Background

During emergency response, training exercises or other outdoor duties, firefighters may be exposed to extreme heat and cold.

Concerns/hazards

Firefighters may suffer serious injury or death due to heat stress or over-exposure to cold.

Over-exposure to cold may occur when firefighters are exposed to low temperatures, wind and/or moisture for significant periods of time.

Actions for employers

Employer must ensure that workers have the information necessary to protect their health and safety and must take all reasonable precautions to protect worker health and safety. These duties may include:

  • developing training programs that help firefighters and supervisors recognize signs of heat and cold stress
  • developing operating guidelines to assist firefighters in alleviating heat and cold stress
  • developing rehabilitation procedures, including medical monitoring when firefighters are in the rehab phase of operations

Employers should:

  • Acknowledge that heat stress can be increased when working in bunker gear and station wear
  • utilize the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) to assist in the selection of the appropriate thermal protective performance and total heat loss of bunker gear and station wear relative to the environments and types of responses they will be required for
  • consider the following when deciding what station wear is needed:
    • type of material (natural versus synthetic)
    • composition of natural and synthetic material (percentage)
    • garment length (short-sleeve versus long-sleeve)
    • fire-retardant versus non-retardant

Heat stress

Personnel should know how to recognize heat stress, which may include:

  • heat stroke
  • heat exhaustion
  • heat cramps

Consider these methods to assist in alleviating and managing heat related stress:

  • fluid intake
  • work rotation, especially to cooler areas in the shade or air-conditioning
  • removing layers of clothing
  • rest
  • reschedule non-emergency activities, such as outdoor outreach activities
  • reinforce to fire fighters to report heat related stress symptoms to a supervisor

Learn more about how to alleviate heat stress.

Cold stress

Personnel should know how to recognize the signs of cold related stress, which may include:

  • frostbite
  • hypothermia

Consider these methods to manage cold stress:

  • work rotation and rehabilitation where a heat source is available, protected from wind, rain and snow
  • wear multiple layers of loose fitting clothing
  • protection of hands, feet, face and head
  • reinforce to fire fighters to report cold related stress symptoms to a supervisor
  • reschedule non-emergency activities

Learn more about how to alleviate cold stress.

Applicable regulations and acts

Read:

  • Occupational Health and Safety Act
    • Clause 25(2)(a): employer must provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect their health or safety
    • Clause 25(2)(h): employer must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers

Related

Read firefighter guidance note 6-12 Rehabilitation during emergency operations

Read the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)’s heat stress awareness guide

Read the ministry age about managing heat stress at work to help understand and alleviate heat stress

Read the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety page for information on Cold Environments – Working in the Cold

NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program