SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 26
(By Senators Grubb and Humphreys)
Directing the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to make
a study of worker training and certification for repair,
maintenance and construction projects involving the handling
of toxic and hazardous substances.
Whereas, It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the
level of safety for persons working on and near construction
projects that involve the risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals
and likewise to protect the public and the environment from the
dangers that may result from the absence of skilled workers in
and about such construction projects; and
Whereas, There are plant sites throughout the state at which
hazardous or toxic chemical substances and materials are in
regular use; and
Whereas, There is a possibility, in some cases a probability
and in other cases a necessity, that one or more workers will be
exposed to one or more of these hazardous or toxic chemical
substances and materials; and
Whereas, The potential exists for these substances and
materials to come into contact with one or more other, typically
benign, substances, the combination of which creates or may
create more hazardous conditions that expose workers to injury
and threaten the health and safety of workers at or near the worksite; and
Whereas, The danger of exposure can arise at work sites
where people are employed in the building and construction crafts
either as skilled or unskilled workers and that workers involved
in these projects should be fully advised of the potential for
exposure to dangerous and toxic substances and materials and
fully trained in the means of minimizing the instances in which
exposure may occur; and
Whereas, To provide for the maintenance and modernization of
these work sites and in order to introduce new and emerging
technologies at these work sites, it is necessary and desirable
that maintenance, repair and construction projects be carried
out; and
Whereas, The performance of building and construction crafts
in such maintenance, repair and construction projects requires
the attention of craftsmen and craftswomen certified in
performing the crafts to be aware of the risks involved and that
every worker present, whether assisting in, performing or
supervising the performance of any craft must have knowledge of
the risks at the work site and a proper means of assisting in,
performing or supervising the performance of these crafts and
they must be assured that those working near every craft worker
have this knowledge; and
Whereas, To ensure the health and safety of workers and the
general community it may be necessary to establish a process to
prescribe the levels of knowledge, skill and safety required in
those construction projects that involve the handling of toxicand hazardous substances; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
directed to review, examine and study the establishment of a
worker certification program for maintenance, repair and
construction projects that involve the handling of toxic and
hazardous substances; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 1994,
on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with
drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its
recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct
this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary
legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint
Committee on Government and Finance.