Amended in Assembly April 6, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2895

Introduced by Committee on Labor and Employment (Assembly Members Roger Hernández (Chair), Chu, Low, McCarty, and Thurmond)

March 1, 2016

An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 6401.7 of the Labor Code, relating to employment safety.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2895, as amended, Committee on Labor and Employment. Employee safety: injury prevention programs.

The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 establishes certain safety and other responsibilities of employers and employees. Violations of the act under certain circumstances are a crime.

The act requires every employer to establish, implement, and maintain an effective injury prevention program. The act requires the program to be written, except as specified, and to include certain elements. The act requires the employer to identify a person responsible for implementing the program and to correct unsafe and unhealthy conditions and work practices in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazard.

This bill would, commencing July 1, 2017, require an employer to keep a complete, updated copy of begin delete specified records relating to end delete the begin insert written end insert injury prevention program at each worksite and to make begin delete them, or a summary thereof, end delete begin insert it end insert available to any employee upon oral request. The bill would also require an employer to provide a copy of the begin delete records, end delete begin insert written injury prevention program, end insert or a summary thereof, to each employee and each new hire, as specified. begin delete The bill would make a violation of certain of these provisions an infraction and would impose civil penalties for certain violations. end delete

begin insert

The bill also would require an employer who receives a written request for a copy of the written injury prevention program from a current employee, or his or her authorized representative, to comply within 5 business days and to provide the copy at no cost. The bill would make a violation of this requirement an infraction and would impose a civil penalty for failure by an employer to comply with this requirement.

end insert

Because begin delete a violation of these provisions would be a crime under certain circumstances, end delete begin insert this bill creates a new crime, end insert the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 6401.7 of the Labor Code is amended to
read:

6401.7.  

(a) Every employer shall establish, implement, and
maintain an effective injury prevention program. The program
shall be written, except as provided in subdivision (e), and shall
include, but not be limited to, the following elements:

(1) Identification of the person or persons responsible for
implementing the program.

(2) The employer’s system for identifying and evaluating
workplace hazards, including scheduled periodic inspections to
identify unsafe conditions and work practices.

(3) The employer’s methods and procedures for correcting
unsafe or unhealthy conditions and work practices in a timely
manner.

(4) An occupational health and safety training program designed
to instruct employees in general safe and healthy work practices
and to provide specific instruction with respect to hazards specific
to each employee’s job assignment.

(5) The employer’s system for communicating with employees
on occupational health and safety matters, including provisions
designed to encourage employees to inform the employer of
hazards at the worksite without fear of reprisal.

(6) The employer’s system for ensuring that employees comply
with safe and healthy work practices, which may include
disciplinary action.

(b) The employer shall correct unsafe and unhealthy conditions
and work practices in a timely manner based on the severity of the
hazard.

(c) The employer shall train all employees when the training
program is first established, all new employees, and all employees
given a new job assignment, and shall train employees whenever
new substances, processes, procedures, or equipment are introduced
to the workplace and represent a new hazard, and whenever the
employer receives notification of a new or previously unrecognized
hazard. An employer in the construction industry who is required
to be licensed under Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000)
of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code may use
employee training provided to the employer’s employees under a
construction industry occupational safety and health training
program approved by the division to comply with the requirements
of subdivision (a) relating to employee training, and shall only be
required to provide training on hazards specific to an employee’s
job duties.

(d) The employer shall keep appropriate records of steps taken
to implement and maintain the program. An employer in the
construction industry who is required to be licensed under Chapter
9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business
and Professions Code may use records relating to employee training
provided to the employer in connection with an occupational safety
and health training program approved by the division to comply
with this subdivision, and shall only be required to keep records
of those steps taken to implement and maintain the program with
respect to hazards specific to an employee’s job duties.

(e) (1) The standards board shall adopt a standard setting forth
the employer’s duties under this section, on or before January 1,
1991, consistent with the requirements specified in subdivisions
(a), (b), (c), and (d). The standards board, in adopting the standard,
shall include substantial compliance criteria for use in evaluating
an employer’s injury prevention program. The board may adopt
less stringent criteria for employers with few employees and for
employers in industries with insignificant occupational safety or
health hazards.

(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), for employers with fewer
than 20 employees who are in industries that are not on a
designated list of high hazard industries and who have a workers’
compensation experience modification rate of 1.1 or less, and for
any employers with fewer than 20 employees who are in industries
that are on a designated list of low hazard industries, the board
shall adopt a standard setting forth the employer’s duties under
this section consistent with the requirements specified in
subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), except that the standard shall only
require written documentation to the extent of documenting the
person or persons responsible for implementing the program
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), keeping a record of
periodic inspections pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a),
and keeping a record of employee training pursuant to paragraph
(4) of subdivision (a). To any extent beyond the specifications of
this subdivision, the standard shall not require the employer to
keep the records specified in subdivision (d).

(3) (A) The division shall establish a list of high hazard
industries using the methods prescribed in Section 6314.1 for
identifying and targeting employers in high hazard industries. For
purposes of this subdivision, the “designated list of high hazard
industries” shall be the list established pursuant to this paragraph.

(B) For the purpose of implementing this subdivision, the
Department of Industrial Relations shall periodically review, and
as necessary revise, the list.

(4) For the purpose of implementing this subdivision, the
Department of Industrial Relations shall also establish a list of low
hazard industries, and shall periodically review, and as necessary
revise, that list.

(f) The standard adopted pursuant to subdivision (e) shall
specifically permit employer and employee occupational safety
and health committees to be included in the employer’s injury
prevention program. The board shall establish criteria for use in
evaluating employer and employee occupational safety and health
committees. The criteria shall include minimum duties, including
the following:

(1) Review of the employer’s periodic, scheduled worksite
inspections; investigation of causes of incidents resulting in injury,
illness, or exposure to hazardous substances; and investigation of
any alleged hazardous condition brought to the attention of any
committee member. When determined necessary by the committee,
the committee may conduct its own inspections and investigations.

(2) (A) Upon request from the division, verification of
abatement action taken by the employer as specified in division
citations.

(B) If an employer’s occupational safety and health committee
meets the criteria established by the board, it shall be presumed to
be in substantial compliance with paragraph (5) of subdivision (a).

(g) The division shall adopt regulations specifying the
procedures for selecting employee representatives for
employer-employee occupational health and safety committees
when these procedures are not specified in an applicable collective
bargaining agreement. No employee or employee organization
shall be held liable for any act or omission in connection with a
health and safety committee.

(h) The employer’s injury prevention program, as required by
this section, shall cover all of the employer’s employees and all
other workers who the employer controls or directs and directly
supervises on the job to the extent these workers are exposed to
worksite and job assignment specific hazards. Nothing in this
subdivision shall affect the obligations of a contractor or other
employer that controls or directs and directly supervises its own
employees on the job.

(i) When a contractor supplies its employee to a state agency
employer on a temporary basis, the state agency employer may
assess a fee upon the contractor to reimburse the state agency for
the additional costs, if any, of including the contract employee
within the state agency’s injury prevention program.

(j) (1) The division shall prepare a Model Injury and Illness
Prevention Program for Non-High-Hazard Employment, and shall
make copies of the model program prepared pursuant to this
subdivision available to employers, upon request, for posting in
the workplace. An employer who adopts and implements the model
program prepared by the division pursuant to this paragraph in
good faith shall not be assessed a civil penalty for the first citation
for a violation of this section issued after the employer’s adoption
and implementation of the model program.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the division shall establish
a list of non-high-hazard industries in California. These industries,
identified by their Standard Industrial Classification Codes, as
published by the United States Office of Management and Budget
in the Manual of Standard Industrial Classification Codes, 1987
Edition, are apparel and accessory stores (Code 56), eating and
drinking places (Code 58), miscellaneous retail (Code 59), finance,
insurance, and real estate (Codes 60-67), personal services (Code
72), business services (Code 73), motion pictures (Code 78) except
motion picture production and allied services (Code 781), legal
services (Code 81), educational services (Code 82), social services
(Code 83), museums, art galleries, and botanical and zoological
gardens (Code 84), membership organizations (Code 86),
engineering, accounting, research, management, and related
services (Code 87), private households (Code 88), and
miscellaneous services (Code 89). To further identify industries
that may be included on the list, the division shall also consider
data from a rating organization, as defined in Section 11750.1 of
the Insurance Code, and all other appropriate information. The list
shall be established by June 30, 1994, and shall be reviewed, and
as necessary revised, biennially.

(3) The division shall prepare a Model Injury and Illness
Prevention Program for Employers in Industries with Intermittent
Employment, and shall determine which industries have historically
utilized seasonal or intermittent employees. An employer in an
industry determined by the division to have historically utilized
seasonal or intermittent employees shall be deemed to have
complied with the requirements of subdivision (a) with respect to
a written injury prevention program if the employer adopts the
model program prepared by the division pursuant to this paragraph
and complies with any instructions relating thereto.

(k) With respect to any county, city, city and county, or district,
or any public or quasi-public corporation or public agency therein,
including any public entity, other than a state agency, that is a
member of, or created by, a joint powers agreement, subdivision
(d) shall not apply.

(l) Every workers’ compensation insurer shall conduct a review,
including a written report as specified below, of the injury and
illness prevention program (IIPP) of each of its insureds with an
experience modification of 2.0 or greater within six months of the
commencement of the initial insurance policy term. The review
shall determine whether the insured has implemented all of the
required components of the IIPP, and evaluate their effectiveness.
The training component of the IIPP shall be evaluated to determine
whether training is provided to line employees, supervisors, and
upper level management, and effectively imparts the information
and skills each of these groups needs to ensure that all of the
insured’s specific health and safety issues are fully addressed by
the insured. The reviewer shall prepare a detailed written report
specifying the findings of the review and all recommended changes
deemed necessary to make the IIPP effective. The reviewer shall
be or work under the direction of a licensed California professional
engineer, certified safety professional, or a certified industrial
hygienist.

(m) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2017,
and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.  

Section 6401.7 is added to the Labor Code, to read:

6401.7.  

(a) Every employer shall establish, implement, and
maintain an effective injury prevention program. The program
shall be written, except as provided in subdivision (f), and shall
include, but not be limited to, the following elements:

(1) Identification of the person or persons responsible for
implementing the program.

(2) The employer’s system for identifying and evaluating
workplace hazards, including scheduled periodic inspections to
identify unsafe conditions and work practices.

(3) The employer’s methods and procedures for correcting
unsafe or unhealthy conditions and work practices in a timely
manner.

(4) An occupational health and safety training program designed
to instruct employees in general safe and healthy work practices
and to provide specific instruction with respect to hazards specific
to each employee’s job assignment.

(5) The employer’s system for communicating with employees
on occupational health and safety matters, including provisions
designed to encourage employees to inform the employer of
hazards at the worksite without fear of reprisal.

(6) The employer’s system for ensuring that employees comply
with safe and healthy work practices, which may include
disciplinary action.

(b) The employer shall correct unsafe and unhealthy conditions
and work practices in a timely manner based on the severity of the
hazard.

(c) The employer shall train all employees when the training
program is first established, all new employees, and all employees
given a new job assignment, and shall train employees whenever
new substances, processes, procedures, or equipment are introduced
to the workplace and represent a new hazard, and whenever the
employer receives notification of a new or previously unrecognized
hazard. An employer in the construction industry who is required
to be licensed under Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000)
of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code may use
employee training provided to the employer’s employees under a
construction industry occupational safety and health training
program approved by the division to comply with the requirements
of subdivision (a) relating to employee training, and shall only be
required to provide training on hazards specific to an employee’s
job duties.

(d) The employer shall keep appropriate records of steps taken
to implement and maintain the program. An employer in the
construction industry who is required to be licensed under Chapter
9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business
and Professions Code may use records relating to employee training
provided to the employer in connection with an occupational safety
and health training program approved by the division to comply
with this subdivision, and shall only be required to keep records
of those steps taken to implement and maintain the program with
respect to hazards specific to an employee’s job duties.

(e) (1) An employer shall keep an up-to-date complete copy of
the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert referred to in
subdivision (a) at each worksite, and shall make it available for
inspection by any current employee or by the division upon an
oral request. The worksite copy shall be in English, and, if the
language spoken by the majority of the employees at the worksite
is not English, the worksite copy shall also be in the language
spoken by the majority of the employees at the worksite.

(2) Upon the operative date of this section, an employer shall
provide a complete copy of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention
program end insert referred to in subdivision (a) to each current employee,
and, after the operative date of this section, an employer shall
provide a complete copy of begin delete those records end delete begin insert the written injury
prevention program end insert to each new employee at the time of hire. The
copy of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert shall be in
English or, if the language spoken by the majority of the employees
at the worksite is not English, an employee who requests a copy
of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert shall be provided
with a copy in the language spoken by the majority of the
employees at the worksite. If the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention
program end insert referred to in subdivision (a) begin delete exceed end delete begin insert exceeds end insert a total of
50 pages, the employer, in lieu of providing a copy as required
under this paragraph, shall provide a complete summary that
addresses the requirements referred to in subdivision (a), which
shall be in English or, if the language spoken by the majority of
the employees at the worksite is not English, an employee who
requests a copy of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert
shall be provided with a summary that is in the language spoken
by the majority of the employees at the worksite.

(3) An employer who receives a written request for a complete
copy of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert referred to
in subdivision (a) from a current employee, or his or her authorized
representative, shall comply with the request as soon as practicable,
but no later than five business days from the date a request pursuant
to this paragraph is received. The copy of the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury
prevention program end insert shall be provided to the current employee, or
to his or her authorized representative, at no cost. An employer
may designate the person to whom a request under this paragraph
is to be made. A violation of this paragraph is an infraction.
Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a
violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer
in any action alleging a violation of this paragraph. For purposes
of this paragraph, an “authorized representative” means a person
authorized in writing by a current employee to receive a copy of
the begin delete records end delete begin insert written injury prevention program end insert referred to in
subdivision (a).

(4) A failure by an employer to comply with begin delete this subdivision, end delete
begin insert paragraph (3) end insert entitles an employee to recover a
seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the begin delete employer for
each violation. end delete begin insert employer. end insert

(f) (1) The standards board shall adopt a standard setting forth
the employer’s duties under this section, on or before January 1,
1991, consistent with the requirements specified in subdivisions
(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e). The standards board, in adopting the
standard, shall include substantial compliance criteria for use in
evaluating an employer’s injury prevention program. The board
may adopt less stringent criteria for employers with few employees
and for employers in industries with insignificant occupational
safety or health hazards.

(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), for employers with fewer
than 20 employees who are in industries that are not on a
designated list of high hazard industries and who have a workers’
compensation experience modification rate of 1.1 or less, and for
any employers with fewer than 20 employees who are in industries
that are on a designated list of low hazard industries, the board
shall adopt a standard setting forth the employer’s duties under
this section consistent with the requirements specified in
subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) except that the standard shall only
require written documentation to the extent of documenting the
person or persons responsible for implementing the program
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), keeping a record of
periodic inspections pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a),
and keeping a record of employee training pursuant to paragraph
(4) of subdivision (a). To any extent beyond the specifications of
this subdivision, the standard shall not require the employer to
keep the records specified in subdivision (d).

(3) (A) The division shall establish a list of high hazard
industries using the methods prescribed in Section 6314.1 for
identifying and targeting employers in high hazard industries. For
purposes of this subdivision, the “designated list of high hazard
industries” shall be the list established pursuant to this paragraph.

(B) For the purpose of implementing this subdivision, the
Department of Industrial Relations shall periodically review, and
as necessary revise, the list.

(4) For the purpose of implementing this subdivision, the
Department of Industrial Relations shall also establish a list of low
hazard industries, and shall periodically review, and as necessary
revise, that list.

(g) The standard adopted pursuant to subdivision (f) shall
specifically permit employer and employee occupational safety
and health committees to be included in the employer’s injury
prevention program. The board shall establish criteria for use in
evaluating employer and employee occupational safety and health
committees. The criteria shall include minimum duties, including
the following:

(1) Review of the employer’s periodic, scheduled worksite
inspections; investigation of causes of incidents resulting in injury,
illness, or exposure to hazardous substances; and investigation of
any alleged hazardous condition brought to the attention of any
committee member. When determined necessary by the committee,
the committee may conduct its own inspections and investigations.

(2) (A) Upon request from the division, verification of
abatement action taken by the employer as specified in division
citations.

(B) If an employer’s occupational safety and health committee
meets the criteria established by the board, it shall be presumed to
be in substantial compliance with paragraph (5) of subdivision (a).

(h) The division shall adopt regulations specifying the
procedures for selecting employee representatives for
employer-employee occupational health and safety committees
when these procedures are not specified in an applicable collective
bargaining agreement. No employee or employee organization
shall be held liable for any act or omission in connection with a
health and safety committee.

(i) The employer’s injury prevention program, as required by
this section, shall cover all of the employer’s employees and all
other workers who the employer controls or directs and directly
supervises on the job to the extent these workers are exposed to
worksite and job assignment specific hazards. Nothing in this
subdivision shall affect the obligations of a contractor or other
employer that controls or directs and directly supervises its own
employees on the job.

(j) When a contractor supplies its employee to a state agency
employer on a temporary basis, the state agency employer may
assess a fee upon the contractor to reimburse the state agency for
the additional costs, if any, of including the contract employee
within the state agency’s injury prevention program.

(k) (1) The division shall prepare a Model Injury and Illness
Prevention Program for Non-High-Hazard Employment, and shall
make copies of the model program prepared pursuant to this
subdivision available to employers, upon request, for posting in
the workplace. An employer who adopts and implements the model
program prepared by the division pursuant to this paragraph in
good faith shall not be assessed a civil penalty for the first citation
for a violation of this section issued after the employer’s adoption
and implementation of the model program.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the division shall establish
a list of non-high-hazard industries in California. These industries,
identified by their Standard Industrial Classification Codes, as
published by the United States Office of Management and Budget
in the Manual of Standard Industrial Classification Codes, 1987
Edition, are apparel and accessory stores (Code 56), eating and
drinking places (Code 58), miscellaneous retail (Code 59), finance,
insurance, and real estate (Codes 60-67), personal services (Code
72), business services (Code 73), motion pictures (Code 78) except
motion picture production and allied services (Code 781), legal
services (Code 81), educational services (Code 82), social services
(Code 83), museums, art galleries, and botanical and zoological
gardens (Code 84), membership organizations (Code 86),
engineering, accounting, research, management, and related
services (Code 87), private households (Code 88), and
miscellaneous services (Code 89). To further identify industries
that may be included on the list, the division shall also consider
data from a rating organization, as defined in Section 11750.1 of
the Insurance Code, and all other appropriate information. The list
shall be established by June 30, 1994, and shall be reviewed, and
as necessary revised, biennially.

(3) The division shall prepare a Model Injury and Illness
Prevention Program for Employers in Industries with Intermittent
Employment, and shall determine which industries have historically
utilized seasonal or intermittent employees. An employer in an
industry determined by the division to have historically utilized
seasonal or intermittent employees shall be deemed to have
complied with the requirements of subdivision (a) with respect to
a written injury prevention program if the employer adopts the
model program prepared by the division pursuant to this paragraph
and complies with any instructions relating thereto.

(l) With respect to any county, city, city and county, or district,
or any public or quasi-public corporation or public agency therein,
including any public entity, other than a state agency, that is a
member of, or created by, a joint powers agreement, subdivision
(d) shall not apply.

(m) Every workers’ compensation insurer shall conduct a
review, including a written report as specified below, of the injury
and illness prevention program (IIPP) of each of its insureds with
an experience modification of 2.0 or greater within six months of
the commencement of the initial insurance policy term. The review
shall determine whether the insured has implemented all of the
required components of the IIPP, and evaluate their effectiveness.
The training component of the IIPP shall be evaluated to determine
whether training is provided to line employees, supervisors, and
upper level management, and effectively imparts the information
and skills each of these groups needs to ensure that all of the
insured’s specific health and safety issues are fully addressed by
the insured. The reviewer shall prepare a detailed written report
specifying the findings of the review and all recommended changes
deemed necessary to make the IIPP effective. The reviewer shall
be or work under the direction of a licensed California professional
engineer, certified safety professional, or a certified industrial
hygienist.

(n) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017.

SEC. 3.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.