conditions, establish operating practices and procedures designed to prevent injury, illnesses, and comply with all Federal, State and Local Laws, as well as, all applicable consensus standards. Management and all employee groups are involved in planning, developing and implementing safety and health protection. This concern for safety and health applies to all members of the department and to any other persons who may be involved in Fire Department activities.
- The purpose of the Occupational Health and Safety Workgroup is to conduct research, develop recommendations, and study and review matters pertaining to occupational health and safety within the Fire Department. The workgroup is chaired by the Division Chief of Health and Safety and consists of one (1) primary and one (1) alternate from each of the following areas:
Communications Division - EMS Division
- Fire Marshal's Division
- Fire/Rescue
- Operations - Battalion 1
- Fire/Rescue Operations - Battalion 2
- Fire/Rescue Operations - Battalion 3
- Fire/Rescue Operations - Battalion 4
- Health/Safety Division
- IAFF, Local 1563
- Maintenance Division
- Risk Management
- Special Operations
- Training Division
- Volunteer Fire Fighters Association
The group meets on a monthly basis and is responsible for the following:
- Serving in an advisory capacity to the Chief on the Department on safety matters In conjunction with the Health and Safety Officer
- Reviewing the Risk Management Plan on an annual basis
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Program at least every three years - an audit report of the findings is submitted to the Chief of the Department and to all members of the workgroup
- Establishing goals to reduce occupational injuries, illnesses, infectious disease exposures, and vehicle collisions.
- Reporting periodically to the Chief of the Department the adequacy, effectiveness, and compliance of departmental rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures - this report also includes recommendations of the specific Rule, Regulation or Operating procedure in question
- Reviewing all cases where entry was made into a hazardous environment without the use of a Rapid Intervention Crew
The purpose of the Vehicle Collision Review Board is to reduce vehicle collisions by analyzing how they occur and recommending actions that may reduce the risk of a recurrence. The Board is chaired by a representative from the Health and Safety Division and consists of one (1) representative and one (1) alternate from each of the following groups:
- Health and Safety Division
- IAFF, Local 1563
- Professional Fire Officers' Association
- Volunteer Firefighters' Association
The Incident Command System (ICS) provides for responder safety by giving the Incident Commander (IC) the ability to appoint and use an Incident Safety Officer (ISO). While the Incident Commander retains the overall responsibility for the safety of responders, the Incident Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards and unsafe situations, and developing measures to ensure personnel safety in individual incidents.
The Department's Technical Response Officers (TRO) also can respond to predetermined types of incidents as Safety Officers. Their responses are in addition to the "duty" Safety Officers. Numerous NIOSH Firefighter Fatality reports suggest this practice as a risk reduction strategy.
In addition to monitoring and assessing hazards, the Safety Officer also ensures that responders follow safe practices, including:
- Wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Working in teams in hazardous areas
- Having back-up personnel available to react to an unexpected event
- Using an accountability system to track personnel
- Following departmental and recognized safety practices
In addition, they can serve as a partner to the duty Safety Officer on incidents that require an entry into an IDLH to investigate and/or identify/monitor hazards.
The Department maintains an Infection Control Workgroup to review and address infection control issues within the department. The workgroup meets on a quarterly basis and reports to the department's Health and Safety Committee. The purpose of the Infection Control Workgroup is to provide a forum for members to provide suggestions about work practice and engineering controls that may reduce the risk of occupational exposure to infectious disease. The following division have representatives on the board:
- Health and Safety Division
- IAFF, Local 1563
- Professional Fire Officers' Association
- Volunteer Firefighters' Association
The purpose of the Injury Review Board is to review the causes of injuries, exposures and illnesses in order to recommend actions that may reduce the risk of a recurrence. It is chaired by a representative from the Health and Safety Division and is comprised of the following divisions:
- Health and Safety Division
- IAFF, Local 1563
- Professional Fire Officers' Association
- Volunteer Firefighters' Association