Background

Firefighters may be involved in ground ladder training.

Concerns/hazards

Firefighters, in the course of ground ladder training, may be exposed to hazards similar to those in actual emergency rescue/recovery operations, such as working at heights or poor visibility.

Actions for employers

Employers should:

  • make sure that ground ladder training is taught progressively to minimize the risk of injury for fire fighters
  • incorporate a risk analysis into all training plans 

Progressive training

The goal of training is to develop a level of proficiency of a task in a safe environment.

Employees should not be placed in a situation where their experience does not adequately prepare them to perform their assigned task, even if that assigned task arises during a training session.

Ground ladder training should be taught progressively to minimize the risk of injury for inexperienced fire fighters. Progressive training requires recruits to gradually move through practice evolutions which simulate real life emergency scenarios with increasing degrees of difficulty or complexity.

Progressive training may also require recruits to practice under conditions with different levels of safeguards to simulate real life scenarios. Recruits may initially require belay roping systems during ladder training to prevent falls. For example, since there are no belay roping systems for real life rescues off ladders, progressive training requires this evolution to be eventually practiced without the use of a rope system. 

Applicable regulations and acts

Read:

  • Occupational Health and Safety Act
    • clause 25(2)(a) for providing information and instruction to a worker
    • clause 25(2)(h) for taking every precaution reasonable to protect workers

Applicable standards

Read NFPA 1001 Standard for fire fighter professional qualifications.

Related

Read firefighters guidance note 1-5 Life safety rope.