AB 2934: Residential lead-based paint hazard reduction program: county health departments: certification.

(1)Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to implement and administer a residential lead-based paint hazard reduction program, as specified, including adopting regulations regarding accreditation of providers of health and safety training to employees who engage in or supervise lead-related construction work, as defined, and certification of employees who have successfully completed that training. Existing law requires specified persons engaged in lead construction work to have a certificate issued by the department.

This bill would require the department, by February 1, 2019, to request permission from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to modify its Lead Related Construction Program agreement to expand its authority and authorize a county to implement and administer the certification program for persons engaged in lead construction work described above. The bill would authorize the department, if it receives this permission from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, to authorize authorize, upon request of the county, a county health department to implement and administer the certification program. The bill would require specified persons engaged in lead construction work to have a certificate issued either by the department or by a county health department, if applicable.

(2)Existing regulations promulgated by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health require an employer to ensure that an employee is not exposed to lead at concentrations greater than 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an 8-hour period.

This bill would require the division to complete rulemaking to establish a revised permissible exposure limit for lead in the regulations described above by July 1, 2019. The bill would authorize the division to promulgate emergency regulations as necessary to implement these provisions.