Washington – On April 3, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) completed its review of OSHA’s Confined Spaces in Construction Standard, paving the way for the final rule to move forward. The rule (29 CFR 1926.36) has been in the works for more than a decade. An OIRA review is one of the...
OSHA’s final rule on confined spaces in construction is being reviewed by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The review is one of the final steps required before OSHA can formally publish the rule. OIRA, which is a branch of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, received the rule for review on...
On July 30 and 31, OSHA held an Emergency Response and Preparedness Stakeholders meeting in Washington, DC for the purpose of discussing the merits and potential content of an emergency response and preparedness standard. Meeting participants were from a broad range of both public and private industry experts to include two Roco representatives, Jim Breen,...
Prompted by the 2013 fire and explosion that killed 12 firefighters at a Texas fertilizer facility, as well as other recent incidents, OSHA is considering the development of a standard on emergency response and preparedness. Stakeholders are invited to provide input at an informal OSHA meeting in Washington on July 30 and, if needed, on...
NFPA has posted more guides to prepare firefighters and other emergency responders for incidents involving electric vehicles (EVs). The guides are part of NFPA’s Electric Vehicle Safety Training project, through which the association works with automobile manufacturers to inform the fire service and other first responders as the use of EVs increases.
As an emergency responder, it is important to have a good understanding of the dangers and precautions regarding hazardous chemicals. Whether you’re a member of an in-plant industrial team or a municipal fire department, chemical hazards are always a critical factor in emergency incidents. That’s why it’s imperative to identify any particularly hazardous chemicals in...
Deadline: January 3, 2014. There’s only about 30 days left to submit your input on the proposed NFPA 350 Best Practices Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work. If you are involved in any kind of confined space work or rescue (municipal or industrial), now is the time to offer your comments. While it...
Suggested Operating Guidelines (SOG) – written directives that establish a standard course of action on how a department intends to operate. Most departments have SOGs for different rescue scenarios, but often overlook the importance of establishing procedures for safe training. A look at the stats reveals that while 10% of firefighter deaths occur in the line...
NOTICE: If you are involved in any kind of confined space work or rescue, you need to read this document and offer your comments. This applies to anyone who may work in or near confined spaces, both industrial and municipal. At a meeting earlier this month, NFPA’s Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work (Draft) was approved...
“The concept of LOTO is a great one and it works. As rescuers, we have to take the common industrial application and expand it to ensure that the rescue scene is safe and that we are controlling hazards at the point of contact with the victim or in a space where something has gone very...
