Section 5. (a) There shall be a division of standards within the office of consumer affairs and business regulation. The director of the office, with the approval of the governor, shall appoint a deputy director of standards and, with like approval, may remove him. The deputy director of standards shall have charge of the division of standards and shall, in addition to the powers and duties conferred and imposed upon him by law, perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the director of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation.
(b) Except as otherwise provided, the director of the office may employ and remove such inspectors, investigators, clerks and other assistants as the work of the division of standards may require. He may employ, for periods not exceeding ninety days, such experts as may be necessary to assist said division in the performance of any duty imposed upon it by law and such employment shall be exempt from the provisions of chapter thirty-one.
(c) The deputy director of standards and all inspectors and other permanent employees of the division of standards, shall devote their full time to the affairs of said division. Said deputy director, all such inspectors and such other employees of said division as may be designated by the director of the office shall, before entering upon their duties, be sworn to the faithful performance thereof. All such inspectors shall aid the deputy director of standards in the performance of his duties, shall have all necessary powers therefor and shall give bond for the faithful performance of their duties. Whoever hinders, obstructs or in any way interferes with the deputy director of standards or any such inspector in the performance of any official duty imposed by law shall, except as otherwise provided, be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two months.