Update March 28, 2024:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has extended the comment period on its proposed rule issued on February 5, 2024 regarding updates to an existing standard and expanded safety and health protections for emergency responders, including firefighters, emergency medical service providers and technical search and rescue workers. Interested parties now have until June 21, 2024, to submit comments electronically at regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking portal. All submissions must include the agency’s name and docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2007-0073). For more information, please see the Federal Register notice, previous trade release or visit osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking.
View the proposed rule here: https://www.osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking
Webinar PowerPoint Slides: OSHA 1910.156 webinar slides 1-31-2024 OTIEC R1
Consensus Standards: Consensus standards in proposed 1910.156 as of 1-31-24
Federal Register Link is published.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/02/05/2023-28203/emergency-response-standard
1/31/24 webinar recording: https://vimeo.com/908374497?share=copy
OSHA has published its new proposed 1910.156 Emergency Response rule. The proposed rule modernizes and replaces OSHA’s existing 1910.156 Fire Brigades standard, expanding it to include fire/rescue, Emergency Medical Services, and technical rescue. It will affect both workers with primary duties and those with collateral duties (workplace emergency response teams). Over two dozen consensus standards are being incorporated into the proposed rule. From new firefighting and PPE requirements, to EMS, to technical search and rescue, this rule change dramatically affects emergency response operations for private employers — and for municipal emergency services in states with state OSHA plans.
PRESENTERS:
Chip Darius
Chip Darius has over 30 years of experience in safety and OSHA compliance consulting & training for industry, construction, utilities, and emergency services. He has been a speaker at international, national, regional, state and local conferences and seminars and has been an instructor for the OSHA Training Institute Region 1 Education Center and Adjunct Faculty at Keene State College since 2002, teaching OSHA standards and policies for both construction and general industry. Chip also serves as a Fire Commissioner for the Cromwell Fire District.
Ken Willette
Ken Willette, the Executive Director at North American Fire Training Directors, is a 35-year fire service veteran, including service as a DOD aircraft rescue firefighter; firefighter, shift commander, the Chief of the Wilbraham, MA, Fire Department and the Chief of the Concord, MA, Fire Department. He is a former president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. Willette graduated from the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection from SUNY Stony Brook. Following his fire service career, he spent 8 years at the National Fire Protection Association, where he led the team that supported the NFPA First Responder Standards and managed fire service solutions.
George Simmons IV
George Simmons is the General Manager and Co-founder of Industrial Safety and Rescue, a private company in Westwood, MA that provides technical rescue services for organizations throughout New England. He is a Certified Safety and Health Official (CSHO) in both Construction and General Industry as well as holding these additional qualifications: Confined Space Rescue, SPRAT Level 1, NIOSH Pulmonary Function (Spirometry) and Respirator Issues Protocol, DBI SALA/Capital Safety Fall Protection Competent Person/Trainer, Scaffold Training Institute Competent Person/Trainer, CMC Rescue Rope Rescue Tech I/II.