Legislation

§ 3.16 Operational safety plans. 1. The office shall develop and
approve operational safety plans prior to the deployment of any employee
in hazardous conditions. The plan shall include, but not be limited to,
a comprehensive risk assessment identifying potential hazards associated
with the deployment, mitigation measures to address identified risks,
detailed information on team composition including roles and
responsibilities, identification of an on-site authorized person
responsible for overseeing operations, a clear chain of command for
decision-making during the deployment, emergency contact information for
all team members, and evacuation procedures tailored to the specific
deployment scenario. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee
shall review and approve all operational safety plans to ensure
compliance with established safety standards, verify that the employees
being deployed are adequately trained for their roles, and confirm that
the operation is essential under hazardous conditions.

2. For the purposes of this section:

(a) "hazardous conditions" shall mean any situation that poses a
significant risk to the health and safety of personnel, including but
not limited to natural disasters, extreme weather, and other emergency
situations.

(b) "Deployment" shall mean the organized assignment of employees that
requires coordination beyond the scope of routine job duties.

3. When deployment occurs in coordination with one or more other
entities, the office shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that
employees are provided with the information described in subdivision one
of this section, to the extent practicable.

4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or delay the
ability of employees to perform routine job duties or respond to
imminent threats to life or property.