“If the U.S. private sector does not step forward to develop a standards and conformance solution to a key national priority, then the U.S. government will meet that need with a regulation.”
This is a quote from the Standards Boost Business (SBB) campaign administered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Go back to the mid 1980s, and a couple of the “forward thinkers” in the U.S. fire service stated that if the fire service did not get a grip on its health and safety issues, then the men and women who wear the long black robes would do it for us.
OSHA and NFPA
As discussed in previous columns, it could be that we have not done enough to address our health and safety issues. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is looking hard at emergency responders. Following the West Fertilizer explosion and fire in West, Texas, OSHA convened a meeting of stakeholders to address the need for health and safety standards for first responders. Two years after that meeting, the initiative is still alive. OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), an emergency responder preparedness subcommittee, is laying out a draft program to eventually be sent to rule making. Based on the last meeting agenda from its Web site, it is known that it is looking at the following: “medical evaluation and fitness requirements, facility and equipment preparedness, vehicle preparedness and operation, preincident planning, emergency incident standard operating procedures, post-incident analysis, and program evaluation.”
So, where does the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fit in with all of this? Members of the NFPA’s Fire Service Section Executive Board had the privilege of spending a couple of days at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts. We were afforded the opportunity to meet with multiple NFPA staff people, including vice presidents and President Jim Pauley. According to Ken Willette, the NFPA’s Responder Segment director, if NACOSH proceeds with this process, rule making at OSHA is probably five to seven years away. Of course, there is a chance it could never get to rule making, depending on the political “winds.” When asked if this is a threat or an opportunity for the NFPA, Pauley stated that he thinks it is an opportunity. He stated that, as it currently stands, NACOSH is citing several NFPA standards in its drafts. When asked about how OSHA rule making would be revised (this can take decades), he said the NFPA references were to the “current” revision to the applicable NFPA standard-i.e., the rule making would be automatically updated with each revision of an NFPA standard.
Fire Service Involvement
Our talk with Pauley was most interesting. He became president in July 2014. He said one thing that struck him as he “raised the hood” on the NFPA was the disconnect between the organization and the fire service. He had assumed that there was a very close relationship. By the way, it was clear that he is a huge fan and supporter of the fire service. Another statement he made that resonated was that he applauds the volume of consensus standards developed by the NFPA rather than regulatory standards.
Look back at the title of this column. There is little doubt that the U.S. fire service has, except for some limited involvement, ignored its own environment. As an advocate for the