NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE

Role Profile Report

State Mitigation Services (SMS)

Preface

The information used to compile this report was gathered in the field with the assistance

of NSW RFS State Mitigation Crews at Wollombi and Glendenning. The role profile

presented is believed to be representative of the tasks undertaken by this workgroup at

the time the data was collected.

There may be data relating to particular tasks and/or workers that was not captured. In

addition, it is possible that the inclusion of other tasks (that are not normal for the SMS

crews, as a result of extraordinary events) within the context of performing regular SMS

tasks may impact the assessment results. It should also be noted that the variability of

adverse environmental conditions (for example, ground and weather conditions), may

influence the musculoskeletal risk associated with these tasks significantly.

Assessment completed May - June 2013.

Overview of State Mitigation Services (SMS) Role

The role of a State Mitigation Services (SMS) crew member is to provide specialist operational

services and hazard reduction works within the state-wide SMS Mitigation hazard reductions)or

Assist Infirm, Disabled and Elderly Residents (AIDER) programs. SMS crew members are also

required to provide operational and logistical at significant incidents when needed. SMS crew

members have expertise in bush firefighting and implementing bush fire hazard mitigation

measures, including the use of relevant plant, equipment and herbicides.

SMS Crew Leaders should be NSW RFS Crew Leader (CLW and CLS) certified and SMS crew

members should be NSW RFS Bush Firefighter (BF) certified. They should also have certification in

first aid, chainsaw operation and rural fire driving as well as an appropriate plant operator’s ticket.

To adequately perform in their role, SMS crew members need a level of physical fitness

appropriate for intense and sustained physical activity. As such, SMS staff are required to pass a

Medical Assessment and Physical Assessment (with re-certifications annually).

The main physical tasks of SMS include:

• Operation of powered, mechanical equipment to clear areas of vegetation

• Carrying and using non-powered equipment/tools

• Handling (setting up) and using extendable ladders

• Vehicle entry and exit

• Retrieving/returning equipment from/to truck

• Removal of cleared vegetation by hand (clearing, lifting, carrying, loading, etc)

• Walking over/through arduous terrain

• Driving/transportation

• Basic truck, tool and equipment maintenance

General Requirements

• Frequency:

o As employees of the NSW RFS, Mitigation crew personnel are required to perform these

tasks daily, for varying durations based on prevailing needs

o Mitigation crew personnel crews may (on average) perform one AIDER job per week (if

wet season)

• Duration:

o SMS workers are employed 35 hours per week

o Depends on the size and type of job. SMS crews usually spend approximately 5 hours/day

performing the above tasks (when taking daily travel to/from site, breaks, maintenance,

etc into account)

o Mitigation crew personnel usually need to refuel every 30-45min and at that point will have

roughly a 10min break.

Analysis of Physical Tasks

Operation of powered, mechanical equipment to clear areas of vegetation

• Use of brush-cutter (for mulching and cutting whilst using different blades and different

techniques). This is to clear ground cover (grasses, debris, etc) and is usually performed

with a F5550 Stihl 65cc (or similar) which weighs approximately 5-10kg. Brushcutting is a

constant task for the duration of the activity which involves considerable upper-body

vibration and often walking over arduous (slippery/uneven) terrain.

• Use of blower to clear ground cover (grasses, debris, etc) and is either performed with a

backpack unit or hand-held machine. Hand-held units are used in circumstances where

not all vegetation is required to be removed.

• Use of Chainsaw (12”/16”/20”) and Pole Saw for cutting down and clearing small trees

and or branches.

• Use of Hedge Trimming tool (primarily for AIDER jobs that contain hedges around homes).

• Carrying fuel for mechanical equipment (as above) and refuelling

Brushcutting (mulching) Brushcutting (cutting) Refuelling

Assembling blower Donning blower (2nd person assist) Operating blower

Operating Chainsaw Pole Saw Operating Pole Saw

Hedge Trimmer

Carrying and using non-powered equipment/tools (including maintenance activities)

• Cutting/pruning tools such as Mcleod Tool (rake hoe), axe, etc

• Single hand carry and use of drip torch for burning off

Mcleod Tool Drip Torch

Handling (setting up) and using extendable ladders

• Mitigation crew personnel use retractable and extendable ladders to access vegetation

(tree branches, roof gutters, etc) above ground level

• Ladders must be manually handled off the truck and returned again once finished

• Ladders need to be:

o ‘shipped’ (extended and stabilised, usually against the building)

o ‘footed’ (held stable at the base by a Mitigation crew personnel)

o ‘climbed’ (using rungs to climb up and down height of ladder)

o ‘tied off’ (attached to the building by rope at the top of the ladder)

Handling ladder on/off truck Handling Ladder on/off truck

Shipping Footing Climbing Tying off

Vehicle entry and exit

• Mitigation crew personnel travel and are supported by specialised NSW RFS

vehicles/trucks. Personnel are required to enter and exit a range of trucks/vehicles

depending on the scope of the crew/location and scope of works, ranging from Category

7 (light) through to Category 1 heavy).

• NSW RFS Health and Safety management have advised that the proportion of injured NSW

RFS personnel citing entering and exiting fire trucks as the primary mechanism/cause of

their injury (predominantly knee or ankle) is significant and has risen recently.

• Mitigation crew personnel are required to enter and exit the cab (into driver or passenger

seats)

Entry/exit from truck

Retrieving/returning equipment from/to truck

• Powered, mechanical and hand tools are accessed by climbing the side of the truck or

having them handed down by another SMS worker. These tools are received by another

member on the ground next to the truck and must be carried from the truck to the

required location

Retrieving equipment off truck Loading/Unloading Loading/unloading

Removal of cleared vegetation by hand (clearing, lifting, carrying, loading, etc)

• Loose/cleared vegetation from an area (eg. grass cuttings, branches, debris, etc) is firstly

collect/piled onsite and is then required to be lifted, handling and loaded onto a truck or

into a mulching machine for removal. The garden waste material is transported offsite and

must be loaded into another NSW RFS waste receptacle at the head office or offsite.

Green waste for disposal

Walking over/through arduous terrain

• SMS tasks may involve ambulation over steep and uneven ground, with thick foliage.

• Often required to carry all necessary personal equipment such as tools, refuelling

equipment, PPE, drinking water, etc

• May also be required to carry crew fire fighting equipment such as hand tools, chainsaws,

and pumps.

• Consistently exposed to weather, on unstable ground, with limited available.

• As with all tasks performed by SMS crews, uneven, unstable and slippery ground surfaces,

as well as variable weather conditions can significantly influence the risk of

musculoskeletal injury

Working in vegetation Arduous terrain Walking with tools

Driving/transportation in NSW RFS vehicle to/from Hazard Reduction or AIDER site

• Depending on the specific job requirement (hazard reduction, AIDER or other), Mitigation

crew personnel must travel to/from external sites in order to conduct operations.

• This travel is often over long distances and occasionally over arduous (4x4) terrain (for

remote sites)

Transport in NSW RFS vehicle

Basic truck, tool and equipment maintenance

• SMS crew members are expected to perform routine maintenance activities on the tools

and equipment that they use. This includes pre-inspections and basic equipment repair

work when required (included in SMS training).

SMS maintenance station (District office)

Functional Role Profile- SMS

Postural Requirements

Posture Frequency Examples

Reaching Forward Frequently

Operation of powered, mechanical equipment such as

brushcutter, chain/pole saw and hedge trimmer.

Working with hand tools (eg. Mcleod tool)

Reaching

Overhead Occasionally

Operation of powered, mechanical equipment such as

brushcutter, chain/pole saw and hedge trimmer.

Working with hand tools (eg. secateurs, etc)

Stooping Occasionally Operation of powered, mechanical equipment and

hand tools.

Refuelling equipment

Squatting Occasionally During inspections of ground matter and maintenance

of tools and equipment in the field

Climbing Frequently Climbing steep slopes (uneven ground)

Walking Constantly Uneven, unstable and slippery surfaces

Sitting Occasionally Vehicle for short periods

Standing Constantly Required through a variety of tasks

Manual Task Requirements

Category Load Frequency Examples

Floor to Bench height 15kg Occasionally Lifting powered/hand tools off ground

Bench to Bench 15kg Frequently Carrying powered/hand tools around

work site. Disposal of green waste.

Bench to Shoulder 10kg Occasionally Lifting equipment onto truck

Operating pole saw and hedge trimmer

Bench to Overhead 5kg Occasionally Lifting equipment onto truck

Use of hand tools to clear vegetation

Bilateral Carry 15kg Frequently Prolonged use of brushcutter/blower.

Carrying powered/hand tools around

work site. Disposal of green waste.

Single Carry 10kg Constantly Carrying hand tools and chainsaw, etc

from truck to work area

Push 20kg Occasionally Handling vegetation/branches, etc.

Disposal of green waste.

Pull 20kg Occasionally Handling vegetation/branches, etc.

Disposal of green waste.

Please Note: The Frequency variable is actually a function of frequency and duration. The values of occasionally,

frequently and continuously are one industry standard used when developing functional assessments. Loads expressed

are approximate values based on tools observed and will be influenced by the direction in which the force is being

directed. Use of this terminology outside of this context may be misleading.

SMS Musculoskeletal Risk Profile

Exposure Effort Position Repetition Lower Risk

0 – 9

Moderate Risk

10 – 15

Higher Risk

16 – 20

Upper Back

13/20 Moderate High Low Moderate

Shoulders

14/20 Moderate High Moderate Moderate

Upper Limb

15/20 High Moderate Low High

Lower Back

16/20 High High Moderate High

Lower Limb

14/20 High Moderate Moderate Moderate

Category Total High High Moderate Moderate Total Body

72/100

Hand/Arm

Vibration High Repetitive use of hand and mechanical tools

0-44 45-70 71-100

Whole Body

Vibration Moderate

Travelling in light and heavy vehicles Prolonged use of large tools (ie. brushcutter and blower)

Non-Physical

Demands Low Monotony of tasks

Environmental

Conditions High Often very difficult terrain, variable weather conditions

Summary and Recommendations (Preliminary Controls) SMS crews should expect manual tasks to require a significant

effort for their upper and lower back, and a moderate effort for their shoulders, upper back

and lower limbs, often over a protracted period of time. Each SMS member should take

responsibility for preparing themselves accordingly (using SPLAT principles outlined below).

S

Key Message: Position feet wider than shoulder-width to improve balance and power

Use wide stance (for bilateral carry) or split stance (for single carry) to lifting and

carrying hand/mechanical tools.

Maintain firm footing as wide as reasonably practicable whilst brushcutting

Use a split stance (forward and back) when arms overhead to increase push/pull

power.

P

Key Message: Maintain natural curves of your spine by keeping head and chest up

Keep chest up when lifting tools and debris to maintain natural curves of the spine.

Brace (using your hands or your torso) against trees/rocks/ground when lifting or

clearing to distribute load through the body.

Engage shoulder-blade muscles and ‘lengthen’ neck to promote good shoulder

girdle posture.

Keep knees ‘soft’ (slightly bent) to absorb unexpected/heavy loads through the

legs when walking on uneven terrain

L

Key Message: Keep the load close to your body to minimise stress on joints

Position yourself as close to the object you’re cutting whenever possible (eg. keep

elbows bent whilst using chain and pole saw).

A

Key Message: Hierarchy- Eliminate / Adjust the task to you / Adjust yourself to the task

Eliminate any arduous physical tasks that are not necessary for good job

completion.

Encourage research and development within SMS for introduction of

machinery/tools that will make performing physical task easier/quicker/safer.

Alternate/rotate tasks with other team members to distribute load on neck &

shoulders, and low back, over the course of the shift. Wherever possible, alternate

which hand/side of the body is being used (right or left hand)

Organise timing of tasks in order to spread load between workers over longer time.

Consider best practice and communication for timing of two-person lifts.

Consider a personal/team ‘warm-up’ prior to engaging in arduous work (designed

to prepare musculoskeletal and nervous systems for improved stability and

flexibility).

Encourage SMS team members to consider improving their fitness-for-work

(particularly cardiovascular fitness, strengthening core/lower back, mid-back

(shoulder blades), arms (including grip strength) and leg/ankle strength/balance).

T

Key Message: Turn body through feet/hips (avoid repetitive twisting through low back)

Position feet in the direction you are leaning to avoid twisting low back.

Position feet on angles in the direction of the arc of the brushcutter/blower strokes

and lunge using knees in order to reduce load on lumbar spine discs.

To further reduce the risk of injury, a further participatory risk review (involving engineering,

planning, training and health/safety intelligence) may be beneficial in investigating and

implementing alternate controls, based on the hierarchy risk management.

The NSW Rural Fire Service could consider reviewing:

o Manual Task Risk Training (including effective, practical manual handling skills) consistent

with ‘best-practice approaches to reducing the incidence of manual task injury, such as:

• Behavioural safety (recognises the behaviours, emotions, situations, thoughts that

drive decision-making)

• ‘Risk Management Cycle’ and ‘Hierarchy of Controls’

• Participatory ergonomics (engages workers as “experts”)

• Emphasising the value of maintaining/improving personal health (as within the work

context, this has been shown to reduce a worker’s risk of sustaining an injury, reduce

a worker’s risk of developing a lifestyle-related illness which is aggravated by work

practices, and improve the productivity of workforces)

• Education with regards to non-physical work demands (see above point)

• Musculoskeletal “First-Aid” training

o Crews are trained and resourced to react appropriately to emergency

situations requiring First-Aid. However, the onset of musculoskeletal injury

oftentimes builds up slowly (eg. low back pain whilst using hoses, etc) and must

also be responded to appropriately in order to avoid more serious injury.

o Pre-employment/service medical/physical standards

• Refining the systems by which employees are tested prior to service and periodically

throughout service could potentially serve to improve the:

o Suitable and safe recruitment of new and existing employees (effectively

reducing the risk of injury and reducing costs, including NSW RFS litigation)

o Management of known risk-factors within the NSW RFS (eg. musculoskeletal risk

factors, cardiovascular risk factors, etc)

o Ensuring sustainability of existing NSW RFS employees

Phill Pickering

Workplace Health Consultant

(Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist)