A human factors analysis of an EMS Crew's exposure to carbon monoxide

The safety of personnel and resources is considered to be a cornerstone of prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operations and practice. However, barriers exist that limit the comprehensive reporting of EMS safety data. To overcome these barriers, many high risk industries utilize a technique called Human Factors Analysis (HFA) as a means of error reduction. The goal of this approach is to analyze processes for the purposes of making an environment safer for patients and providers. This report describes an application of this approach to safety incident analysis following a situation during which a paramedic ambulance crew was exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide.