Occupational injuries of Spanish wildland firefighters: a descriptive analysis

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dc.contributor.authorGarcía Heras, Fabio
dc.contributor.authorRodríguez Medina, Juan
dc.contributor.authorCastañeda Babarro, Arkaitz
dc.contributor.authorLeón Guereño, Patxi
dc.contributor.authorGutiérrez Arroyo, Jorge
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-06T10:29:47Z
dc.date.available2025-03-06T10:29:47Z
dc.date.issued2024-08
dc.date.updated2025-03-06T10:29:47Z
dc.description.abstractThe work of wildland firefighters, especially of the so-called ‘Brigadas de Refuerzo contra Incendios Forestales’, is characterised by high physical demands and extreme operating conditions. These professionals face long workdays (12 h), walking with heavy loads (~25 kg), being exposed to high temperatures (>30 °C), and handling specialised tools in high-risk environments. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of occupational injuries among members of the ‘Brigadas de Refuerzo contra Incendios Forestales’ and its relationship to variables such as age and work experience. A total of 217 wildland firefighters (18 female and 199 male) correctly answered a questionnaire developed on an ad hoc basis to meet the study’s objectives. A high prevalence of occupational injuries was observed among them (~76%). Age and work experience were shown to be significantly associated with injuries. Individuals over 35 years of age with more than 10 years’ experience had a higher probability of injury (OR = 2.14, CI = 1.12–4.06 and OR = 2.46, CI = 1.30–4.67, respectively). Injuries occurred mainly during physical training (~46%), followed by preventive work (~33%) and forest fires (~20%). The most common injuries were tendonitis and muscle pain (~44% and ~21% respectively), followed by sprains (~21%). The results underline the need for physical activity programmes adapted to help wildland firefighters, especially older and more experienced individuals. The identification of risk factors such as age and work experience can contribute to the prevention and management of occupational injuries among this group of highly specialised forestry workers. Specific preventative measures during training are required to mitigate the risk of injury among these crews, who play a crucial role in protecting the environment and public safety.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors wish to thank the European Social Fund, the Operative Programme of Castilla y León and that of the Junta de Castilla y León, through the Regional Department of Educationen
dc.identifier.citationGarcía-Heras, F., Rodríguez-Medina, J., Castañeda, A., León-Guereño, P., & Gutiérrez-Arroyo, J. (2024). Occupational Injuries of Spanish Wildland Firefighters: A Descriptive Analysis. Healthcare (Switzerland), 12(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/HEALTHCARE12161615
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/HEALTHCARE12161615
dc.identifier.eissn2227-9032
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14454/2462
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
dc.rights© 2024 by the authors
dc.subject.otherOccupational health
dc.subject.otherOccupational injuries
dc.subject.otherPhysical employment
dc.subject.otherWildland firefighters
dc.titleOccupational injuries of Spanish wildland firefighters: a descriptive analysisen
dc.typejournal article
dcterms.accessRightsopen access
oaire.citation.issue16
oaire.citation.titleHealthcare (Switzerland)
oaire.citation.volume12
oaire.licenseConditionhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
oaire.versionVoR
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