N.Y.
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law Section 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, to the extent applicable, evacuation procedures. The plan shall require that any employee check in with the incident commander or safety officer for incident specific procedures prior to taking any action at the incident location. 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, and the office is not the lead response agency, the office shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that employees are provided with the incident specific operational safety plan developed by the lead agency and/or incident commander.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.
Source:
Section 3.16 — Operational safety plans, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PAR/3.16 (updated Feb. 20, 2026; accessed Feb. 28, 2026).
