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<section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="5.5-108" title_number="5.5" title_name="Railroad Safety and Health" subtitle_number="1">
  <level label="a">
    <text>As necessary, the Commissioner shall adopt appropriate health and safety standards and other regulations relating to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>sanitation on railroad property as it affects the health of railroad employees, including clerical employees, engine workers, express employees, freight house employees, highway crossing watchmen, maintenance of way employees, platform employees, train workers, and yard workers; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>all other areas of railroad safety and health.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>To adopt a railroad health and safety standard or other regulation, the Commissioner shall comply with this section and Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An economic impact statement prepared in accordance with § 10-111(c) of the State Government Article shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>include direct and indirect effects of the regulation on the railroad industry, the public, and railroad employees; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>set forth any alternative approach available.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If acceptable alternative approaches are available in adoption of a regulation, the Commissioner shall adopt the approach that has the least burdensome economic impact on the railroad industry, the public, and railroad employees.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, railroad health and safety standards and other regulations that the Commissioner adopts shall be effective as provided in § 10-117 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commissioner may delay the effective date of a regulation for not more than 90 days to ensure that railroad companies have an opportunity to familiarize their agents and employees with the requirements of the regulation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this title but subject to the limitations on emergency adoption in Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article, the Commissioner may adopt immediately an emergency health and safety standard that the Commissioner determines is needed to protect the public and employees from the grave danger of exposure to an agent or condition determined to be toxic or physically harmful.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An emergency health and safety standard adopted under this subsection remains in effect until the earlier of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>expiration of a period that the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review sets;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>expiration of a period, not exceeding 6 months, that the Commissioner sets; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>replacement of the emergency health and safety standard by another regulation adopted in accordance with this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>On request of a railroad company:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the Commissioner shall hold a hearing and receive evidence pertaining to any emergency temporary health and safety standard; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>within 10 days after the request for a hearing, the Commissioner shall revoke, modify, or continue the standard.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If a railroad company is aggrieved by an emergency temporary standard:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the railroad company shall have the right to an immediate appeal to a court of competent jurisdiction; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the court shall hear and decide the appeal.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commissioner shall keep in the office of the Commissioner a set of the current regulations adopted to carry out this title.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commissioner may set a fee for the cost to prepare and mail a copy of the current regulations.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>On request and payment of the fee, if any, the Commissioner shall send a person a copy of the current regulations.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
