As discussed, OSHA is making significant revisions to its Fire Brigade standard. And in the DRAFT version, OSHA establishes a minimum staffing level for working/entering an IDLH atmosphere. Many of you who are part of or manage the fire brigade may recall that OSHA has made room for “judgment” regarding staffing available and performing life-saving operations. In fact, this is what OSHA used to say about the 2 in-2 out rule regarding firefighters and rescue…
Nothing in this section is meant to preclude firefighters from performing emergency rescue activities before an entire team has assembled.
This note in 1910.134 opened the door for many leaders to believe that placing FFs in IDLH environments to attempt a rescue of an occupant was an acceptable practice. Here are the full requirements from 1910.134 regarding interior attacks/rescue, as well as the proposed requirements for FFs entering IDLH environments/atmospheres:
(emphasis by me)