Federal agencies would plan smoke protection for wildland firefighters

The Agriculture Department would identify suitable breathing protection and develop a strategy to make it commercially available. The provisions cover wildland firefighters, including contractors, working under Agriculture or Interior Department direction, and supporting staff. The work would focus on settings where smoke exceeds the federal workplace exposure limits named in the bill. The department would coordinate with other agencies and consult federal workplace health and safety experts. The strategy would be due within one year after the bill becomes law.

The Agriculture Department would convene a task force to develop an interim smoke exposure standard and review safety standards. The review would cover protective equipment and other safety standards for wildland firefighters and supporting staff. The standards would include the latest NFPA 1984 respirator standard, as needed for safety, subject to the federal occupational health institute's smoke exposure limit.