owner shall refuse to admit the director of industrial relations or his authorized representative . . . for the purpose of making any reasonable inspection or impede or instruct him in making any reasonable inspection. . . ." General Provisions Relating to Occupational Health and Safety Statutory Provisions Section 12. Duties of employers as to safety: definitions. "Every employer shall furnish employment which shall be reasonably safe for the employees engaged therein and shall furnish and use safety devices and safeguards and shall adopt and use methods and processes reasonably adequate to render such employment and the places where the employment is performed, including mines, reasonably safe for his employees and others who are not trespassers, and he shall do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life, health, and safety of his employees... When used in this chapter 'safe' and 'safety' as applied to any employment or place of employment . shall include conditions and methods of sanitation and hygiene reasonably necessary for the protection of the life, health and safety of the employees Section 13. Prevention of use of dangerous machines, tools, equipment, and structures. Requires posting of notices warning against use when unsafe. Rules and Regulations Adopted by the Board of Appeals, Department of Industrial Relations. 1. Basic Safety Manual. Adopted June 15, 1939. Manual contains 48 brief rules and an explanation of their importance and application in plant safety programs. Rules cover prevention of accidental injuries, plant housekeeping, safety of workareas, equipment and installations, sanitation, personal protective equipment, first-aid facilities, and safety activities. A list of nationally accepted safety codes, recommended for use, is included. 2. Open Pit and Quarry Safety Rules. Effective January 1, 1942. Rules apply to open pits or quarries where underground tunneling or mining operations are conducted, except where coal mining laws are applicable. Rules cover briefly safety of quarry banks, means of access and openings; sand and gravel excavations; provision of life lines and belts; haulage and hoisting; installation of electrical equipment; explosives and blasting; wet drilling; protective apparel; first-aid training, and sanitation facilities. Prospective employees are required to pass physical fitness examinations. Employment of Women and Minors Among pertinent provisions are the following: Title 26, Section 349. Forbids children under 16 to be employed in specific operations and industries including those in connection with which dangerous or poisonous acids are used, the manufacture or packing of paints, colors, white or red lead, soldering, occupations causing dust in injurious quantities, manufacture of tobacco, and "any place or occupation which the state board of health may declare dangerous to life or limb, or injurious to the health or morals of children under sixteen years of age." Section 350. Forbids children under 18 to be employed in any mine, coal breaker, coke oven, or quarry. Section 351. Authorizes the State Board of Health to declare any place or occupation dangerous to life or limb or injurious to health or morals of children. under 16. Section 370. Requires employers of minors to keep such establishments in a sanitary condition and properly ventilated. 294406-542 Section 371. Empowers the Department of Industrial Relations to inspect such establishments, to issue orders for correction of insanitary or unhealthful conditions and to compel compliance with the orders. Section 372. Authorizes the Department to have free access to establishments employing minors and prescribes penalty for violations. Mines and Mining Title 26, Sections 166 (1) to 166 (87). The Alabama Coal Mine Safety Law of 1949 is administered by the Division of Safety and Inspection. Among the subjects covered by the laws are the following: Certification of mine inspectors and their duties with respect to examinations of mines; provision for a Board of Examiners to pass upon certificates of competency of mine foremen; provision of an adequate supply of first-aid equipment in case of injury or sickness to employees; investigation of mine accidents; requirements for mechanical ventilation equipment, detection of mine gases, minimum volume of air in workways, and coursing of air; safety inspections of gassy mines; rock dusting including specifications for rock dust; explosives and blasting; prevention of fire; testing and timbering or roof support; hoisting and haulage; safeguarding various mining operations and machinery and other equipment; duty of management in complying with provisions of laws; and duty and responsibility of employees in complying with laws and regulations and in using safety and health measures provided for their protection. Laws also contain safety regulations applicable to strip mining operations. The Workmen's Compensation Law is administered by the Workmen's Compensation Division. (Title 26, Sections 253 to 325) Occupational Disease Compensation Sections 313 (1) to 313 (16). Provide for compensation for disability due to "Occupational pneumonoconiosis." Reporting of Injuries Section 266. Requires every employer to keep a record of all injuries, fatal or otherwise, for which compensation is claimed or paid, received by employees in the course of their employment, and to report same to the Department of Industrial Relations. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Vocational Rehabilitation Title 52, Sections 390 to 398. The provisions and benefits of the Federal Act providing for the promotion of vocational rehabilitation of persons disabled in industry or otherwise, are accepted. The State Board of Education is authorized to carry out the provisions of the Act; to expend any funds appropriated for this purpose; to cooperate with federal and State agencies including the Workmen's Compensation agency; to formulate plans for training of such persons; and to make studies and investigations relating to the rehabilitation of disabled persons. 1 Additional reference this page (State Board of Education). PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Title 48. The Public Service Commission has jurisdiction over public utilities, railroads and other common carriers. Its responsibilities include keeping itself informed as to manner and method in which business is conducted, and inspecting operations for safety. ALASKA SOURCES: Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949 Session Laws of Alaska 1949; Session Laws of Alaska 1951 TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Authority and Functions 1 Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949, Section 40-1-2. Department of Health: Creation: Duties: "There is hereby created a Department of Health, charged with the duty of administering laws and regulations relating to the promotion and protection of the public health, control of communicable diseases and such other duties as may be conferred upon it by law." Section 40-1-5. Commissioner of Health: Duties and powers. "... He shall administer the laws, rules and regulations relating to health and sanitation. He shall prepare sanitary and public health regulations for consideration by the Board and shall submit to said Board recommendations for new rules, regulations and legislation. He shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law. . . . 66 ... Section 40-1-6 (as amended by Session Laws 1949, Chapter 118, and Session Laws 1951, Chapter 56). Duties and powers of the Board. (b) The Board is empowered, directed and authorized to adopt, promulgate, repeal and amend rules and regulations not inconsistent with existing law, relating to and providing for: (a) the definition and control of communicable diseases; (b) the prevention and control of public health nuisances; (c) regulation of sanitation and sanitary practices in the interest of public health; (d) cooperation with local boards of health and health officers; (e) protection and promotion of the public health and prevention of disability and mortality . . . (i) standards of cleanliness and sanitation in connection with the construction, operation and maintenance of any camp, cannery, food handling establishment, food manufacturing plant, frozen desserts manufacturing . . . industrial plant . . . and for other similar establishments in which insanitation may create a condition causative of disease ... and (m) to do whatever else may be deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. It shall also adopt rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of its business and for carrying out the provisions of all laws of the United States and Alaska relating to public health... ... None. Reporting of Occupational Diseases DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Authority and Functions1 Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949, Section 43-1-1. Department of Labor created: Duty. "There is hereby created a Department of Labor whose duty it shall be to foster and promote the welfare of the wage earners of the Territory, to improve their working conditions and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment." Section 43-1-5 (as amended by Session Laws 1949, Chapter 34). Additional powers: Mediation: Statistical information. . . . “In addition to administering and enforcing the provisions of this Act, the Commissioner shall have the power: (1) to take appropriate steps to enforce all other Territorial labor laws (3) to make investigations, collect and compile statistical information concerning the conditions of labor generally and upon all matters relating to the enforcement of the provisions of this Act (5) and to issue all orders, rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act." ... General Provisions Relating to Occupational Health and Safety Statutory Provisions Section 42-2-21. Employer's duty to provide safe employment: What included. "Every employer shall furnish employment which shall be reasonably safe for the employment therein, and shall furnish and use safety devices and safeguards, and shall adopt and use methods and processes reasonably adequate to render such an employment or place of employment reasonably safe, and shall do every other thing reasonably necessary to protect the life, health, safety and welfare of such employees, provided that, as used in this Act, the term 'safe' or 'safety' as applied to any employment or a place of employment shall include conditions and methods of sanitation and hygiene reasonably necessary for the protection of life, health, and safety and welfare of employees or the public." Rules and Regulations Not ascertained. Employment of Minors 2 Session Laws 1949, Chapter 73. The purpose of the Act is to establish protective standards for child labor to the end that their health, morals, education and future welfare will be protected. Minors under 18 are not permitted to be employed in any occupation dangerous to life or limb or injurious to the health or morals. The Act authorizes the Commissioner of Labor, after public notice and hearing, to promulgate rules, regulations and orders establishing minimum standards as to safety, working conditions, hours and wages, and to promulgate regulations as are necessary to provide opportunities for work experience in safe and healthful occupations for such minors. 1 Additional reference on page 7 (Board for Care of Sick and Disabled Fishermen). 2 Provisions relating to employment of women cover hours of labor primarily. Workmen's Compensation The Workmen's Compensation Law is administered by Alaska Industrial Board of which the Commissioner of Labor is chairman. (Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949, Sections 43-3-1 to 43-3-39) Occupational Disease Compensation Section 43-3-38. The terms "injury" or "personal injury" include any disease proximately caused by the employment. Full coverage. Reporting of Injuries Section 43-3-24. Requires every employer to keep a record of all injuries, fatal or otherwise, received by his employees, and to report to the Industrial Board, injuries causing death or absence from work for more than one day. Penalty for failure to report. DEPARTMENT OF MINES Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949, Sections 47-3-141 to 47-3-192. Contain coal mining laws which are administered and enforced by the Department of Mines. Among the subjects covered are inspections of coal mines and serving of notices of defects to be corrected; records and reports of injuries and of dangerous conditions; maintenance of first-aid equipment and provision of first aid to injured; provision of adequate mine outlets; safety requirements for hoisting, machinery and other equipment and operations; safety of haulageways, roofs and tracks; requirements for timbering, storage and handling of explosives, ventilation. and circulation of air; examinations of dangerous mines; rock dusting; electrical installations; and certification of competency of mine foremen or fire bosses. Sections 47-3-201 to 47-3-228. Contain laws and regulations applicable to the operation of other than coal mines. Among the subjects covered are examination of mines and serving notice of dangerous condition to owner; reports and investigations of accidents; safeguarding machinery, equipment and workareas; hoisting and mine outlets; precautions against accumulations of water; requirements for ventilation, wet drilling and allaying of dust; signalling; provision of first-aid supplies; and use of explosives. Penalties for violations are prescribed. TERRITORIAL BOARD OF EDUCATION Vocational Rehabilitation Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated 1949, Sections 37-9-5 to 37-9-9. The provisions of the Federal Act relating to the promotion of vocational rehabilitation of persons disabled in industry and otherwise are accepted. The Territorial Board of Education is designated ex-officio Board of Vocational Education, and is empowered to cooperate with federal office in administering the provisions of the Federal Act and the purposes of this Act, and to receive gifts and donations for the purpose of the vocational rehabilitation of persons injured in industry or physically handicapped. BOARD FOR CARE OF SICK AND DISABLED FISHERMEN Session Laws 1951, Chapter 100. The Act creates a Board for Care of Sick and Disabled Fishermen, consisting of the Commissioner of Labor, who is chair |