(a) A laboratory in which a hazardous substance is used by or under the direct supervision of a technically qualified individual is not an employer or manufacturer for the purposes of this chapter.
(b) This exemption does not excuse a laboratory from any of the following duties:
(1) A laboratory employer shall ensure that labels of incoming containers of hazardous substances are not removed or defaced.
(2) A laboratory employer shall maintain any material safety data sheets that are received with incoming shipments of hazardous substances and ensure that they are readily available to laboratory employees.
(c) This exemption does not include a laboratory that primarily provides a quality control analysis for a manufacturing process or produces hazardous substances for commercial purposes.
(d) “Technically qualified individual” means a person who, because of education, training, or experience, understands the risks associated with the use of the particular hazardous substance or mixture involved, and who conveys this knowledge to employees in terms of safe work practices.
(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1000, Sec. 3.)