Factors influencing the workload of forest fire-fighters in Chile.

OBJECTIVE The main purpose of this paper was to explore the environmental factors which are considered to influence the workload of fire-fighters in Chile. METHODS Work studies were conducted during actual fire fighting in order to synchronise the various activities with cardiac frequency responses. At each fire environmental temperatures were recorded, and as an indicator of the increased demands imposed by the terrain, the slope was measured as well as the type and weight of fuel being burned. Output was evaluated in terms of squared meters of line constructed. The physical characteristics of the workers were assessed and these were related to the work load. PARTICIPANTS The participants were 149 professional fire-fighters. RESULTS The results showed that the fire-fighters had a heavy workload. Despite the fact that about 80% of the fires was controlled in less than 30 minutes, the fire-fighters were found to be exhausted after combating each fire. This suggests that they had a significant depletion of their physical energy which in turn led to a drop in the quality of the fire-line by the time the fire was extinguished. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate the need for promoting more awareness of occupational health factors among the fire-fighters and fire management.