State safety program; legislative intent; creation.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote safety education, safety planning, and to provide any needed technical assistance.

(b) The Secretary of the Department of Labor shall coordinate with the safe state program, the safety and health consulting service, to establish a safety program for cooperating with industry to promote safety and provide technical assistance. Emphasis shall be placed on unsafe acts in both small industry and high risk industry.

(c) Qualified safety management specialists shall be employed in the safe state program to assist employers in developing or improving their safety programs. Safe state program personnel shall, upon referral by the secretary of an employer's request, make inspections for safety monitoring and report the resulting findings and recommendations to the employer and to the secretary.

(d) The safe state program shall establish and collect reasonable fees for technical and consultative safety services that are not required by law, provided to persons requesting the services from or through the Workers' Compensation Division of the Department of Labor.

(Acts 1992, No. 92-537, p. 1082, §31.)