(1) A specification of the standard or portion of the standard from which the employer seeks a variance;
(2) A detailed statement of the reasons why the employer is unable to comply with the standard, supported by representations by qualified personnel having firsthand knowledge of the facts represented;
(3) A statement of the steps the employer has taken and will take with specified dates, to protect employees against the hazard covered by the standard;
(4) A statement of when the employer expects to comply and what steps the employer has taken or will take with specified dates to come into compliance with the standard; and
(5) A certification that the employer has informed the employer's employees of the application by giving a copy of it to their authorized representatives, posting a statement summarizing the application, to include the location of a copy available for examination, at the places where employee notices are normally posted and by other appropriate means. The certification shall contain a description of the means actually employed to inform employees and that employees have been informed of their right to petition the commissioner for a hearing.