One challenge faced by workplaces is having enough relevant data to support datadriven decision making related to the further education/training of their employees, to identify competence gaps within their work force, and to contribute to organisational learning. We are propose that data driven decision-making can be supported by the combination of competence mapping, collection of assessment a...

OBJECTIVE Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the primary cause of death among US firefighters during fire suppression. In other populations, exposure to respirable particles, including ultrafine particles, has been widely implicated as a risk factor for CHD. This study is the first to report detailed characterization of respirable particles released by combustion of an automobile and model residen...

The aim of this study was to quantify the physical demands of a simulated firefighting circuit and to establish the relationship between job performance and endurance and strength fitness measurements. On four separate days 41 professional firefighters (39 ± 9 yr, 179.6 ± 2.3 cm, 84.4 ± 9.2 kg, BMI 26.1 ± 2.8 kg/m2) performed treadmill testing, fitness testing (strength, balance and flexibility...

OBJECTIVES As first responders to an increasing number of natural and manmade disasters, active-duty firefighters are at increased risk for physical and psychiatric impairment as reflected by high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because little is known about related factor with PTSD according to job stress level among firefighters, we assessed utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic...

This work characterizes levels of eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the breathing air zone of firefighters during their regular work shift at eight Portuguese fire stations, and the firefighters' total internal dose by six urinary monohydroxyl metabolites (OH-PAHs). Total PAHs (ΣPAHs) concentrations varied widely (46.4-428ng/m3), mainly due to site specificity (urban/rural) an...

Little is currently known about the physical activity patterns of workers in physically demanding populations. The aims of this study were to (a) quantify firefighters' physical activity and sedentary time within (2-h periods) and across planned burn shifts; and (b) examine whether firefighters' activity levels during one shift or 2-h period was associated with their activity levels in the foll...

Firefighting is a very hazardous occupation, and strenuous fire duties require high levels of physical fitness. In the general adult population, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) declines with aging. We sought to investigate the effect of increasing age on CRF in male career firefighters as well as the modifying effects of physical activity and adiposity. We cross-sectionally examined 804 male ca...

OBJECTIVE Firefighting is a dangerous profession with high injury rates, particularly musculoskeletal (MS), but limited longitudinal data is available to examine predictors of MS injuries in this population. DESIGN AND METHODS The relationship between personal individual, nonoccupational factors (e.g., demographic characteristics, body composition, fitness, and health behaviors) and incident ...

BACKGROUND Obesity is a major public health problem and a workplace epidemic in Western societies. However, little is known about the association between obesity and job disability in specific occupational groups. AIM To examine the association between obesity and risk of job disability among firefighters. METHODS A prospective cohort study design was employed in following 358 Massachusetts...