ASTM F2047-00(2019)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Workers’ Compensation Coverage of Emergency Services Volunteers
Standard Practice for Workers’ Compensation Coverage of Emergency Services Volunteers
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
3.1 It is presumed for the purposes of this practice that the legal authority (agency) having responsibility for emergency services in a given jurisdiction also has a legal responsibility to provide workers’ compensation Insurance coverage for regular paid employees.
3.2 Emergency services volunteers are presumed to be requested irregularly to provide special skills or assistance on behalf of the agency. As such, these volunteers act as part-time employees of the agency and are empowered to act to provide these services when specifically requested to do so, or pursuant to an approved plan or schedule, or under the supervision of a full-time employee.
3.3 The legal authority incurs workers’ compensation insurance responsibility for emergency services volunteers (ESVs) while the ESV is actively providing services to the agency as defined in Section 5 of this practice. This period of activity shall be considered to be employment as defined by the state workers’ compensation statutes of the agency.
3.4 When a legal authority (agency) requests the services of emergency services volunteers as defined by this practice to provide services, the agency shall assume responsibility for the injuries, medical treatment, loss of wages, and death of those emergency services volunteers while providing services as described in this practice.
3.5 Responsibility for the injuries, medical treatment, loss of wages, and death of those emergency services volunteers while providing services as described in this practice shall be at the statutory limits of the workers’ compensation laws of the state of the agency requesting the services of the emergency services volunteer, and shall be administered in accordance with that agency's state workers’ compensation laws and regulations.
3.6 Responsibility for workers’ compensation for members of emergency services units shall be the same as outlined in 3.1, and shall be provided by the agency normally directing the activities of the ...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice defines the application of insurance benefits for emergency services volunteers and units in the manner and extent as provided for under the workers’ compensation statutes of the state in which the volunteer or unit provides services.
1.2 This practice identifies the basic types of emergency service volunteer, and the types of activities that should be covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
1.3 This practice includes both emergency service units who operate as organized resources to a public authority legally responsible for the provision of search and rescue and other emergency services, as well as those volunteers who respond to a general request to the public for their services.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F2047 − 00 (Reapproved 2019)
Standard Practice for
Workers’ Compensation Coverage of Emergency Services
Volunteers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2047; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope trackerleadingatrackingteam;adisasterworkerinacollapsed
building; a pilot engaged in an air search flight; or emergency
1.1 This practice defines the application of insurance ben-
communications personnel providing communications during a
efits for emergency services volunteers and units in the manner
time of need.
and extent as provided for under the workers’ compensation
statutes of the state in which the volunteer or unit provides
2.2 auxiliary unit (AU)—an individual, or a collection of
services.
individuals, forming a unit called to respond by a legal
authority responsible for an emergency response function,
1.2 This practice identifies the basic types of emergency
which otherwise has no standing as a formal division or
service volunteer, and the types of activities that should be
resource of that authority. For the purposes of this practice, the
covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
auxiliary status of an ESU means it has no legal responsibility
1.3 Thispracticeincludesbothemergencyserviceunitswho
for the services itself within the jurisdiction of the agency, and
operate as organized resources to a public authority legally
no authority to provide them without acting under that of the
responsible for the provision of search and rescue and other
agency.
emergencyservices,aswellasthosevolunteerswhorespondto
2.2.1 Discussion—The auxiliary unit is typically organized
a general request to the public for their services.
as a division of an agency (as defined in 2.12), or as a
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
non-profit corporation as defined in IRS Section 501(c)3, and
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
which has a command structure that enables it to fit within the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
incident command system of a requesting agency. Such a unit
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
is expected to adopt a training program sufficient to maintain a
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
skill level equal to or greater than recognized national stan-
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
dards or as acceptable to the agency requesting their services,
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
and will typically engage in community education programs.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Some examples of an AU are volunteer search and rescue
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
resources, air search squads, emergency managers, search dog
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
specialists, ambulance squads, fire fighters, disaster service
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
workers, and communication specialists who are asked to
respond to assist another state, county, or national park to
2. Terminology
provide their services to augment those available to the
2.1 activity period—The period during which the emer-
authorized requesting agency in that other state or jurisdiction.
gency services volunteer, unit, or auxiliary is exercising the
2.3 call-out—the notice and request to activate an ESU or
skills for which it has been requested.
ESV by an agency for the purpose of providing emergency
2.1.1 Discussion—This activity period may include a wide
services on behalf of the requesting agency.
variety of functions, including but not limited to: a search and
2.3.1 Discussion—If members are requested to respond
rescue team member searching or climbing a cliff, a dog team
directly, through radio paging, for example, then each member
handler following a scent; a firefighter engaged in suppressing
is considered to be called-out and responding as of that time.
a fire or rescuing a person from a burning building; an
ambulance driver or medic providing medical assistance; a
2.4 check-in—the process by which one party notifies a
second of being in-service or responding to a request for
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F32 on Search and services, and the second party acknowledges, typically by
Rescue and is the direct responsibility of F32.02 on Management and Operations.
voice and entry in a formal log.
Current edition approved April 1, 2019. Published April 2019. Originally
2.4.1 Discussion—Check-in occurs when an individual ESV
approved in 2000. Last previous edition approved in 2012 as F2047 – 00 (2012).
DOI: 10.1520/F2047-00R19. contacts the responding ESU, or when the ESU or ESV
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F2047 − 00 (2019)
contacts the requesting legal authority. Members of an ESU appropriately rendered (for example, a dog handler or tracker,
will typically be checked-in by the ESU upon first verification air search volunteer, or emergency manager).
of their response to the call-out, either in person at a rendez- 2.9.1 Discussion—An emergency services unit operates
vous point or search base, by radio, or other means dictated by within a formal division of the legal authority as a recognized
the type of response. The ESU will typically check-in with the unit of the legal authority or agency, and is organized and
legal authority either at the incident site or search base, or by recognized by that agency as a resource of its emergency and
radio once it is mobilized appropriately to establish itself as disaster services general plan. Such a unit is expected to adopt
ready for deployment to the incident. A GPEV is required to a training program sufficient to maintain a skill level equal to
check-in at the response place designated for such volunteers, or greater than recognized national standards or as acceptable
and to be marked as in service on the personnel log. to the agency requesting their services, and will typically
engage in community education programs. Other examples of
2.5 check-out—the process by which one party notifies a
an ESU include, but are not limited to, volunteer search and
second that it is concluding its on-site services, and the second
rescue units, volunteer emergency medical squads, volunteer
party acknowledges, typically by voice and entry in a formal
fire fighters, or designated civilian volunteers who have formed
log.
organized and trained groups and who serve their city, county,
2.5.1 Discussion—Check-out occurs when contact is made
or state agency in the performance of their services.
between the on-site agency and the ESV or ESU to notify
2.10 emergency services volunteer (ESV)—an individual
either entity that their services are being withdrawn from the
who volunteers his/her services to, and whose services are
activity. Members of an ESU will typically be checked-out by
accepted by, an agency in response to a request for an
the ESU upon the termination of the individual’s service
emergency function for which no substantive monetary benefit
pursuant to their response to the call-out, either in person at the
is expected or received. The legal authority incurs workers’
point of demobilization, at a rendezvous point or search base,
compensation insurance responsibility for emergency services
by radio, or other means dictated by the type of response. The
volunteers (ESVs) while the ESVis actively providing services
ESU will typically check-out with the legal authority either at
to the agency as defined in Section 5 of this practice. This
the incident site or search base, or by radio once it is prepared
period of activity shall be considered to be employment as
appropriately to establish itself as ready for check-out and
defined by the workers’ compensation statutes in the state in
demobilization from the incident. A GPEV is required to
which the agency exists.
check-out at the same check-in place for designated for such
2.10.1 Discussion—Emergency services volunteers are pre-
volunteers, and to be marked as out of service on the incident
sumed to be requested irregularly to provide special skills or
personnel log.
assistance on behalf of the agency. As such, these volunteers
2.6 community education—activities generated by the ESU
actaspart-timeemployeesoftheagencyandareempoweredto
to contact the public to increase the awareness and prepared-
act to provide these services when specifically requested to do
ness of the public in areas of preventative search and rescue
so, or pursuant to an approved plan or schedule, or under the
(PSAR), fire prevention, medical and disaster preparedness,
supervision of a full-time employee.
and survival.
2.10.2 search and rescue volunteer—an individual who
volunteers his/her services in the performance of searches
2.7 demobilization—the activity of an ESU or ESV as
and/or rescues, with the accompanying training proficiency. In
required to return from a call-out to the point of origin or to a
addition to those specifically described in this practice, this
non service-related stop enroute home or to the point of origin
definition may be applied to air, ground, or water search
of the ESU or ESV after having been relieved of duty by the
volunteers, search dog specialists, and emergency managers,
requesting legal authority.
and others not included by specific reference.
2.7.1 Discussion—Demobilization typically includes equip-
2.10.3 volunteer firefighter—an individual who volunteers
ment retrieval, mission debriefing, personnel review, and travel
his/her services in the performance of fire suppression
from the incident site or search base to an equipment cache,
activities, with the accompanying training proficiency.
station, or vehicle readiness area to return the vehicles and
2.10.4 emergency medical services (EMS) volunteer—an
equipment to a condition of readiness for the next call-out.
individual who volunteers his/her services in the performance
2.8 emergency services—any activity requiring an increased
of emergency medical services, with the accompanying train-
level of urgency in the rendering of assistance to the entity
ing proficiency.
requesting such assistance.
2.10.5 disaster services volunteer—an individual who vol-
2.8.1 Discussion—For the purposes of this practice, emer-
unteers his/her services to an agency upon a request for
gency services are defined as those related to search and
services upon the occurrence of an emergency or disaster,
rescue, fire suppression, medical and disaster services.
under the direct supervision of the agency, and with the
appropriate training activity.
2.9 emergency services unit (ESU)—an individual, or a
collection of individuals forming an association, organization, 2.11 general public emergency volunteer (GPEV)—an indi-
vidual who volunteers his/her services, and whose services are
group, team, or similar resource organized or volunteering to
provide search and/or rescue, fire or other emergency service accepted, in response to a request to the public for emergency
assistance.
activity for a responsible agency.An individual or other single
resource may be considered a unit if the service can be 2.11.1 Discussion—AGPEVistypicallynotamemberofan
F2047 − 00 (2019)
organized emergency services unit, nor responding to a call for injuries, medical treatment, loss of wages, and death of those
such organized units. An example of a GPEV is an individual emergency services volunteers while providing services as
who is contacted pursuant to a radio or television broadcast for described in this practice.
the assistance of the general public with instructions to respond
3.5 Responsibility for the injuries, medical treatment, loss
to a search base to assist in a search operation.
of wages, and death of those emergency services volunteers
2.12 legal authority (agency)—the individual or govern-
while providing services as described in this practice shall be
ment agency given responsibility and authority for search,
at the statutory limits of the workers’compensation laws of the
rescue,fire,andotheremergencyordisasterservicesbystatute.
state of the agency requesting the services of the emergency
Where multiple, concurrent or overlapping authorities exist,
services volunteer, and shall be administered in accordance
the term is used to refer to the legal authority ultimately
with that agency’s state workers’ compensation laws and
empowering and accepting responsibility for the volunteer
regulations.
unit. For the purposes of this practice, the terms legal authority
3.6 Responsibility for workers’ compensation for members
and agency shall bear the same definition of terminology and
of emergency services units shall be the same as outlined in
meaning.
3.1, and shall be provided by the agency normally directing the
2.13 mobilization—the activity of an ESU or ESV as re-
activities of the ESU.
quired to respond to the call-out in an equipped and prepared
3.7 Responsibility for workers’ compensation for members
manner.
of emergency services auxiliary units shall be the same as
2.13.1 Discussion—Mobilization typically includes travel to
outlined in 3.1, and, unless provided for by other statute or
an equipment cache or vehicle readiness area to obtain equip-
agreement, shall be provided by the agency requesting the
ment or to unite the ESU for responding as a unit, and the
services and directing the activities of the AU.
travel of the unit to the incident site or search base.
3.8 To provide an agency with trained personnel who are
2.14 training—a curriculum of classroom education and
able to work in a safe and effective manner, it is generally
field exercises designed to create a level of competence
required that the emergency service volunteer engage in
meeting national standards for such activity, or as acceptable to
training activity with the emergency service unit.
the agency requesting the services of such a volunteer.
2.14.1 Discussion—Training will typically include equip- 3.8.1 A training plan is considered essential in establishing
the basis for workers’compensation insurance coverage during
ment familiarity and maintenance, both at the storage and
readiness facility, at areas removed from the facility, and as
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