Safety in employment: conveyances.

Existing law requires, except as provided, that a person who, without supervision, installs, services, repairs, or tests a conveyance be certified by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health as a certified competent conveyance mechanic. Existing law requires the division to establish requirements for certified competent conveyance mechanic applicants that require, among other things, 3 years' work experience in the conveyance industry, as specified. Existing law makes these and other provisions governing conveyances inapplicable to conveyances installed in private residences, as specified. Existing law makes certain violations of these provisions a crime, as specified. This bill would remove the exception for conveyances installed in private residences generally applicable to the provisions governing conveyances, but would maintain the exception for platform lifts and stairway chairlifts installed in a private residence specific to the above-described certification provisions revised as described below. By expanding the definitions of certain crimes related to conveyances, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require a person who, without supervision, constructs, services, repairs, or tests a conveyance to be certified by the division as a certified competent conveyance mechanic, as specified. The bill would increase the amount of work experience in the conveyance industry that an applicant must have to 4 years. The bill would authorize a person, except as provided, to install, service, repair, or test a conveyance under the supervision of a certified competent conveyance mechanic at a 1 to 1 ratio if they meet one of 2 sets of criteria. One criteria would require the person to be employed by a certified qualified conveyance company, enrolled in an elevator apprenticeship program, and certified as a competent conveyance apprentice by the division, as specified. The other criteria would require the person to have applied for certification as a limited certified competent conveyance mechanic on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2026, to have at least one year of specified work experience on private residence elevators, and to have passed a specified examination administered by the division. The bill would make these provisions operative on July 1, 2025. This bill would provide that the provisions governing conveyances do not require the division to conduct inspections of residential conveyances. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.