OSHA is mulling a blanket exception for voluntary firefighters from its updated emergency response safety standard months after small fire departments raised financial costs concerns.
The proposed rule issued by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration in February would cover 1.1 million emergency responders, about 331,000 of those serving as volunteers. The new standard would require all private industry fire brigades and many government-operated fire departments to comply with more than 20 consensus standards covering a broad range of issues like medical physicals and equipment maintenance.
OSHA said late Tuesday the agency has received concerned responses about the rule’s ...