Paramedic / EMT / FF Weight-Limit

[WolfmanHarris]

This is the company that some services in Ontario are using for pre-hire assessment. It still remains to be seen whether it will take off and replace traditional lift testing, be combined with it, or go the way of the do-do. I favour a combination of the two with a PAE (the test they run, can't remember the exact acronym) every couple of years.

Ability Works

The first service they used this for (Windsor I think) there was some concern from their HR over how well it would predict a candidate's ability. So the results were not binding on hiring and even the candidates who failed were hired. According to the company the 3 candidates who failed all suffered lost-time injuries within 2 years of hiring, one career ending. Hardly impartial research though.

[medic_texas]

We just did a health screen at my job for our insurance. If we didn't do it, our insurance would go up automatically.

[mstovall]

...stanards.... Anything less is just asking for a lawsuit.

This is especially true in the USA with title 7 and title 11. If an individual could prove that they were able to perform the mandatory tasks, then they would have an excellent lawsuit, probably argued by the ACLU. I think the best way to handle this is to have a minimum in performance standards, including things like lifting a cot correctly, paramedic skills should have to be performed standing, sitting, and on the ground. The same should be expected of EMT's. We are called to act in a variety of circumstances and should be expected to perform our skills adequately in these circumstances.

JMHO,

Michael

-1 point for not using spell check Dust. I never thought I would see this from you

[dahlio]

Weight does affect job performance. Take it from someone was 248lb 5' 11". I work with partners bigger then myself, and it gets bad when we walk up a flight of stairs. Forget about trying to carry a patient. There was even one person that I felt unsafe with as a partner just because we couldn't carry a 150lb patient down a flight of stairs. I told my superiors, and I no longer work with him, however, I feel sorry for the people who do. As much as I'm in favor of equal opportunity, there should be parameters in place. Not saying big guys and gals can't pull their weight, just saying there gets to a point where it's unsafe for both your partner and patient.

Saying all this, I have dropped down to 233lb and my goal is to get below 200. Already I can feel the difference while carrying patients, and walking up flights and flights of stairs. (I'd also love to be a flight paramedic one day as well, and definitely need to be within limit.)

stay safe.

-dahlio

[grems4305]

More importantly we should restrict people with blue eyes to the Basic EMT level only, it is a proven fact that they are poor decission makers - LOL OMG? Are you folks for real - oh I forgot, EMS'ers so everyone has an opinion and they are each correct and if not then argure your point with conviction and then consider yourself the winner - come on folks get real, stop being judgemental toward your brothers ans sisters in a noble profession - everyone worry more about yourself and less about other people - Can't we all just get along....

[Miss Sasha]

This is a ridiculous idea.

One's weight has little to nothing to do with a person's ability to perform their job.

I'm all for testing of one's abilities to meet the demand of their job but a "weight limit" is ignorant. BMI doesn't account for muscle mass or body type, just that if they are this tall they should weigh between this much and that much. By BMI index a lot of body builders or muscular men and women would be considered obese.

One's weight does not necessarily mean they can't perform essential functions of the job such as having the ability to intubate someone on the ground. Not every woman carries the weight at her breasts, some gain weight around their hips.

Instead of setting a "weight limit" let's have a universal test that screens for the ability to perform the functions of the job.

[fireflymedic]

Sasha and others,

While yes, one should evaluate the performance of one's duties and ability to do the job there are valid considerations to some things.

1. Within the fire department I know of several larger firefighters that are restricted from doing interior operations due to the fact that they are so large that if they went down in a fire, it would be impossible to get them out. It is this way for their coworkers as well as their own safety. I think one should be able to do all aspects of the position if paid and it is their career - volunteer I take a different stance, but if paid you should be able to go wherever needed at any time. This is without concern to the fact of can someone get you out or not. Also, if something happens and your exit is blocked - would you be able to fit out a window etc? Something to seriously consider.

2. Within EMS - if you are larger, that automatically puts you at a greater risk of injury due to the inability to use proper body mechanics in lifting if you have a large middle. I've worked with some partners that were excellent skill wise, but their weight put them at serious disadvantage and created some concerns for more than a few reasons. We frequently did extrications out of rural areas or national park areas. It commonly required us to walk back long distances sometimes as much as three to five miles carrying a patient over horrible terrain which was completely unsuitable to use even an ATV type vehicle to get the patient to an area where we could land a helicopter or meet an ambulance. My larger partners (and some smaller ones to be fair) had a difficult time walking it and carrying the patient and assisting with extrication. Also, larger EMS workers have difficulty on some scenes such as confined spaces be it a tiny bathroom, collapse, or MVC whatever. If you are heavy or even quite tall you may have a really hard time getting in to treat the patient. These are valid concerns, especially if you are the only medic in a given area. Also, as others have stated, it is more difficult to intubate a patient.

I'm not going to dance around here and be politically correct. If you cant meet the requirements of the job, you need to get out or do something about it period. I've known several employers to provide gym memberships or even put a gym in the station which does nothing but sit and collect dust while the crew sits in their cozy recliners and eat or watch movies. There is a very valid point to this discussion, and I feel we need to take note.

[rock_shoes]

Scientifically developed and nationally recognised standards of performance, in consultation with the health and medical communities. EMS organisations should not be in the business of arbitrarily setting such standards. It is outside our realm of expertise. Leave it to the ergonomists, physiologists, and physical and occupational therapists to tell us what the stanards should be, and how to measure them. And they should be the ones measuring and evaluating the candidates, not us. Anything less is just asking for a lawsuit.

Agreed. New employees must meet said standard prior to being hired, and current employees must meet said standard within a reasonable time frame or face termination. My service uses the Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness and Lifestyle Appraisal (CPAFLA) to evaluate new hires. It's actually a well rounded test that takes everything from lifting ability/endurance to dexterity into account. Unfortunately there is no recuring evaluation which results in no incentive to maintain a reasonable standard of fitness once hired (beyond personal pride and motivation of course). I concur that maintaining a reasonable fitness standard is the responsibility of the individual. I do however feel that some onus must be placed upon the employer to ensure that people actually work to said standard. An "unhealthy" individual doesn't just put themself at risk. They put everyone they work with at risk.

[akflightmedic]

Weight is important and should be evaluated and considered when hiring individuals. I do not have much to add after some of the more well thought out posts describing why weight should be monitored and how it should be monitored were written; they are spot on.

I have been denied employment due to my weight because I am a large guy. There are certain flight programs where I exceed the minimum standard set for flight ready weight. Should I be exempted because I am a decent flight medic? No, I accept the terms they lay out and I either meet them or forget about that position. I am not entitled to that job simply because I want it.

One of my previous employers in Florida had a decent program. Three times a year, they offered the physical screening which new hires performed. If you attended two out of three of these screenings, you got a paid day off. It was a nice incentive for you to participate and monitor your own progress or decline and allowed you to be more proactive in your physical health.

[Camulos]

Never mind the staff but can we please start putting a weight limit on the patient's?

Stay safe,

Curse