P2
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SICKNESS ABSENCE REFERRALS IN A GROUP OF UK WHOLETIME AND ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS
A.Watkinson1, R. Agius2
1People Asset Management, Oxford, UK
2Emeritus Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The University Of Manchester, UK
Background:
The firefighter employment model, where the firefighter role is the main occupation for wholetime but not on-call firefighters, is UK specific, though other countries have similar systems. Whether these different employment models are associated with sickness absence when other available factors are accounted for is poorly understood. This study investigated whether Occupational Health (OH) sickness absence referrals differ between wholetime and on-call firefighters, accounting for age, gender, BMI, smoking status, service length and rank.
Methods:
All Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service operational firefighters were invited to take part. Participants’ demographic data and information on any OH sickness absence referral were extracted for the previous three years. Univariate analysis was undertaken on available risk factors for OH referral. Logistic regression of variables significant on univariate analysis was undertaken to understand combined effects.
Results:
81 firefighters were referred to OH during the study period. 47/125 (38%) wholetime and 34/183 (19%) on-call. Most referrals resulted from musculoskeletal causes; 23/34 (68%) on-call, 31/47 (66%) wholetime.
On univariate analysis employment type, rank, BMI and service length were significantly associated with OH referral. When these four predictor variables were analysed together, BMI and rank became non-significant. Wholetime (versus on-call) employment odds ratio (95% CI) 2.08 (1.19-3.65), p= 0.01 and increasing years of service odds ratio (95% CI) 1.04 (1.00-1.08), p=0.03, remained significant.
Implications for practice:
Wholetime employment and increasing service length are associated with increased OH referrals in operational firefighters in Oxfordshire. These factors are important for fire service provision and when planning OH services.
References:
(1) Office of National Statistics. Sickness absence in the labour market – ONS (Internet) Available from https://www.ons.gov.uk/employment and labourmarket/peopleinwork/labourproductivity/articles/sicknessabsenceinthelabourmarket/2014-02-25
(2) Ferrie JE, Head J, Shipley MJ, Vahtera J, Marmot MG, Kivima M, et al. BMI, Obesity and Sickness Absence in the Whitehall II Study. Obesity. 2007;15(6):1554-1564
(3) Gentzler M, Stader S. Posture stress on firefighters and emergency medicine technicians (EMTs) associated with repetitive reaching, bending, lifting and pulling tasks. Work 2010;37(3):227-39
