HEALTH & SAFETY

UPDATED 08/05/10

Health and Safety Issues contact Capt. Charlie Fraser at 800-289-7161.

 

Health & Safety Committee Update

GM Meeting 04-07-2010

Health & Safety Report

Renovation work at Station 43

On-going repairs with no issues reported since last site visit.

 

Open Issues:

Stair- Chairs :

Field testing is on-going by selected units with evaluations being forwarded to Lt. Scanlon. The field test portion should end by the last week of May.

Needleless System:

  The BBraun Company presented their version of the system which is currently used by many Hospitals and EMS Systems. A concern was the location of the ports being to close to the spin connector hub. The Vendor will look at changing out the length of these extension sets.

 

Meeting 04-07-2010

Health & Safety Report

Medical Equipment Committee Meeting :

Cardiac Monitor:

A selection has been made; the Bureau of Training is reviewing options to prepare a training component as well as integration into field use.

Alternative Airway Device:

• The manufacturers of the King Airway must a 510K clearance report to the FDA to allow the device to be marketed as an emergency airway device. This will delay the Department from placing these units into service.
• Combine Endotracheal Tube and Stylet – An evaluation of this combination device will be field tested through the Bureau of Training. Paramedic Corcoran is formatting an evaluation form to rate the use of this device.

Pediatric Immobilization Device:

Three different immobilization devices are at the Bureau of Training and will be evaluated by various field personnel through the Bureau of Training. Evaluation forms were also developed and will be reviewed by the Medical Equipment Committee upon completion of the review process.

Next meeting tentatively scheduled for April 21, 2010.

End of Report

(Pending) Safety & Health Grievances Step III

No Air Conditioning in Command Cars: The Department has failed to provide our members with a safe working environment. Mandating our members to work in extreme heat and humidity without providing a way to obtain relief. Failure to provide air conditioning violates our contract and NYC policy, rules and regulations of the maintenance of temperature for all city buildings and work environments.. When our members are assigned to an emergency they must wear Bunker style PPE gear to the assignment and for hours at the assignment, only to be ready to respond to the next emergency once the current one is completed. Additional concerns are how the heat effects the medications and life saving equipment carried in command vehicles. Medications may become ineffective and defib pads may liquefy.

(Decision Pending) Safety & Health Grievances Step III

(Bay Ridge) Station 40 # 46837 : There are four violations that urgently need to be addressed. They are no secondary egress for the second or third floor, no gas detection monitor in the kitchen, the front door is part of a roll down gate with a trip hazard and the Lieutenants office fails to meet ergonomic standards.

(Coney Island) Station 43 # 46477 : There are many violations noted. During a walk through on 11/19/09 more violations were discovered and added to the grievance. On 11/25/09 we are scheduled to appear at OLR for a Step III hearing in regards to these violations.

On November 25, 2009 a Step III hearing was held in regards to the Safety and Health violations that exists at Station 43. We were successful to get on record the department to acknowledge that these violations do exist. We acknowledged the city has begun to address some of the violations at Station 43 but with the amount of time that has past more should have been completed. The department has agreed to correct these violations and conduct another walk through in approximately two weeks. All parties agreed to meet again at OLR in forty-five days to discuss what progress has been made.

April 27, 2010: Repairs and renovation continues at Station 43. We are satisfied that our issues are being addressed. We will continue to monitor the progress until completion.

 

(Concluded) Safety & Health Grievances Step III

(EMD) One Metrotech: On December 3, 2009 the Local conducted a Health & Safety walk-thru of EMD and PSAC. Although there are issues that need to be addressed at PSAC we found all of the violations at EMD were corrected. We have notified OLR and the department we are satisfied with the corrections made to EMD and consider those issues resolved.

PSAC Grievance: On August 13, 2010 the Union conducted an inspection of PSAC. Except for computer desk and space issues all other issues and violations were corrected.