§ 37-23-2. Board of safety awareness created. (a) There is hereby established, within the Division of Professional Regulation, a Board of Safety Awareness, hereinafter referred to as "the board", which shall at all times consist of nine (9) qualified electors of the state, all of whom shall have successfully completed the OSHA ten (10) hour construction safety program.

(b) Annually, on or before January 31st, the director of labor and training shall appoint a member or members of the board to succeed the member or members whose term is at that time expiring who shall serve for three (3) years or until his/her successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy, which may occur in the board from any cause, shall be filled by the director for the remainder of the unexpired term. In the interest of maintaining consistency, the nine (9) members initially appointed to the Board of Safety Awareness will serve staggered term as follows: the three (3) officers will serve a three (3) year term; three (3) members will serve a two (2) year term; and three (3) members will serve a one (1) year term.

(c) The board shall elect from its membership a chairperson, who shall have obtained at least a minimum of the thirty (30) hour construction safety program as it pertains to the construction sector under OSHA regulations 1926.

(d) The board shall also elect from its membership a vice-chairperson and a secretary, both of whom shall have successfully completed at least a minimum of the thirty (30) hour construction safety program as it pertains to the construction sector under OSHA regulations 1926.

(e) The board shall advise and assist the division of professional regulation on promoting and promulgating such policies as may be necessary to improve safety on construction worksites subject to the approval of the director.

(f) The board may recommend to the director of labor and training, the replacement of a member who misses three (3) consecutive regularly scheduled monthly meetings.

(g) The final authority on all questions of procedure and parliamentary law not covered by the rules/bylaws of this board or by the Administrative Procedures Act of the State of Rhode Island shall be Robert's Rules of Order.

(h) There shall be a chief investigator for the division who shall have obtained at least a minimum successful completion of the thirty (30) hour construction safety program as it pertains to the construction sector under OSHA regulations 1926. He or she shall be appointed by the director of labor and training, upon recommendation from the board of safety awareness, and the position shall be in the classified service.

(i) There shall be a secretary for the safety awareness section who is in the classified service.

History of Section. (P.L. 2004, ch. 593, § 2; P.L. 2011, ch. 363, § 38.)