The controversial proposed “emergency response” standards for both career and volunteer fire companies will receive an informal online public hearing in November, prior to their formal final adoption by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a Notice in the Federal Register (see, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-07-23/pdf/2024-16126.pdf) announcing that it is scheduling an informal public hearing on its proposed ‘‘Emergency Response Standard.’’ The public hearing will be held virtually and is scheduled to begin Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (ET) and will continue on subsequent weekdays (as necessary). (Note: Monday, November 11, 2024, is a federal holiday.)

OSHA’s proposed Emergency Response rule was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2024 (see, 2023-28203.pdf (govinfo.gov)), and the public comment period closed yesterday, July 22, 2024.

Additional information on how to access OSHA’s informal hearing will be posted on OSHA’s Emergency Response webpage at https://www.osha.gov/emergencyresponse/rulemaking.

To testify or question other witnesses at the hearing, interested persons must electronically submit a Notice of Intention to Appear (NOITA) to OSHA on or before September 27, 2024. In addition, those who request more than 10 minutes for their presentation and those who intend to submit documentary evidence must submit the full text of their testimony, as well as a copy of any documentary evidence, to OSHA no later than October 18, 2024.

For more context on the pending OSHA regs, see earlier Conduit Street coverage:

MACo to OSHA: Find Balance on New Fire Fighting Response Rules (July 18)

Proposed New “Fire Brigade” Labor Rules: Comment Deadline Extended to July 22 (June 6)

Proposed Exhaustive (Worrisome?) Fire Company Rules Pending Public Comment (May 16)