• SPS 330.02 – Incorporation of Standards by Reference
• Current rule adopts several standards from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), who periodically update standards to reflect current, best practices. SPS 330 contains outdated versions of these standards, including some that haven’t been updated since 1997. The proposed rule amends and updates standards incorporated by reference in the rule.
• This section also repeals the NFPA standard for testing fire department aerial devices, which was discontinued and incorporated within another standard.
• Updates the notes relating to the location where the standards can be accessed.
Subchapter V – Organization
• SPS 330.03 – Fire Department Health and Safety Officer
• “Safety position” is amended to “health and safety officer” throughout the rule to reflect industry terminology.
• Clarifies that the health and safety officer is distinct from the incident safety officer.
Subchapter VI – Training and Education
• SPS 330.07 – Training and Education
• Repeals and recreates the current “Training and Education” section to improve readability and incorporate OSHA standards and committee recommendations.
• This section includes a requirement that training and education shall be provided by a “qualified instructor”.
• Incorporates an OSHA standard that training and education commensurate with the duties and functions the fire fighter is expected to perform.
• Requires fire fighters engaged in structural fire fighting activities or exposed to hazards (IDLH) to obtain the minimum training standard before they perform any activity at an emergency scene, in accordance with OSHA standards.
• Requires fire department employers to restrict activities to non-hazardous support functions for members who have not met the minimum training requirements.
• SPS 330.08 – Minimum Training Standards
• Revises the current “Employment Standards” title and changes it to “Minimum Training Standards”.
• Removes a requirement for fire department members engaged in structural fire fighting to obtain fire fighter training within 24 months of their appointment.
• Requires fire department members to obtain entry-level fire fighter training before they perform activities during an emergency operation.
• Removes the requirement for pumper or aerial operators to obtain training within 12 months of their date of appointment.
• Requires drivers of pumper or aerial apparatus to obtain entry-level operator training prior to operating apparatus during an emergency operation.
• Removes the requirement for a newly appointed fire officer to take the basic officer training program within 12 months of appointment.
• Requires fire departments to provide training to fire officers prior to acting as an officer during an emergency operation.
• Codifies a federal requirement for fire officers to have NIMS training when acting as an officer during an emergency operation.
• Removes a provision relating to written documentation for training by fire department members and transferability of certifications to other fire departments.
Subchapter VII – Apparatus and Equipment
• SPS 330.09 – Apparatus
• Several amendments are proposed for increased readability and clarity, in addition to the following revisions:
• Revises the term “fire vehicle” to “fire apparatus” to align with industry terminology.
• Amends provisions to align with language contained in the NFPA and OSHA standards.
• Clarifies the requirement for helmets when personnel are seated in an open cab.
• Eliminates the manufactured date of “April 1, 1991” relating to fire apparatus.
• Specifies requirements relating to preventative maintenance programs.
• Revises inspection requirements from weekly to monthly for fire apparatus and equipment while retaining the requirement for inspection within 24 hours after use.
• Creates an exception from NFPA standards that require the automatic replacement of apparatus tires every 7 years. The proposed rule allows replacement when inspection of the tire shows signs of damage or wear or tread exceeds manufacturer standards.
• Revises a provision that states a driver of fire apparatus is “directly responsible” and requires drivers to operate in a safe and prudent manner in all conditions.
• Removes a provision that states that a supervising fire officers is “directly responsible” for the actions of the driver of a fire apparatus.
• SPS 330.10 – Portable Equipment
• This section relates to portable equipment, including the inspection of equipment and requirements for life safety rope and includes the following significant revisions:
• Revises inspection requirements from weekly to monthly for equipment carried on fire apparatus while maintaining the requirement for inspection within 24 hours after use.
• Amends a reference under ch. SPS 332 relating to a NFPA standard and revises it to ch. SPS 330. • Repeals a note referencing ch. SPS 314 relating to the inspection and testing of fire extinguishers and incorporates the reference within the rule. • Moves the requirements for life safety rope from section 330.13 to section 330.10 and makes the following revisions:
• Eliminates a requirement to use unused life safety rope for certain operations.
• Eliminates a requirement to destroy training rope after use or showing signs of wear.
• Creates a provision that allows for the reuse of life safety rope under certain conditions.
• Creates an exception from the annual recertification requirements for unused life safety rope, harnesses, and hardware.
Subchapter VIII – Protective Clothing and Equipment
• SPS 330.11 – Protective Clothing and Equipment
• This section relates to the minimum standards for personal protective clothing and equipment and includes the following significant revisions:
• Repeals and recreates the current Incorporates OSHA language and amends for format and readability.
• Renumbers s. 330.13 (3) to 330.11 (2), “Eye, Face, and Hearing Protection”, in order to incorporate all protective equipment provisions under the same subchapter. • SPS 330.12 – Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
• This section relates to the OSHA-required Respiratory Protection program. This section is repealed and recreated to improve readability, incorporate OSHA standards, and includes the following significant changes:
• Adds “quantitative” as alternative method to “qualitative” fit testing for checking effectiveness of the seal of the SCBA facepiece.
• Clarifies that fit testing needs to be repeated in the event a fire fighter has a change in facial structure that could affect the seal of the facepiece, in accordance with OSHA standards.
• Incorporates an OSHA requirement that fire departments must ensure that all fire fighters use SCBA when engaged in interior structural fire fighting or entering a hazardous atmosphere.
• SPS 330.13 – Personal alert safety system (PASS)
• This section relates to the standards for PASS devices.
• Eliminates the Life Safety Ropes, Harness, and Hardware section and moves it under the portable equipment section.
• Eliminates the Eye, Face, and Hearing section and moves it under the protective equipment section.
• Amends certain provisions for clarity and readability.
Subchapter IX – Emergency Operations
• SPS 330.14 – Emergency operations
• This section relates to the incident management, safety, and requirements for rescuing firefighters at emergency operations.
• Revises the term “incident command system” to “incident management system” to incorporate industry terminology.
• Deletes and recreates a note relating to the source for NIMS training information.
• Revises the term “office in charge” to “incident commander” to incorporate industry terminology.
• Revises the term “qualified personnel” to an “incident safety officer”.
• Revises a note relating to the source for high-visibility safety apparel information.
Subchapter XI – Medical
• 330.15 – Physical and medical capabilities
• Removes a note determined to be redundant, which states that the intent of this chapter is not to require annual physicals for fire fighters since the current rule does not include that requirement.
Subchapter XII – Member Assistance Referral Program
• 330.16 – Member assistance referral program
• Revises a provision to include mental health in the current list of health conditions that are to be included in a written member assistance referral program.
• Expands the employee assistance referral program to include “members” of a fire department in addition to fire fighters.
