NFPA 1582

Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments

 “While some may say the cost of medical exams is too high, one must measure that against long term job related illnesses, injuries, and fatality costs.  Fire departments spend a lot of money on preventative apparatus and equipment maintenance; however, that is an inefficient use of resources if they do not have medically qualified personnel to operate them and to respond to emergency incidents.”  -NFPA 1582, Technical Committee on Fire Service Occupational Safety and Health.

Synopsis:

This standard addresses medical issues of a candidate wishing to become a firefighter and those that are and have been firefighters.  The standard recognizes no difference between volunteer, paid on call, part time, or career firefighters-the tasks are the same. 

The Standard has inclusions of the Joint Wellness Initiative IAFC-IAFF. 

The standard’s purpose is to reduce the RISK of fire service occupational morbidity and mortality while improving the safety and efficiency of firefighters. 

The Fire Department is responsible for/to: 

Have an officially designated physician

Ensure employee privacy

Provide alternative duty positions for members with temporary duty restrictions if able

The Fire Department Physician is responsible for/to:

Understand demands placed on firefighters

Evaluate members and candidates to identify medical conditions that could affect their abilities

Use job descriptions, provided by the department, to determine a candidate’s or firefighter's medical certification

Identify and report the presence of Category A or disqualifying Category B medical conditions if present in candidates

Convey to the fire department chief whether a candidate or firefighter is medically certified

Report findings to the patient

Review individual’s physician's evaluations

Be a member of the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Committee

Provide medical supervision for the fire department fitness, return to duty rehab, and physical conditioning programs

Find all information regarding testing procedures and protocols mandated after adopting NFPA 1582

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