Rhode Island § 28-20-24 - Division of Occupational Safety

§ 28-20-24. Power to adopt codes — Advisory committees — Conformance with national standards.

(a) In addition to any other powers and duties that may be conferred upon it by law, the commission shall have the power and duty to make, amend, and repeal codes for the elimination of safety or health hazards in every employment or place of employment, including the repair and maintenance of places of employment to render them safe. The director of labor and training and the director of health shall each have the right to propose to the commission those codes or amendments to existing codes that they may deem necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter. The commission shall continue to develop, adopt, and amend codes as new or previously unrecognized occupational safety and health hazards are discovered.

(b) In the performance of its duties the commission shall appoint advisory committees, composed of representatives of employers, labor organizations, and experts.

(c) All codes shall, when adopted, be consistent with accepted safety and health standards of nationally recognized standards-producing organizations, which shall be at least as effective as federal standards, which, in themselves, shall be adopted. All codes, when appropriate, shall contain specific provisions for the protection of employees from exposure to hazards by such means as the requirement for use of suitable protective equipment and for control or technological procedures with respect to the hazards, including monitoring or measuring the exposure. No code may apply standards for products distributed or used in interstate commerce that are different from federal standards for those products unless required by compelling local conditions and do not unduly burden interstate commerce.

(d) Any amendments made to any codes by the commission shall be such that, when adopted, the amended codes shall be consistent with existing accepted safety and health standards and at least as effective as federal standards. All new federal standards and revisions or amendments to federal standards shall be adopted as state codes within six (6) months after their publication in the federal register.

(e) The codes adopted under this chapter shall have the force and effect of law, and the commission shall conduct hearings and establish rules and regulations pursuant to provisions of chapter 35 of title 42.