The Andalusian Firefighters Union (SAB) has received with concern the strong report from the Labor Inspectorate, which confirms the union's warnings about the situation of the Sierra de Cazorla Regional Consortium. The inspectorate has detected "enormous gravity" in the identified deficiencies, affecting the daily operations and worker safety.
Among the most significant breaches are the absence of written procedures detailing minimum intervention units, functions per type of incident, the chain of command, and the preventive resource. Furthermore, a lack of intervention protocols, minimum equipment, and proof of sufficient preventive training for handling work equipment has been noted.
The report also highlights shortcomings in occupational health, such as the absence of a specific hygienic assessment for diesel fumes and other carcinogenic agents, in addition to failures in the documented preventive maintenance of vehicles and emergency equipment. The SAB reminds that firefighters are constantly exposed to risks like structural fires and traffic accidents.
The absence of ordinary administrative fines does not mean there is no non-compliance, let alone impunity.
The union compares the situation to that of a private company, where such issues could incur fines of thousands of euros. However, as it is a Public Administration, a special procedure with requirements and corrective measures applies. The SAB demands the immediate execution of these requirements with deadlines, budgets, and real union oversight.
The SAB has revealed that it has requested a meeting with the highest responsible official of the Consortium twice without receiving a response. They urge the president of the Consortium and the president of the Diputación de Jaén to assume their responsibility as employers. Despite the seriousness, the union offers itself as a technical advisor to "restore order" to the service, but warns that the persistence of non-compliance could lead to demands for criminal or judicial responsibility.
