| Description |
viii, 22 pages ; 30 cm |
| Summary |
Work-related fatalities involving emergency service workers in Australia were studied as part of a larger study of all work-related traumatic fatalities that occurred in Australia during the four year period 1989 to 1992. During this period, there were 37 employed and volunteer workers (25 employed; 12 volunteer) who were fatally injured while performing emergency service work. Another 15 bystanders were fatally injured as a result of the emergency service work of others. There were also five emergency service workers who were fatally injured while commuting. The work-related fatality rate for police officers was 11.3 deaths per 100,000 workers per year, compared with the all workforce rate of 5.5 deaths per 100,000 workers. Rates for other emergency service workers were not able to be determined. Common features of the fatal incidents involving emergency service workers included: - police officers: deliberate injury by a felon being apprehended, motor vehicle accidents while on routine duties or in response mode, and being struck by a vehicle while performing traffic duty on foot; - firefighters: motor vehicle accidents, tractor rollovers and being hit by falling trees; - search and rescue workers: drowning when their boat overturned; and - members of the public: motor vehicle accidents in which an emergency service vehicle in response mode struck their vehicle. Contributing factors to the incidents included: - inadequate training; - inadequate procedures; - inadequate communication practice and procedures; - poor design and maintenance of equipment; - missing or faulty equipment; - lack of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on tractors; - lack of availability or use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as seat belts, helmets and reflective vests; - driver fatigue, including after work-related social functions, and when combined with alcohol; - unsafe driving, excessive vehicle speed, slippery roads; - failure to follow set procedures; - violent or unsafe behaviour of members of the public; and - environmental factors, such as steep slopes, slippery roads and large waves. Recommendations were made by the Coroner in a minority of cases. The main recommendations related to: - ensuring adequate formal training procedures, including for general and emergency response driving and police traffic duty on foot; - improved communication between workers during emergency activity; - design of police vehicles; - signage on roads and around hazards; - procedures to prevent fatigue; and - supply and maintenance of appropriate PPE.d-hand go |
| Notes |
"October 1999" |
| Bibliography |
Incldes bibliographial references (pages 19-20) |
| Notes |
Commonwealth of Australia 1999 |
| Subject |
Death -- Causes -- Statistics.
|
|
Fire fighters -- Mortality -- Australia.
|
|
Occupational mortality -- Research -- Australia.
|
|
Police -- Mortality -- Australia.
|
|
Occupational mortality -- Australia.
|
| Genre/Form |
Statistics.
|
| Author |
Australia. National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Epidemiology Unit
|
| LC no. |
00002123 |
| ISBN |
0642399700 |
|
