title: Physical employment standards for U.K. fire and rescue service personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based physical employment standards are vital for recruiting, training and maintaining the operational effectiveness of personnel in physically demanding occupations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (i) Develop criterion tests for in-service physical assessment, which simulate the role-related physical demands of UK fire and rescue service (UK FRS) personnel. (ii) Develop practical physical selection tests for FRS applicants. (iii) Evaluate the validity of the selection tests to predict criterion test performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stage 1: we conducted a physical demands analysis involving seven workshops and an expert panel to document the key physical tasks required of UK FRS personnel and to develop 'criterion' and 'selection' tests. Stage 2: we measured the performance of 137 trainee and 50 trained UK FRS personnel on selection, criterion and 'field' measures of aerobic power, strength and body size. Statistical models were developed to predict criterion test performance. Stage 3: matter experts derived minimum performance standards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We developed single person simulations of the key physical tasks required of UK FRS personnel as criterion and selection tests (rural fire, domestic fire, ladder lift, ladder extension, ladder climb, pump assembly, enclosed space search). Selection tests were marginally stronger predictors of criterion test performance (r = 0.88-0.94, 95% Limits of Agreement [LoA] 7.6-14.0%) than field test scores (r = 0.84-0.94, 95% LoA 8.0-19.8%) and offered greater face and content validity and more practical implementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study outlines the development of role-related, gender-free physical employment tests for the UK FRS, which conform to equal opportunities law.
authors.affiliation: Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Chichester PO19 6PE, Chichester, UK, s.blacker@chi.ac.uk.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Blacker
authors.affiliation: Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK, Mark Rayson Consulting, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rayson
authors.affiliation: Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Chichester PO19 6PE, Chichester, UK.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.affiliation: Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK, The Gatorade Sports Science Institute, PepsiCo Corporate R&D, Leicester LE4 1ET, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nevill
authors.affiliation: Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol BS8 3RA, UK, English Institute of Sport, Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Bisham SL7 1RR, UK.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Richmond
mesh_terms: D060731:Emergency Responders; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000592:standards; D010808:Physical Examination; D010809:Physical Fitness; D018635:Rescue Work; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D006113:United Kingdom; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
keywords: Emergency services; fitness for work; load carriage; occupational fitness; personnel; physical fitness; physical training; screening.