Common use of Turnout Gear Clause in Contracts

Turnout Gear. The City will purchase required turnout gear for all employees of the Columbus Fire Division. Turnout gear will be repaired or replaced as required. Upon termination, all items provided under this Section 19.4 shall be returned to the City. Any turnout gear purchased must comply with any applicable independent national safety standards. In selecting turnout gear to be purchased, the Fire Division will first seek input and information from the Union’s Safety Committee. If, following this process, the Union is not satisfied with the turnout gear recommended for purchase by the Fire Division, the Union will present its concerns and its preferences to the Director of Public Safety. Thereafter, if the Union is not satisfied with the decision of the Director of Public Safety, it may initiate a grievance(s) and process the dispute to arbitration, which shall be expedited as much as possible, and the City will not proceed to implement its decision while such grievance/arbitration process is pending. Throughout this process, from the initial Fire Division review and investigation through arbitration, if arbitration is necessary, the objective shall be to provide safe turnout gear, and safety first shall be the standard, provided that the Arbitrator shall also be entitled to consider other factors that he deems relevant including but not limited to overall quality, cost, comfort, etc.