SENATE BILL No. 78

 

 

January 28, 2003, Introduced by Senators BASHAM, LELAND and CHERRY and referred to

     the Committee on Commerce and Labor.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1974 PA 154, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan occupational safety and health act,"                              

                                                                                

    by amending sections 5 and 6 (MCL 408.1005 and 408.1006),                   

                                                                                

    section 5 as amended by 1986 PA 80.                                         

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 5.  (1) "Employee" means a person who is receiving                     

                                                                                

2   vocational training from an employer or who is permitted to work            

                                                                                

3   by an employer.                                                             

                                                                                

4       (2) "Employer" means an individual or organization, including               

                                                                                

5   the  this state or a political subdivision,  which  that employs           

                                                                                

6   1 or more persons or that provides vocational training to 1 or              

                                                                                

7   more persons.                                                               

                                                                                

8       (3) "Imminent danger" means a condition or practice in a                    

                                                                                

9   place of employment  which is such that a danger exists which               

                                                                                

10  that is dangerous and that could reasonably be expected to cause            

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   death or serious physical harm either immediately or before the             

                                                                                

2   imminence of the danger can be eliminated through the enforcement           

                                                                                

3   procedures otherwise provided.  A container of an unknown and               

                                                                                

4   unlabeled chemical or a container of hazardous chemicals that is            

                                                                                

5   not labeled or for which a material safety data sheet is not                

                                                                                

6   available as required by the standard incorporated by reference             

                                                                                

7   in section 14a shall be considered an imminent danger after                 

                                                                                

8   meeting the provisions of section 31.                                       

                                                                                

9       (4) "Inspection" means the examination or survey of a place                 

                                                                                

10  of employment to detect the presence of an existing or potential            

                                                                                

11  occupational safety or health hazard or to determine compliance             

                                                                                

12  with this act, rules or standards promulgated under this act, or            

                                                                                

13  orders issued  pursuant to  under this act.                                 

                                                                                

14      (5) "Investigation" means the detailed evaluation or study of               

                                                                                

15  working conditions, including equipment, processes, substances,             

                                                                                

16  air contaminants, or physical agents with respect to the actual             

                                                                                

17  or potential occurrence of occupational accidents, illnesses, or            

                                                                                

18  diseases.                                                                   

                                                                                

19      Sec. 6.  (1) "Place of employment" means a factory, plant,                  

                                                                                

20  establishment, construction site or other similar area,                     

                                                                                

21  workplace, or environment where an employee is permitted to work            

                                                                                

22  or receive vocational training.                                             

                                                                                

23      (2) "Political subdivision" means a city, village, township,                

                                                                                

24  county, school district, intermediate school district, or state             

                                                                                

25  or local government authorized or supported agency, authority, or           

                                                                                

26  institution.                                                                

                                                                                

27      (3) "Rule" means a rule as defined by section 7 of  Act No.                 

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   306 of the Public Acts of 1969, being section 24.207 of the                 

                                                                                

2   Michigan Compiled Laws  the administrative procedures act of                

                                                                                

3   1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.207.  A rule may only be promulgated by           

                                                                                

4   the director of  labor  the department of consumer and industry             

                                                                                

5   services or the director of the department of community health              

                                                                                

6   except as otherwise specifically prescribed in this act.                    

                                                                                

7       (4) "Serious violation" means a violation of this act, an                   

                                                                                

8   order issued  pursuant to  under this act, or a rule or standard            

                                                                                

9   promulgated under this act or adopted by reference  pursuant to             

                                                                                

10  in accordance with this act for which a substantial probability             

                                                                                

11  exists that death or serious physical harm could result from the            

                                                                                

12  violation or from a practice, means, method, operation, or                  

                                                                                

13  process  which  that is in use, unless the employer did not and             

                                                                                

14  could not, with the exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the           

                                                                                

15  presence of the violation.                                                  

                                                                                

16      (5) "Standard" means a health or safety standard  which  that               

                                                                                

17  specifies conditions, or the adoption or use of 1 or more                   

                                                                                

18  practices, means, methods, operations, or processes necessary to            

                                                                                

19  provide safe and healthful employment or vocational training in             

                                                                                

20  places of employment.  Except as otherwise specifically                     

                                                                                

21  prescribed in this act, only the:                                           

                                                                                

22      (a) General industry safety standards commission may                        

                                                                                

23  promulgate a standard relative to occupational safety.                      

                                                                                

24      (b) Construction safety standards commission may promulgate a               

                                                                                

25  standard relative to construction safety.                                   

                                                                                

26      (c) Occupational health standards commission may promulgate a               

                                                                                

27  standard relative to occupational health.                                   

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (6) "Standards promulgation commission" means the general                   

                                                                                

2   industry safety standards commission, the construction safety               

                                                                                

3   standards commission, or the occupational health standards                  

                                                                                

4   commission.                                                                 

                                                                                

5       (7) "Trade secret" means a confidential process, formula,                   

                                                                                

6   pattern, device, or compilation of information  which  that is              

                                                                                

7   used in the employer's business and  which  that gives him or her           

                                                                                

8   an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not           

                                                                                

9   know or use it.                                                             

                                                                                

10      (8) "Vocational training" means instruction under a program                 

                                                                                

11  designed to prepare individuals for gainful employment as                   

                                                                                

12  semiskilled or skilled workers or technicians. Vocational                   

                                                                                

13  training includes instruction described in this subsection that             

                                                                                

14  is provided by a secondary or postsecondary educational                     

                                                                                

15  institution.                                                                

                                                                                

16      (9)  (8) "Wilful"  "Willful", for the purpose of criminal                   

                                                                                

17  prosecutions, means the intent to do an act knowingly and                   

                                                                                

18  purposely by an individual who, having a free will and choice,              

                                                                                

19  either intentionally disregards a requirement of this act, or a             

                                                                                

20  rule or standard promulgated  pursuant to  under this act, or is            

                                                                                

21  knowingly and purposely indifferent to a requirement of this act,           

                                                                                

22  or a rule or standard promulgated  pursuant to  under this act.             

                                                                                

23  An omission or failure to act is  wilful  willful if it is done             

                                                                                

24  knowingly and purposely.   Wilful  Willful does not require a               

                                                                                

25  showing of moral turpitude, evil purpose, or criminal intent                

                                                                                

26  provided  if the individual is shown to have acted or to have              

                                                                                

27  failed to act knowingly and purposely.                                      

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (10)  (9)  "Working day" means any day other than a Saturday,               

                                                                                

2   Sunday, or state legal holiday.