BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2146
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2146 (Skinner)
As Amended August 21, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |77-0 |(May 27, 2014) |SENATE: |34-0 |(August 25, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. & E.
SUMMARY : Requires a review of standards for firefighters'
personal protective equipment, as specified.
The Senate amendments revise this bill to provide as follows:
1)By January 1, 2016, the Department of Industrial Relations
(DIR) shall convene an advisory committee to evaluate whether
changes are needed to align specified safety orders with the
applicable and most recently promulgated standards of the
National Fire Protection Association.
2)The advisory committee shall be composed of parties in both
management and labor, represent a cross section of the fire
protection industry and community, and be competent and
knowledgeable regarding personal protective clothing and
equipment for fire fighters and fire fighting practices
generally.
3)The advisory committee shall present its findings and
recommendations for consideration to the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards Board (OSHA Standards Board) by July 1,
2016.
4)No later than July 1, 2017, the OSHA Standards Board shall
render a decision regarding the adoption of changes to the
safety orders.
5)Beginning July 1, 2018, and every five years thereafter, the
OSHA Standards Board, in consultation with DIR, shall complete
a comprehensive review of all revisions to specified National
Fire Protection Association standards.
6)If the review finds that the revisions provide a greater
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degree of personal protection than the safety orders, the
Standards Board shall consider modifying existing safety
orders and shall render a decision regarding the adoption of
necessary changes no later than July 1 of the subsequent year.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
1)Required the Standards Board, within 30 days of the adoption
by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) of new
standards for firefighters' personal protection equipment, to
commence a review of existing regulations for personal
protective clothing and equipment for firefighters to
determine if the new standards provide a greater degree of
protection to a firefighter.
2)Provided that if the Standards Board determines that the
standards adopted by NFPA provide a greater degree of
protection, it shall consider modifying existing regulations
to reflect the NFPA standards as a new safety standard for all
employers of firefighters in the state.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the Department of Industrial Relations would incur
annual costs of $28,000. In addition, the bill could result in
significant state and local cost pressure, potentially in the
millions of dollars, if existing regulations need to be updated
and if new regulations are found to constitute a new program or
higher level of service.
COMMENTS : This bill is sponsored by the California Professional
Firefighters, who argues that it is necessary to ensure that
firefighter personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE)
standards are up-to-date, thereby resulting in a direct and
critical effect of reducing the number of job-caused injuries
and illnesses sustained by firefighters due to outdated,
inadequate PPE.
There is no opposition on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091
FN: 0005219
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