§ 95-136.1.  Special emphasis inspection program.

(a) As used in this section, a "special emphasis inspection" is an inspection by the Department's occupational safety and health division that is scheduled because of an employer's high frequency of violations of safety and health laws or because of an employer's high risk or high rate of work-related fatalities or work-related serious injuries or illnesses.

(b) The Department shall develop and implement a special emphasis inspection program that targets for special emphasis inspection employers who:

(1) Have a high rate of serious or willful violations of any standard, rule, order, or other requirement under this Article, or of regulations prescribed pursuant to the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, in a one-year period;

(2) Have a high rate of work-related deaths, or a high rate of work-related serious injuries or illnesses, in a one-year period; or

(3) Are engaged in a type of industry determined by the Department to be at high risk for serious or fatal work-related injuries or illnesses.

(4) Repealed by Session Laws 1997-443, s. 17(b).

To identify an employer for a special emphasis inspection, the Department shall use the most current data available from its own database and from other sources, including State departments, divisions, boards, commissions, and other State entities. The Department shall ensure that every employer targeted for a special emphasis inspection is inspected at least one time within the two-year period following targeting of the employer by the Department. The Department shall update its special emphasis inspection records at least annually.

(c) The Director shall make information about the special emphasis inspection program available prior to the date of implementation of the program.

(d) The Department shall by March 1, 1995, and annually thereafter, report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly on the impact of the special emphasis inspection program on safety and health compliance and enforcement. (1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 924, s. 1; 1997-443, s. 17(b); 2017-57, s. 14.1(oo).)