Wellness Program SOP 5-14

Transcription

1 Wellness Program SOP 5-14 Category: HEALTH & SAFETY Approved Replaces: N/A Revised March 23, 2007 REFERENCE Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative Collective Bargaining Agreements SCOPE All shift personnel. The purpose of the Wellness Program is to maintain and improve the physical and behavioral health of all shift personnel by creating a positive environment through fitness, education, support, nutritional, and rehabilitative programs. It shall be the policy of South Kitsap Fire Rescue (SKFR) that all shift personnel strive to maintain and improve their physical and behavioral health in accordance with this policy. PROCEDURE Introduction The goal for this section is to introduce District members to the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative. The Wellness Committee will consist of two personnel from each shift appointed by labor / management. One committee member will be appointed by labor / management as the Wellness Coordinator. The committee is responsible to be liaison to their shift, coordinate all wellness activities, and provide information and expertise for labor and management in the implementation and maintenance of the Wellness Fitness Initiative. The District and Local 2876 is committed to the Wellness Fitness Initiative by agreeing to mandatory non-punitive participation of shift personnel in this program.

2 The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative is a non-punitive program. All component results are measured against the individual s previous examinations and assessments and not against any standards or norm. However, medical practice standards may be used when results indicate that life saving intervention is required. The benefits of the Wellness for shift personnel are many. They include: Greater strength and stamina Weight reduction Reduced stress Lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels Decreased risk of death, injury, or disability from disease Heightened job performance and enjoyment of work Improved performance in physical activities Increased energy, general vitality, and mental sharpness Enhanced self-esteem and self image More restful and refreshing sleep Enhanced capacity to recover from strenuous and exhaustive work Improved mobility, balance, and coordination The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative has five main components: Medical Fitness Medical / Fitness / Injury Rehabilitation Behavioral Health Data Collection and Reporting Tracking and Compensation The Medical Officer shall maintain a list and track the status of all shift personnel regarding physical exam compliance. All medical and fitness exams shall be completed and reported to the Medical Officer by September 15 of each year. Those not in compliance shall be reported to the Operations Chief for follow-up. Those having completed an annual physical and actively participating (i.e., physical training, FIT training) shall be reason for compensation as noted within the collective bargaining agreement. SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 2 of 8

3 Wellness Medical Exam The medical exam is designed to accomplish the following: To determine, through the employee s health care provider, whether an individual is physically and mentally able to perform essential job duties without undue risk of harm to self or others. To monitor the effects of exposure to specific biological, physical, or job-related exposures. To detect changes in an individual s health that may be related to harmful working conditions. To detect any patterns of disease in the workforce that might indicate underlying work related problems. To provide the worker with information about the individual s occupational hazards and current health. To provide a cost-effective investment in the early detection, disease prevention, and health promotion of the firefighter. To comply with federal, state, provincial, and local requirements. All participants required to participate in Wellness must be given an annual physical exam. DEFINITIONS Medical History Questionnaire: An annual pre-employment history questionnaire that must be completed to provide baseline information with which to compare future medical concerns. Annual Exam: A mandatory annual physical exam. The results of the Approved / Disapproved form will be recorded in the individual s confidential District medical record. Health Care Provider: Doctors of medicine or osteopathy authorized to practice medicine or surgery by the state in which the doctor practices. PROCEDURE An initial pre-employment history questionnaire must be completed to provide baseline information with which to compare future medical concerns. A physical exam questionnaire must be completed to provide follow-up information. The periodic question-naires focus on changes in health status. SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 3 of 8

4 Each employee must have a mandatory physical exam which is to be conducted annually. The physical exam is a standardized exam and includes all components of The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative as stated in Chapter 2. The physical evaluation specified by the Initiative includes an invasive physical examination. Employees may choose to utilize their own primary care physician or the District s health care provider to perform the exam. The following forms (found on the District s server under Public>Forms) shall be brought to the attending health care provider: Physical Examination Approval Form, Form 5-14a The health care provider shall fill this form out and the employee shall return the same form to the Medical Officer. The Medical Officer shall note if approved or disapproved. If not approved the Medical Officer shall immediately notify the Operations Chief. The form shall then be filed in the employee s confidential District medical record. Physical Exam Form, Form 5-14b This form outlines all areas to be evaluated during the physical exam. The health care provider shall keep this form in the employee s medical record and use it as a guideline during the examination. Physical Exam Questionnaire, Form 5-14c This form is to be filled out by the employee and given to the health care provider for review. The form shall then be placed in the employee s medical record, maintained by the health care provider. The cost of the physical evaluation will first be paid through the employees medical insurance and any additional cost is paid for by the District. The employee with additional cost shall submit an invoice for payment to the District. Revaccination, intervention following exposures, or abnormal findings on annual physicals must be addressed by follow-up or referral. Fitness The purpose of the fitness in the Wellness program is for management and labor to work together to provide workout scheduling, resource support, and/or access to resources on duty to support an individualized fitness program. It shall be the policy of South Kitsap Fire and Rescue to allow on duty time for individuals to maintain and improve their physical health. SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 4 of 8

5 PROCEDURE Medical Clearance Prior to involvement in any exercise regime, all shift personnel must be medically cleared to participate. It must be determined by a health care provider whether an individual is physically and mentally able to perform essential job duties without undue risk or harm to self or others. Medical clearance will be authorized when the Physical Examination Approval Form, Form 5-14a is delivered to the Medical Officer and reviewed for approval. Dedicated Time for Exercise Dedicated on-duty exercise time for shift employees is a priority and should be 60 to 90 minutes every shift. Scheduling may vary due to emergency calls, training, and essential duties. The health, fitness, and wellness of all uniformed personnel must be maintained as a priority. Acquiring Equipment To efficiently utilize allotted exercise time, adequate equipment and facilities for a total and balanced exercise program shall be available to shift personnel. Maintenance of Equipment Only equipment approved by the Wellness Committee shall be stored or used in the exercise areas. Routine inventory and preventive maintenance shall be performed by Facility Maintenance. All repairs shall be immediately reported to facility maintenance for repair service. Exercise Specialist and Peer Trainers A certified exercise specialist, together with properly trained peer fitness trainers, can most effectively disseminate the work of the Wellness Committee while enhancing and guiding the fitness efforts of all shift personnel. These individuals should be chosen with care by the Wellness Committee and have the necessary training and opportunity to properly guide individuals. Qualifications of Specialist and Peers Specialist A professional with a degree in a physical/fitness related field. The must possess a thorough knowledge of the job of firefighting and the ability to audit the profession. Peer An individual with the desire and ability to learn and understand a well rounded fitness concept. They shall enroll in a certified comprehensive personal training course and consider obtaining a professional certification. They must be interested in sharing knowledge, encouraging safety, and participating in the Wellness program. SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 5 of 8

6 Fitness Evaluation All shift personnel shall participate in a mandatory, annual, non-punitive and confidential fitness assessment following medical clearance. Once the fitness assessment is completed, the exercise specialist should provide feedback to shift personnel regarding the individual s physical capacity pertaining to his/her job-related wellness. The feedback will include the individual s current level of fitness, level of improvement, realistic evaluation of their physical capacity to safely perform assigned jobs, and suggested exercise program. Evaluation Methods Aerobic Capacity Aerobic fitness can be evaluated in many ways. Methods include the treadmill and stair mill. The test measures each individual s volume of oxygen consumption during exercise. Muscular Strength Strength measurements are specific to the joint and range of motion being measured. Methods include the grip dynamometer, leg dynamometer, and arm dynamometer evaluations. Muscular Endurance Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle group to perform repeated contractions. Methods to test endurance will be abdominal curl-ups and pushups. Flexibility Flexibility is the functional measure of the range of motion of a joint. A sit-andreach trunk flexion method will measure the individuals flexibility. Medical / Fitness / Injury Rehabilitation To provide guidance when an employee is injured and needs rehabilitation to return to work. It shall be our policy to rehabilitate an injury prior to returning to work. Rehabilitation programs must not be punitive in nature, rather an avenue to return to full duty. The rehabilitation program will be comprehensive in scope to include the following: Medical treatment Fitness training Physical and occupational training Informed decisions should be made by physicians and therapists familiar with the firefighting job requirements regarding the functional capacities of shift personnel after significant injury or illness. SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 6 of 8

7 PROCEDURE Any shift personnel on extended leave from normal duties of six months or more may be required to have a medical evaluation prior to returning to full duty. Extended leave status is any leave that removes an employee from day-to-day line functions for a period of six months or more. The collective bargaining agreement will supersede or take precedence of authority. The current medical liaison for SKFR is Paul Baker of South Kitsap Family Care Clinic. SKFR s health care provider will be the point of reference to ensure the employee is ready to return to duty. The health care provider will be the contact for the District that the employee s private health care provider, physical trainer, exercise specialist, and other rehabilitation specialist can forward their assessments. The District s health care provider is responsible to inform the Fire Chief of an employee s work status (i.e., ready for full duty, ready for light duty, not ready for any duty). The District s health care provider will maintain personnel confidentiality. SKFR s light duty program is designed to utilize the skills of the injured or ill employee during rehabilitation. It is a means to reduce the impact on sick leave hours and to start to reintroduce the employee back into full duty working status, while still being rehabilitated. While on light duty, the employee will be allowed to attend any rehabilitation appointment with the time used being deducted from the employees sick leave bank. Behavioral Health To maintain a high level of job performance, SKFR uniformed personnel must be able to cope effectively with the emotional, physical, and mental stress of work and personal life. A voluntary confidential behavioral health evaluation is available to all shift personnel. PROCEDURE To meet the objective of Wellness in the fire service, personnel must strive to strengthen mental, physical, and emotional dispositions to withstand the stress and strain of living in or outside the workplace. Proper nutrition enhances the performance and quality of life of all shift personnel. Personnel can refer to the following policies and organizations for information and counseling: Hydration Rehabilitation Employee Assistance Program Substance Abuse Infectious Disease Critical Incident Stress Management Tobacco Use Chaplain Services SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 7 of 8

8 Data Collection and Reporting The purpose of data collection described in this initiative is to collect long-term information on the health and fitness of the fire service that will quantify the medical and fitness history of the firefighter and qualify the impact of the wellness-fitness program. It shall be the policy of SKFR that raw confidential data be collected to be submitted to the IAFF database. PROCEDURE The Wellness Committee is working incrementally on data collecting. We will be further addressing data collection in a partnership with collective bargaining agreements. ATTACHMENTS Form 5-14a, Physical Examination and Approval Form Form 5-14b, Physical Exam Form Form 5-14c, Physical Exam Questionnaire SOP 5-14 Approved by Page 8 of 8