Bill > AB841

This bill requires the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, to establish a working group to develop recommendations for personal protective equipment (PPE) used in responding to lithium-ion battery fires, in recognition of the increasing health risks to firefighters from such incidents. The working group, which will include members from the State Board of Fire Services, academia, health and safety experts, and labor organizations, must review and make recommendations about the latest PPE to limit exposure to lithium and other heavy metals, technologies for cleaning protective gear, whether different types of PPE should be used for different battery fire scenarios (such as electric vehicles, home storage, or large-scale facilities), and current decontamination practices at fire scenes. The bill is motivated by alarming cancer statistics among firefighters and specific incidents involving lithium-ion battery fires, such as a fire captain's renal failure after responding to a battery facility incident. The working group is required to submit its recommendations to the Legislature by September 1, 2026, and the provisions of this bill will remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, highlighting its temporary nature and focus on addressing an emerging safety concern.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs, Labor and Employment, Military Affairs and Security

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB841