Aspiring firefighters missed out on jobs due to flawed test

Avon Fire and Rescue Service's ladders have been found to be lighter than recruiters believed

Aspiring firefighters across Bristol and Somerset could have failed a fitness test due to confusion about the weight of its emergency ladders.

Candidates aiming to join Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) had to be able to shoulder press 35kg (5.5st) it said.

The test was set according to the weight of ladders advertised as 113kg (17.8st), carried between four people.

Recruiters recently learned the ladders weigh 96kg (15.1st) each which is 17kg or 2.7st lighter than they thought.

The discovery prompted them to lower the weight of the shoulder press test from 35kg to 30kg (4.7st) with immediate effect, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Female applicants were disproportionately ruled out by the error, human resources manager Karen Shiel said.

Ms Shiel told a meeting of the Avon Fire Authority's People and Culture Committee on 5 October the test was designed to reflect the need for a ladder lift to be carried out by four fire fighters.

They have to be able to lift a ladder above their heads and stow it on top of a fire engine.

She said other factors were also taken into account, including the fact firefighters were likely to be tired at the end of an operation.

It also factored in that the weight of the ladder was unlikely to be evenly distributed if the firefighters involved were of differing heights.

Ms Sheil told the committee: "Following extensive research, it has been agreed that the weight within the selection tests can be reduced from 35kg to 30kg with immediate effect.

"The same test is applied to all candidates."

She said: "It is not about lowering standards, it is making sure that we've got a good, valid occupational test."

Ms Sheil said the fire service worked with people who had failed in previous recruitment campaigns to help them meet the standard for the next campaign.

They would be looking at contacting female candidates who had previously failed the strength test, she said.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "AF&RS made this decision to align with the National Fire Chiefs Council recommendations for firefighter fitness tests which advises a 30kg lift."

She added: "These fitness tests have been supported with extensive research into the ladders used at all UK fire and rescue services."