(a) Any employer who wilfully or repeatedly violates the requirements of sections 31-369 and 31-370, any standard or order promulgated pursuant to section 31-372, or regulations prescribed pursuant to this chapter, may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each violation.

(b) Any employer who has received a citation for a serious violation of the requirements of sections 31-369 and 31-370, of any standard or order promulgated pursuant to section 31-372, or of any regulations prescribed pursuant to this chapter shall be assessed a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each such violation.

(c) Any employer who has received a citation for a violation of the requirements of sections 31-369 and 31-370, of any standard or order promulgated pursuant to section 31-372, or of regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, which violation is specifically determined not to be of a serious nature, may be assessed a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each such violation.

(d) Any employer who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued under section 31-375 within the period permitted for its correction which period shall not begin to run until the date of the final order of the commission in the case of any review proceeding under section 31-377 initiated by the employer in good faith and not solely for delay or avoidance of penalties, may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each day during which such failure or violation continues.

(e) Any employer who wilfully violates any standard or order promulgated pursuant to section 31-372, or of any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, which violation caused death to any employee shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or both; provided, if the conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person, punishment shall be by fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars or by imprisonment of not more than one year or by both.

(f) Any person who gives advance notice of any inspection to be conducted under this chapter, without authority from the commissioner or his designees, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(g) Any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or certification in any application, record, report, plan or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to this chapter shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(h) Any employer who violates any of the posting requirements as prescribed under the provisions of this chapter shall be assessed a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each violation.

(i) Any employer or individual who refuses entry to any authorized representative of the commissioner while such representative is attempting to conduct an investigation or inspection pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, or in any way wilfully obstructs him from carrying out his investigation or inspection, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(j) Any employer or individual who wilfully causes bodily harm to any authorized representative of the commissioner while such representative is attempting to conduct an investigation or inspection pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(k) The commission shall have authority to assess all civil penalties provided in this section, giving due consideration to the appropriateness of the penalty with respect to the size of the business of the employer being charged, the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the employer, and the history of previous violations.

(l) For the purposes of this section a serious violation shall be deemed to exist in a place of employment if there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a condition which exists or from one or more practices, means, methods, operations or processes which have been adopted or are in use in such place of employment unless the employer did not, and could not, with the exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the presence of the violation.

(m) Civil penalties owed under this chapter shall be paid to the commissioner for deposit into the Treasury of the state and may be recovered in a civil action in the name of the state of Connecticut brought in the superior court for the judicial district where the violation is alleged to have occurred or where the employer has its principal office.

(n) Any person who violates the provisions of section 31-381 shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both. In the event that such person is an officer or employee responsible for carrying out the provisions of this chapter, he shall be removed from office or employment upon conviction under this subsection.

(P.A. 73-379, S. 16, 21; P.A. 74-137, S. 19, 21; P.A. 75-285, S. 2; P.A. 76-436, S. 267, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 127; P.A. 80-46, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 74-137 made provisions applicable to owners and added reference to violation of orders in Subsec. (e); P.A. 75-285 added Subsec. (n) re violations of provisions of Sec. 31-381; P.A. 76-436 substituted superior court for “a court of competent jurisdiction” in Subsec. (m), effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 deleted reference to counties in Subsec. (m); P.A. 80-46 made provisions inapplicable to owners.