WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled an informal hearing on Nov. 12, 2024, to hear comments and testimony from the public on OSHA’s proposal to update an existing standard and expand safety and health protections for emergency responders, including firefighters, emergency medical service providers and technical search and rescue workers. 

The online hearing will allow stakeholders from across the country to participate. The agency encourages first responders to join the meeting to share their opinions.

In February 2024, OSHA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to replace the “Fire Brigades” standard, published in 1980. The newly named “Emergency Response” standard would update safety and health protections to align them with national consensus standards for workers exposed to hazards related to fires and other emergencies. The initial comment period ended May 6, 2024, but was extended twice in response to public demand.

The online hearing will be held Nov. 12 at 9:30 a.m. EST. If needed, the hearing will be extended from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST on subsequent weekdays.

Submit comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal. To testify or question witnesses at the hearing, submit a Notice of Intention to Appear to OSHA’s Emergency Response Rulemaking page by Sept. 27, 2024. Individuals requesting more than 10 minutes for their presentation at the hearing must submit the full testimony and documentary evidence by Oct. 18, 2024. All documents must include Docket Number OSHA-2007-0073.

Read the Federal Register notice for more information on the hearing.