103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4740

 

Introduced 2/6/2024, by Rep. Laura Faver Dias

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 1505/1505-225 new

    Amends the Department of Labor Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, no later than 180 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Director of Labor, in collaboration with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, shall adopt rules to establish a procedure to protect the health and safety of employees of this State or employees of employers who contract with this State who are exposed to unhealthy or hazardous amounts of particulate matter air pollution. Sets forth the minimum standards for the procedures and exceptions. Effective immediately.


LRB103 37653 SPS 67780 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4740LRB103 37653 SPS 67780 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Labor Law of the Civil
5Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section
61505-225 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 1505/1505-225 new)
8    Sec. 1505-225. Air quality standards for employees.
9    (a) As used in this Section, "Air Quality Index" or "AQI"
10means a measurement of air quality developed by the U.S.
11Environmental Protection Agency as an indicator of overall air
12quality based on the criteria pollutants regulated under the
13Clean Air Act, including ground-level ozone, particulate
14matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
15    (b) No later than 180 days after the effective date of this
16amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Director, in
17collaboration with the Division of Occupational Safety and
18Health, shall adopt rules to establish a procedure to protect
19the health and safety of employees of this State or employees
20of employers who contract with this State who are exposed to
21unhealthy or hazardous amounts of particulate matter air
22pollution. The procedures shall, at a minimum:
23        (1) require an employer of an employee exposed to air

 

 

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1    with an AQI of 101 through 250 to:
2            (A) assess and monitor air quality at each work
3        location where employees are exposed;
4            (B) provide and document employee training;
5            (C) implement a 2-way communication system; and
6            (D) provide NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece
7        respirators for voluntary use; and
8        (2) require an employer of an employee exposed to air
9    with an AQI of 250 or above, in addition to the procedures
10    described in paragraph (1), provide NIOSH-approved
11    filtering facepiece respirators for mandatory use and
12    provide employees training in the proper wear, storage,
13    and disposal of the respirator, including how to check the
14    respirator's seal.
15    (c) The procedures described in subsection (b) shall not
16apply to:
17        (1) employees working in enclosed buildings,
18    structures, and vehicles in which air is filtered by a
19    mechanical ventilation system and exterior openings are
20    kept closed except when it is necessary to briefly open
21    doors to enter or exit;
22        (2) employers that have predetermined to suspend
23    operations to prevent employee exposure to air with an AQI
24    of 101 or above;
25        (3) employees working at home;
26        (4) employees assisting in firefighting operations or

 

 

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1    other emergency operations; and
2        (5) employees whose work activities involve exposure
3    of less than 15 minutes per hour to air with an AQI of 101
4    or above for a total exposure of less than one hour in a
5    single 24-hour period.
 
6    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7becoming law.