Workplace safety: lodging establishments: housekeeping.

Existing law establishes the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the standards board to adopt and, through the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, to enforce all occupational safety and health standards. Under existing law, a knowing or negligent violation of any standard, which is deemed to be a serious violation, constitutes a misdemeanor. This bill would require the standards board to adopt a standard, no later than December 1, 2012, relating to housekeeping in transient lodging establishments requiring the use of fitted sheets on beds or the use of an approved alternative to assist in sheet installation, as specified, and the use of long-handled tools for cleaning bathrooms. The bill would require the division to enforce the standard in the ordinary course of its duties pursuant to existing authority. This bill would require that the standard be operative as of September 1, 2013, and be fully complied with by December 31, 2015. Because this bill would require the standards board to adopt a new standard, the serious violation of which would, when effective, create a new crime, 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.