OSHA Rule Would Hurt Volunteer Firefighters: Senators

Two U.S. senators said Friday they are adding their names to a letter to the Labor Department over concerns that a proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule could negatively impact volunteer firefighters.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, announced they have joined a growing call to overhaul the proposed OSHA rule because it would place burdensome regulations on volunteer-staffed and resourced organizations limited. .

The proposed rule, introduced by OSHA earlier this year, would require fire departments to provide new reports, training, equipment and health services.

In a letter, Senators Collins and King wrote that volunteer firefighters have expressed concern about the proposed rule because they lack the funding and staff to comply.

“For many departments, implementing this rule would render significant portions of their equipment non-compliant,” the senators said in a statement. “The financial burden associated with replacing that equipment and providing the reports, evaluations, training and health services required by the rule would be prohibitive for volunteer departments, whose budgets are already strained.”

U.S. Senators from Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota and Wyoming also asked OSHA to consider revising the proposed rule because of the potential disparate impact on volunteer fire agencies.