Elements of emergency responder health and safety

Did you know that there were more than 21 million emergency response incidents in 2002? Emergency response is one of the most hazardous occupations in America. Emergency responders include: firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, hazardous material employees, and technical rescue specialists. In addition to emergency responders, skilled support employees can also play an important role in emergency response. Skilled support employees are not emergency responders, but nonetheless have specialized training that can be important to the safe and successful resolution of an emergency incident, such as operating heavy equipment or shutting down electrical power or natural gas.

Elements of emergency responder health and safety are currently regulated by OSHA primarily under the following standards: The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard; the personal protective equipment general requirements standard; the respiratory protection standard; the permit-required confined space standard; the fire brigade standard, and the bloodborne pathogens standard. Some of these standards were promulgated decades ago, and none was designed as a comprehensive emergency response standard. Consequently, they do not address the full range of hazards or concerns currently facing emergency responders, nor do they reflect major changes in performance specifications for protective clothing and equipment. Current OSHA standards also do not reflect all major improvements in safety and health practices that have already been accepted by the emergency response community and incorporated into industry consensus standards.

OSHA is requesting information and comment from the public to evaluate what action, if any, the Agency should take to further address emergency response and preparedness. The Agency will be considering emergency response and preparedness at common emergencies, as well as large scale emergencies. OSHA's areas of interest are primarily: personal protective equipment; training and qualifications; medical evaluation and health monitoring; and safety management. The Agency will also be evaluating the types of personnel who would constitute either emergency responder or skilled support employees at such events, as well as the range of activities that might constitute emergency response and preparedness.

Comments must be received by December 10, 2007. Contact our office today to learn how you may participate and help guide our future.

Midwest Environmental Services, Inc.
PO Box 218 . Brownstown, IN 47220 . 812.358.5160 /phone . 812.358.5642 /fax
info@midwestenvironmentalservices.com /email
24 HOUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE : 1.877.999.7745