BILL NUMBER: AB 2146	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 18, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 17, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Skinner
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bigelow, Chesbro, Gonzalez,
Quirk-Silva, Rodriguez, V. Manuel Pérez,  and Waldron
  Waldron,   and Wieckowski  )
   (Coauthor: Senator Vidak)

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2014

   An act to add Section 147.4 to the Labor Code, relating to
occupational safety.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2146, as amended, Skinner. Occupational safety: firefighters.
   The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 provides
the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department
of Industrial Relations with  all  the power,
jurisdiction, and supervision over all employment and places of
employment  that is  necessary to enforce and
administer all occupational health and safety laws and to protect
employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, an
independent entity within the department, has the exclusive authority
to adopt occupational safety and health standards within the state.
   This bill would require the standards board,  within 30
days of the adoption by the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) of new standards for firefighters' personal protective
equipment,   by January 1, 2016, and every 5 years
thereafter,  to  commence   complete a
comprehensive  review of existing regulations for personal
protective  clothing and  equipment for firefighters
to determine if the standards adopted by the  NFPA 
 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)  provide a
greater degree of personal protection to a firefighter. The bill
would require the  standards  board, if it makes that
determination in the affirmative, to consider modifying existing
regulations for personal protective  clothing and 
equipment for firefighters to reflect the standards adopted by the
NFPA as a new safety standard for all employers of firefighters in
the state.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 147.4 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   147.4.  (a)  Within 30 days of the adoption by the
National Fire Protection Association of new standards for
firefighters' personal protective equipment, the   The
 board shall  commence   complete a
comprehensive  review of existing regulations for personal
protective  clothing and  equipment for firefighters
 by January 1, 2016, and every five years thereafter,  to
determine if the standards adopted by the National Fire Protection
Association provide a greater degree of personal protection to a
firefighter.
   (b) If the board determines that the standards adopted by the
National Fire Protection Association provide a greater degree of
personal protection to a firefighter, the board shall consider
modifying existing regulations for personal protective 
clothing and  equipment for firefighters to reflect the
standards adopted by the National Fire Protection Association as a
new safety standard for all employers of firefighters in the state.