asbestos abatement; repeal
SB 1506 repeals Title 23, Chapter 2, Article 13, Arizona Revised Statutes, which is an obsolete program under the jurisdiction of the Industrial Commission of Arizona [ICA].
The Industrial Commission of Arizona was created in 1925 and serves as the regulatory agency for all workers' compensation issues, including claims processing for workers who are injured or killed on the job. The role of the ICA has expanded over the years to include such labor-related issues as occupational safety and health, youth employment laws, resolution of wage disputes, vocational rehabilitation, workers' compensation coverage for claimants of uninsured employers, insurance carriers that become insolvent, and self-insured employers. The policy setting body for the ICA is a five-member governor-appointed Commission.
Laws 1990, Chapter 314, added specific requirements pertaining to asbestos training and certification. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the ICA was charged with developing and implementing standards, approving training courses for both employees and supervisors, issuing certification identification cards for the successful completion of course study, and collecting applicable fees for certification [$50 for supervisors; $25 for employees].
In 1994, the federal OSHA asbestos standard was revised. The federal program set higher standards, making them more comprehensive and much stricter than the Arizona statute. Such things as the length of courses and the specific content were not addressed in the state statute. Thus, the ICA adopted the federal standard and program content, but there is no need to impose fees for the certification of training programs, since all facilities must currently receive EPA certification prior to teaching employees.