[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40845-40846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17171]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket Number NIOSH 141-A]


Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Using Risk 
Management Principles at Structure Fires

AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of issuance of Final Guidance Publication.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
announces the availability of the publication entitled ``Preventing 
Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Using Risk Management Principles 
at Structure Fires.''
    The final document can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-153/.
    Background and Summary of Document: NIOSH has developed this 
publication to assist the U.S. fire service in preventing fire fighter 
injuries and deaths at structure fires. Established fire service risk 
management principles suggest that caution should be exercised in 
abandoned, vacant and unoccupied structures and in situations where 
there is no clear evidence indicating that people are trapped inside 
the structure and can be saved. This publication summarizes fatality 
statistics from the National Fire Protection Association as well as the 
NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program 
(FFFIPP) databases. The publication describes four case studies on the 
deaths of five fire fighters and injuries to 10 others during fire 
suppression operations in and around structures with considerable fire 
involvement where there were indications that the structures were 
unoccupied. The publication presents a number of recommendations for 
preventing similar occurrences of fire fighter injuries and deaths. The 
primary audiences are expected to be fire commissioners, fire chiefs, 
fire department and municipal managers, fire fighters, labor unions, 
safety and health professionals, trainers, fire investigators, State 
fire marshals, and other interested parties.
    This guidance publication does not have the force and effect of 
law.
    Document Review Process: Following development of the initial 
draft, the document was reviewed by peers and external stakeholders 
within the fire service and revisions were made based upon these 
reviews. The revised draft document was posted in the Federal Register 
for public review and comment from January 5 to March 9, 2009. Public 
comments submitted to NIOSH Public Docket 141 can be viewed at the Web 
site http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/nioshdocket0141.html. The draft 
document was revised to address these public comments. The most 
substantive revisions were to change the title and focus of the 
document from fighting fires in unoccupied structures to using 
established risk management principles at all structure fires, 
regardless of the occupancy status. The majority of comments received 
during the public comment period made it clear that the U.S. fire 
service would not support the recommendation that fire fighters avoid 
entering unoccupied structures, the focus of the original draft. A 
final draft containing revisions made to address comments received 
during the public comment period was reviewed by representatives from 
both the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the 
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy R. Merinar, Safety Engineer, 
Division of Safety Research, CDC/

[[Page 40846]]

NIOSH, 1095 Willowdale Road, H1808, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, 
Phone 304-285-5916, e-mail [email protected].
    Reference: Web address for this document: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-153/.

    Dated: July 7, 2010.
John Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2010-17171 Filed 7-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-19-P