69A-62.040. Definitions

Part IV of this rule chapter incorporates by reference the definitions for “accident” and “injury” contained in Section 440.02, F.S., and the definition of “occupational disease” contained in Section 440.151(2), F.S. Furthermore, with respect to Part IV, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Calendar year” means a given twelve-month period that begins on January 1 and ends on December 31.

(2) “Firefighter employee representative” means a firefighter employee chosen to serve on a safety committee, who does not normally serve in a supervisory capacity.

(3) “Fatality” means a firefighter employee death that occurs as a result of workplace injury, illness, or occupational disease, and includes a firefighter employee death that results from workplace injury, illness, or occupational disease within one year of its report to the Division of Workers’ Compensation of the Department of Financial Services.

(4) “Hazard” means the risk of exposure to materials, processes, or operating procedures or practices that can produce injury, illness, occupational disease, or fatality.

(5) A firefighter employer “identified” means a firefighter employer identified by the division as having three or more compensable injuries in the period of three calendar years immediately preceding adoption of the rule chapter, or thereafter in the most recent period of three calendar years.

(6) “Incidence Rate” or “Frequency rate” shall be determined by the method described in Rule 69A-62.023, F.A.C.

(7) “Illness” or “occupational illness” means any abnormal condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an injury, caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment. Illness includes acute and chronic illnesses or diseases caused by inhalation, absorption, ingestion, or direct contact with an environmental factor.

(8) “Safety committee,” “workplace safety committee,” or “committee” means a group of firefighter employer and firefighter employee representatives organized pursuant to this rule chapter that actively participates in accident prevention and that recommends improvements and promotes safety and health in the workplace. The committee is permitted to be part of a government wide unit (municipality, county, or special district) workplace safety committee provided that the requirements herein specified are met.

(9) “Safety-related incident” means a condition, event, or series of events that indicates the existence or occurrence of a hazard, regardless of whether the incident contributes to an injury, illness, occupational disease, or fatality.

(10) “Safety program” means a particular written safety and health program, implemented by a firefighter employer, that:

(a) Provides the means to eliminate, reduce, or control recognized hazards in the work or workplace;

(b) Provides the means to eliminate, reduce, or control the frequency or severity of workplace injuries and occupational diseases;

(c) Is specific to the work being performed;

(d) Is specific to the environment where the work is being performed; and

(e) Is easily understood by firefighter employees.

(11) “Scheduled meeting” means a convening of a safety committee after reasonable notice to its members and publication of an agenda of subjects to be addressed.

(12) “Workplace” means the physical location in Florida where firefighter employees perform their duties, and includes the scene of a fire and any other emergency incident scene.

(13) “Workplace safety coordinator” means a person designated by the firefighter employer who actively participates in accident prevention, recommends improvements, and promotes safety and health in the workplace. In the same manner as subsection (8) above, the workplace safety coordinator is permitted to be a government entity-wide position.

Rulemaking Authority 633.522 FS. Law Implemented 633.522 FS. History–New 9-6-04.