(a) The department shall maintain a program on occupational health and occupational disease prevention, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Investigations into the causes of morbidity and mortality from work-induced diseases.

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(2) Development of recommendations for improved control of work-induced diseases.

(3) Maintenance of a thorough knowledge of the effects of industrial chemicals and work practices on the health of California workers.

(4) Provision of technical assistance in matters of occupational disease prevention and control to the Department of Industrial Relations and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies, organizations, and private individuals.

(5) Collection and summarization of statistics describing the causes and prevalence of work-induced diseases in California.

(b) The functions provided for in subdivision (a) are intended to implement within the department a continuing research and development capability and a repository of hazardous substances capability which will reinforce and strengthen the administration of the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, Part 1 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 5 of the Labor Code, including the capability to recommend occupational health standards to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Whenever the repository identifies data gaps for any chemical regulated by the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, the department shall notify the Division of Occupational Safety and Health of the Department of Industrial Relations of its finding.

(c) Upon the request of the department, and in furtherance of the goals of the occupational disease prevention program, employers shall provide to the department the results of monitoring data, both exposure and medical, which has been collected pursuant to Cal-OSHA standards and regulations.

(d) The state department shall have access without delay to any place of employment during regular working hours and at other reasonable times to conduct investigations necessary to carry out the purposes of this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 105185), including, but not limited to, research, health hazard evaluation, and epidemiological surveillance. In connection with the investigation, the department may question privately any employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee and review and copy records collected pursuant to Cal-OSHA standards and regulations, and other related records.

(e) The repository maintained pursuant to this section and § 147.2 of the Labor Code shall contain the report issued pursuant to former Sections 13124 and 13125 of the Food and Agricultural Code. Whenever a request for toxicity information is received concerning a chemical discussed in that report, the department shall notify the requestor of the nature and extent of any data gaps identified in the report with respect to that chemical. Whenever the repository receives a request about toxicity information on any other chemical, in addition to providing available information about the known toxic effects of exposure to the chemical, the repository shall also notify the requester of a determination by any state agency or federal agency that the chronic health effects testing data on the chemical is inadequate or incomplete. State agencies that maintain information on the toxic effects of chemicals shall provide the repository with access to that information.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 193, Sec. 116. Effective January 1, 2005.)