SOME POINTS ON HOUSE BILL 2208

Section 46 of Chapter 146, as so appearing in the 2004 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph in line 26 the following:-The department, upon application of a licensee, may grant a waiver on the above attendance requirements, for boilers of 501 horsepower or more, based on the automation of the boiler and appurtenant equipment, automatic shut-down capabilities and other technological safety equipment.

POINT 1.) Right now, as it stands, HB.2208 scores a direct hit on our licenses and license law. This bill will put many of us out of work and will make it nearly impossible for those who are just getting started to find work.

POINT.2) Public Safety in the Commonwealth will be irrevocably damaged, because without licensed and trained firemen and engineers coming up through the ranks this state is headed for disaster in a major urban area.

POINT 3.) It has been pointed out time and time again that the majority of boiler failures are due to boiler controls. This bill, in effect, entrusts our public safety to boiler controls and cuts out the engineer. This folly can only lead to another Danvers disaster if only in the middle of Boston.

POINT 4.) We, as operating engineers and firemen have a critical role to play in today’s day and age of automation of safety devices and instrument and controls. We are the first line of defense even though the contributions that we make every day may go unnoticed by the general public.