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Firefighters

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Overview

Firefighters’ workplaces are anywhere there are emergencies, and no two places are the same. It is a tough, demanding job and there is little time for traditional risk assessments about workplace hazards. Ability to adapt, improvise, and foresee fire progress are necessary skills for firefighters and fire officers. You will find Oregon OSHA’s requirements for firefighters in Division 2, Subdivision L: Oregon Rules for Fire Fighters [437-002-0182].

The industrial fire brigade – another type of fire service – is an organized group of employees trained and equipped to provide emergency services for one or more employers. A fire brigade can provide a full range of services (similar to a fire department) or specific services such as initial fire suppression and emergency medical care. Fire brigade members may be full-time or part-time responders. You will find Oregon OSHA’s requirements for firefighters in Division 2, Subdivision L: Fire brigades [1910.156].

Publications

  • Brochures/Guides
  • Fact sheets
    • Using Air Quality Index (AQI) to Assess Wildfire Smoke
      Fact Sheet from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality about using the Air Quality Index (AQI) to determine air quality around the state, using information from DEQ air quality monitoring stations.
      English  01/20/2022
  • Forms
  • Hazard alerts
    • Blades for cut-off type industrial saws (Fire Service)
      Hazard alert on the dangers of circular saw blades coming free from cut-off type industrial saws.
      English  04/02/2007
    • Hydro-testing self-contained breathing apparatus
      A firefighter experienced a significant medical issue during a training exercise due to residual nitrogen after hydro-testing that diluted oxygen in his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cylinder to dangerously low levels.
      English  03/08/2018
    • Rhabdomyolysis
      Explains rhabdomyolysis and highlights risks and prevention measures for wildland and structural firefighters.
      English  03/08/2018
    • Wildland firefighting face masks
      Hazard alert about the dangers of using face protectors, shield hoods, shrouds, and bandanas that are commonly used in fighting wildland fires; however, they do not supply fresh air or oxygen, they don’t protect against carbon monoxide or other contaminants, and they don’t take the place of a respirator.
      English  02/14/2023
  • References
    • Rules with requirements
      We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
      English  05/10/2019

Education and training

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Rules and rule-related

Advisory Committee

Fire Services

Wildfire Smoke

Video Resources

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Highlights

To learn more how building features and fire protection systems affect live firefighting activities, see OSHA’s, Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems.

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