Section 6317 Of Chapter 1. Jurisdiction And Duties From California Labor Code >> Division 5. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.
6317
. If, upon inspection or investigation, the division believes
that an employer has violated Section 25910 of the Health and Safety
Code or any standard, rule, order, or regulation established pursuant
to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 140) of Division 1 of the
Labor Code, or any standard, rule, order, or regulation established
pursuant to this part, it shall with reasonable promptness issue a
citation to the employer. Each citation shall be in writing and shall
describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a
reference to the provision of the code, standard, rule, regulation,
or order alleged to have been violated. In addition, the citation
shall fix a reasonable time for the abatement of the alleged
violation. The period specified for abatement shall not commence
running until the date the citation or notice is received by
certified mail and the certified mail receipt is signed, or if not
signed, the date the return is made to the post office. If the
division officially and directly delivers the citation or notice to
the employer, the period specified for abatement shall commence
running on the date of the delivery.
A "notice" in lieu of citation may be issued with respect to
violations found in an inspection or investigation which meet either
of the following requirements:
(1) The violations do not have a direct relationship upon the
health or safety of an employee.
(2) The violations do not have an immediate relationship to the
health or safety of an employee, and are of a general or regulatory
nature. A notice in lieu of a citation may be issued only if the
employer agrees to correct the violations within a reasonable time,
as specified by the division, and agrees not to appeal the finding of
the division that the violations exist. A notice issued pursuant to
this paragraph shall have the same effect as a citation for purposes
of establishing repeat violations or a failure to abate. Every notice
shall clearly state the abatement period specified by the division,
that the notice may not be appealed, and that the notice has the same
effect as a citation for purposes of establishing a repeated
violation or a failure to abate. The employer shall indicate
agreement to the provisions and conditions of the notice by his or
her signature on the notice.
Under no circumstances shall a notice be issued in lieu of a
citation if the violations are serious, repeated, willful, or arise
from a failure to abate.
The director shall prescribe guidelines for the issuance of these
notices.
The division may impose a civil penalty against an employer as
specified in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 6423) of this part. A
notice in lieu of a citation may not be issued if the number of
first instance violations found in the inspection (other than
serious, willful, or repeated violations) is 10 or more violations.
No citation or notice shall be issued by the division for a given
violation or violations after six months have elapsed since
occurrence of the violation.
The director shall prescribe procedures for the issuance of a
citation or notice.
The division shall prepare and maintain records capable of
supplying an inspector with previous citations and notices issued to
an employer.