9. Fire service life safety rope, harness and hardware. Purchases of new fire service life safety rope, harness and hardware by a fire department must meet National Fire Protection Association standards.

10.__Hearing protection.__Each fire department shall provide and each firefighter shall use hearing protection when the firefighter is operating or riding on fire apparatus and is subject to noise in excess of 90 decibels.__Hearing protection must be provided and used when the firefighter is exposed to noise in excess of 90 decibels from power tools or equipment, except in situations when the use of the protective equipment would create an additional hazard to the user.__Hearing protection must conform to Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1910.95.

Sec. 4. 26 MRSA §2104, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 356, is amended to read:

1. Eye, face protection. Each fire department shall provide and each firefighter shall use eye and or face protection, or both, when the firefighter is engaged in fire suppression and other operations involving hazards to the eyes and face at all times when the face is not protected by the full facepiece of self-contained breathing apparatus.

Sec. 5. 26 MRSA §2104, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 356, is repealed.

Sec. 6. 26 MRSA §2105, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 356, is amended to read:

1. All components, air supply devices, personal alert safety system devices and warning devices. A complete inspection of all components, air supply devices, personal alert safety system devices and warning devices to be performed after each use and:

A. For volunteer associations and on-call fire departments, every month; and

B. For full-time fire departments, every week;

Sec. 7. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2005.