Introduction to the issue
Firefighters are exposed to toxic substances and carcinogens while they perform their duties at the scene. A significant number of firefighters don't receive workers' compensations benefits. For example, the fire departments in Atlanta do not have policies in order to limit exposure to toxic substances and dangerous chemicals, thus increasing the potential risks among firefighters to develop dangerous diseases such as cancer (“CBS46 Investigation,” 2014). In any fire incident, firefighters are exposed to carcinogens. Jeff Hughes, who worked for 24 years at the Woodstock Fire Department in Illinois, took nine months off from work to recover from colon cancer. Mr. Hughes did not receive workers' compensation benefits. …show more content…
Noise produces hearing loss among firefighters. For example, in the United States firefighters are at a high for hearing loss as a result of noise while performing their job. There are more than 1 million firefighters at risk for noise exposure. In the United States, there is no comprehensive data that exists on workers' compensation costs related to noise-generated hearing loss. Workers' compensation cost in Washington State exceeded $45.7 million in 1998 for health care and permanent partial disability related to occupational hearing loss (Hong, 2007). Apparently, there are a huge number of firefighters suffering from a noisy environment, and the issue of receiving workers’ compensation benefits impeded their future …show more content…
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA, 2012) reported 81 on-duty firefighter deaths in 2011. In 2010, the NFPA reported 71,875 occupational injuries among 1.1 million full time and volunteer firefighters in the United States. Karter and Molis (2011) reported that 20% of these injuries occurred during other on-duty activities, 19% at non-fire emergency incidents, 10% during training activities, 6% while responding to an incident, and 46% of firefighter injuries occurred during foreground operations. Overall workers' compensation cost for firefighters’ injuries was estimated at about $5,168 and $34,000 per claim (Hong, 2012). The number of injuries among firefighters increases every year. Workers’ compensation benefits and policies to protect firefighters should be implemented in all
Firefighters are exposed to toxic substances and carcinogens while they perform their duties at the scene. A significant number of firefighters don't receive workers' compensations benefits. For example, the fire departments in Atlanta do not have policies in order to limit exposure to toxic substances and dangerous chemicals, thus increasing the potential risks among firefighters to develop dangerous diseases such as cancer (“CBS46 Investigation,” 2014). In any fire incident, firefighters are exposed to carcinogens. Jeff Hughes, who worked for 24 years at the Woodstock Fire Department in Illinois, took nine months off from work to recover from colon cancer. Mr. Hughes did not receive workers' compensation benefits. …show more content…
Noise produces hearing loss among firefighters. For example, in the United States firefighters are at a high for hearing loss as a result of noise while performing their job. There are more than 1 million firefighters at risk for noise exposure. In the United States, there is no comprehensive data that exists on workers' compensation costs related to noise-generated hearing loss. Workers' compensation cost in Washington State exceeded $45.7 million in 1998 for health care and permanent partial disability related to occupational hearing loss (Hong, 2007). Apparently, there are a huge number of firefighters suffering from a noisy environment, and the issue of receiving workers’ compensation benefits impeded their future …show more content…
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA, 2012) reported 81 on-duty firefighter deaths in 2011. In 2010, the NFPA reported 71,875 occupational injuries among 1.1 million full time and volunteer firefighters in the United States. Karter and Molis (2011) reported that 20% of these injuries occurred during other on-duty activities, 19% at non-fire emergency incidents, 10% during training activities, 6% while responding to an incident, and 46% of firefighter injuries occurred during foreground operations. Overall workers' compensation cost for firefighters’ injuries was estimated at about $5,168 and $34,000 per claim (Hong, 2012). The number of injuries among firefighters increases every year. Workers’ compensation benefits and policies to protect firefighters should be implemented in all