Collins, King Join Call for OSHA Rule Exemption to Protect Volunteer Firefighters

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues in calling on the Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor, Julie Su, to exempt volunteer fire departments from parts of a proposed rule that would put burdensome regulations on volunteer fire departments across the country.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a new rule earlier this year that would require fire departments to furnish new reports, trainings, equipment and health services.

“Volunteer firefighters have indicated they lack the financial resources and personnel to comply with this rule,” the Senators wrote. “For many departments, implementation of this rule would render significant shares of their equipment non-compliant. The financial burden associated with replacing that equipment and furnishing the reports, assessments, trainings, and health services required by the rule would be prohibitive for volunteer departments, whose budgets are already strained.”

“It is our intention to insulate our volunteers and the communities they serve from the negative impacts of a regulation that could jeopardize their fire services,” the Senators continued. “The rule must provide volunteer departments with the flexibility to perform their duties unencumbered by impracticable requirements.”

Senators Collins and King were joined by Senators Jerry Moran (R-MS), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).

The complete text of their letter can be read here.

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