(a) Any employer may apply to the division for a temporary order granting a variance from an occupational safety or health standard. Such temporary order shall be granted only if the employer files an application which meets the requirements of Section 6451, and establishes that (1) he is unable to comply with a standard by its effective date because of unavailability of professional or technical personnel or of materials and equipment needed to come into compliance with the standard or because necessary construction or alteration of facilities cannot be completed by the effective date, (2) he is taking all available steps to safeguard his employees against the hazards covered by the standard, and (3) he has an effective program for coming into compliance with the standard as quickly as practicable.
(b) Any temporary order issued under this section shall prescribe the practices, means, methods, operations, and processes which the employer must adopt and use while the order is in effect and state in detail his program for coming into compliance with the standard. Such a temporary order may be granted only after notice to employees and an opportunity for a hearing. However, the division may issue one interim order for a temporary variance upon submission of an application showing that the employment or place of employment will be safe for employees pending a hearing on the application for a temporary variance. No temporary order may be in effect for longer than the period needed by the employer to achieve compliance with the standard or one year, whichever is shorter, except that such an order may be renewed not more than twice provided that the requirements of this section are met and an application for renewal is filed prior to the expiration date of the order. No single renewal of an order may remain in effect for longer than 180 days.
(Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 993.)