Employment safety: hazardous materials.

Existing law authorizes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations to enforce occupational safety and health standards, including evaluating, investigating, and monitoring environmental or health conditions that may be harmful to the health of employees. In so doing, it enforces the standards promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board within the department dealing with toxic materials and harmful physical agents and bloodborne pathogens. This bill would declare the findings of the Legislature regarding the rights of workers to be protected from exposure to hazardous substances and toxic materials in the workplace. This bill would require that the board, in promulgating standards dealing with certain toxic materials in the workplace, establish permissible exposure limits that meet specified criteria, with an emphasis on obtaining the highest degree of health and safety protection.