Chapter 254

254.179(3) (3) Subject to s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules that set forth safe work practices that shall be followed in the demolition of a building constructed before January 1, 1978, to avoid exposure by persons to lead hazards in the area of the demolition.

254.179 History History: 1999 a. 113; 2005 a. 25, 254.

254.18 254.18 Lead hazard reduction in dwellings and premises; renovations.

254.18(1) (1) Sampling or testing of dwellings, units of dwellings or premises for the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is not required before lead hazard reduction activities are conducted if the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is assumed and the lead hazard reduction activities are performed in a lead-safe manner.

254.18(2) (2) 

254.18(2)(a) (a) In this subsection, “partial lead inspection” means an on-site investigation of one or more painted, varnished, or otherwise coated building components to determine the presence of lead, but not a surface-by-surface investigation.

254.18(2)(b) (b) If the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is assumed and a renovation of a dwelling, unit of a dwelling, or premises is performed in a lead-safe manner, any person who performs a partial lead inspection relating to that renovation is not required to comply with any requirements established by the department for a lead inspection.

254.18(2)(c) (c) The person who performs a partial lead inspection under this subsection shall disclose, in writing, to the owner or lessor of the dwelling or premises that the person performed a partial lead inspection.

254.18 History History: 1999 a. 113; 2015 a. 122.

254.181 254.181 Certificate of lead-free status and certificate of lead-safe status; fees and notification.

254.181(1) (1) The department may impose a fee of $50 for issuance of a certificate of lead-free status and a fee of $25 for issuance of a certificate of lead-safe status. Fees under this section may not exceed actual costs of issuance and of s. 254.179. The department shall review the fees every 2 years and adjust the fees to reflect the actual costs.

254.181(2) (2) The department shall, at least quarterly, notify a local health department concerning issuance of certificates of lead-free status and certificates of lead-safe status in the area of jurisdiction of the local health department.

254.181 History History: 1999 a. 113.

254.182 254.182 Repayment to general fund. The secretary of administration shall transfer from the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (gm) to the general fund the amount of $735,000 when the secretary of administration determines that program revenues from fees imposed under ss. 254.176 (3) (e) and (4), 254.178 (2) (d) and 254.181 are sufficient to make the transfer.

254.182 History History: 1999 a. 113.

254.19 254.19 Asbestos testing fees. Notwithstanding s. 36.25 (11) (f), the state laboratory of hygiene board shall impose a fee sufficient to pay for any asbestos testing services which it provides.

254.19 History History: 1987 a. 396; 1993 a. 27 s. 317; Stats. 1993 s. 254.19.

254.20 254.20 Asbestos abatement certification.

254.20(2) (2) Certification requirements.

254.20(2)(a) (a) No person serving on the governing body of a school, employed by a school or acting under a contract with a school may perform any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity unless he or she has a valid certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(b) (b) No public employee may perform any asbestos abatement activity unless he or she has a valid certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(c) (c) No public employee may supervise the performance of any asbestos abatement activity unless he or she has a valid supervisor’s certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(d) (d) Except as provided in s. 250.041 and subject to s. 254.115, the department may establish by rule certification requirements for any person not certified under pars. (a) to (c) who performs any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity or who supervises the performance of any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity.

254.20(3) (3) Certification procedure.

254.20(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 250.041 and subject to sub. (4m), the department may establish by rule eligibility requirements for persons applying for a certification card required under sub. (2). Any training required by the department under this paragraph may be approved by the department or provided by the department under sub. (8).

254.20(3)(b) (b) Except as provided in s. 250.041, the department shall establish the procedure for issuing certification cards under this subsection. In establishing that procedure, the department shall prescribe an application form and establish an examination procedure and may require applicants to provide photographic identification.

254.20(4) (4) Renewal. A certification card issued under sub. (3) is valid for one year. Except as provided in s. 250.041 and subject to s. 254.115, the department may establish requirements for renewing such a card, including but not limited to additional training.

254.20(4m) (4m) Military service. Any relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant has obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), counts toward satisfying the requirements for education, training, instruction, or other experience to obtain a certification card under this section if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to obtain a certification card under this section.

254.20(5) (5) Fees.

254.20(5)(a) (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) and (c), the department shall charge the following fees for certification cards issued under sub. (3) or renewed under sub. (4):

254.20(5)(a)1. 1. For a certification card issued or renewed for the performance of any asbestos abatement activity, as required under sub. (2) (a), (b) or (d), $50.

254.20(5)(a)2. 2. For a certification card issued or renewed for performance of an inspection for asbestos-containing material or the design of an asbestos response action, as required under sub. (2) (a) or (d), $150.

254.20(5)(a)3. 3. For a certification card issued or renewed for supervising the performance of any asbestos abatement activity, as required under sub. (2) (c), $100.

254.20(5)(a)4. 4. For a certification card issued or renewed for performance of the development of an asbestos management plan, as required under sub. (2) (a) or (d), $100.

254.20(5)(b) (b) The department may change by rule the fee amounts specified under par. (a). The fees received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (gm).

254.20(5)(c) (c) The department may not charge a fee for a certification card issued under this section to an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44.

254.20(6) (6) Suspension or revocation. The department may, under this section, suspend or revoke a certification card issued under sub. (3) if it determines that the holder of the card is not qualified to be certified.

254.20(7) (7) Appeals. Any suspension, revocation or nonrenewal of a certification card required under sub. (2) or any denial of an application for such a certification card is subject to judicial review under ch. 227, except as provided in s. 250.041 and except that the only hearing rights available for a denial, revocation, or nonrenewal of a certification card required under sub. (2) based on tax delinquency under s. 73.0301 or unemployment insurance contribution delinquency under s. 108.227 are those set forth in s. 73.0301 (5) or 108.227 (5), whichever is applicable.

254.20(8) (8) Training courses. The department may conduct or contract for any training course necessary to prepare persons for a certification card required under sub. (2). The department may establish a fee for any course offered under this subsection. The fee may not exceed the actual cost of the course. The fees received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (gm).

254.20(9) (9) Rules. The department may promulgate any rule it deems necessary to administer this section.

254.20(10) (10) Enforcement.

254.20(10)(a) (a) The department may enter, at any reasonable time, any property, premises or place in which any person required to have a certification card under sub. (2) is engaged in any asbestos abatement activity to determine if the department has issued that person a valid certification card. No person may refuse entry or access to any representative of the department authorized by the department to act under this paragraph if that representative requests entry for purposes of determining compliance with this section, if that representative presents a valid identification issued to the representative by the department and if that representative is complying with par. (b). No person may obstruct, hamper or interfere with the actions of that representative under this paragraph.

254.20(10)(b) (b) Any representative of the department acting under par. (a) shall comply with any health and safety procedure established by law for persons engaged in asbestos abatement activities.

254.20(10)(c) (c) If the department determines that any person required to have a certification card under sub. (2) has violated this section, the department may order that person to cease the violation. The order may require all asbestos abatement activities on the premises where the violation occurs to cease until the violation is corrected if there is no person on the premises with a valid certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3). The department shall give the order in writing to that person or that person’s representative.

254.20(10)(d) (d) Any other state agency, in the course of the performance of its duties, may determine compliance with the certification requirements of this section. If that agency determines that there is a violation of this section, it shall notify the department of that violation.

254.20(10)(e) (e) The department may initiate an action in the name of this state against any person to require compliance with this section.

254.20(11) (11) Penalty. Any person who violates this section or any rule promulgated or order issued under this section shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each violation. Each day of violation and each violation constitutes a separate offense.

254.20 History History: 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 173; 1993 a. 27 ss. 188, 193; 1997 a. 191, 237; 2011 a. 120, 209; 2013 a. 36.

254.20 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 159, Wis. adm. code.

254.21 254.21 Asbestos management.

254.21(2) (2) The department shall promulgate rules to do all of the following:

254.21(2)(a) (a) Establish building inspection requirements and procedures to protect students and employees from asbestos hazards in schools.

254.21(2)(b) (b) Regulate asbestos abatement activities in schools.

254.21(2)(c) (c) Establish requirements for the maintenance of asbestos-containing material in schools which contain asbestos-containing material.

254.21(2)(d) (d) Establish priorities for asbestos abatement activities in schools which contain asbestos-containing materials.

254.21(2)(e) (e) Require a management plan for asbestos-containing material in every school which contains asbestos-containing material.

254.21(2m) (2m) No requirement under sub. (2) may be stricter than any requirement under 15 USC 2641 to 2654.

254.21(3) (3) A school district and any school which is not a public school may apply to the department for a variance to any standard adopted under this section under the provisions of s. 101.055 (4) (a) to (c).

254.21(4) (4) Any person who intentionally violates any rule promulgated under this section shall forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each violation. Each violation constitutes a separate offense and each day of continued violation is a separate offense.

254.21 History History: 1987 a. 396; 1993 a. 27 s. 364, 366; Stats. 1993 s. 254.21.

254.22 254.22 Indoor air quality. The department shall do all of the following:

254.22(1) (1) Investigate illness or disease outbreaks suspected of being caused by poor indoor air quality. The department shall promote or require control measures if indoor air quality is established to be the cause of illness or disease outbreaks.

254.22(2) (2) Assist local health departments in the adoption of regulations that establish standards for indoor air quality in public buildings to protect the occupants from adverse health effects due to exposure to chemical or biological contaminants.

254.22(3) (3) Provide training and technical support to local health departments for conducting indoor air quality testing and investigations.

254.22(4) (4) Assist the department of safety and professional services with the enforcement of s. 101.123.

254.22 History History: 1993 a. 27; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6331, 9116 (5); 2011 a. 32.

254.30 254.30 Enforcement; penalties.

254.30(1) (1) Enforcement.

254.30(1)(a) (a) The department may enter, at any reasonable time, a dwelling or premises undergoing any lead hazard reduction to determine if all persons engaged in lead hazard reduction have been appropriately certified if required under s. 254.176.

254.30(1)(b) (b) The department may report any violation of ss. 254.11 to 254.178 or rules promulgated, or orders issued, under those sections to the district attorney of the county in which the dwelling is located. The district attorney shall enforce ss. 254.11 to 254.178 and rules promulgated, and orders issued, under those sections. If a circuit court determines that an owner of a rented or leased dwelling or premises has failed to comply with an order issued under ss. 254.11 to 254.178, the circuit court may order the occupants of the affected dwelling or premises to withhold rent in escrow until the owner of the dwelling or premises complies with the order.

254.30(1)(c) (c) Sections 254.11 to 254.178 do not limit the ability of the department to require abatement of human health hazards involving lead under s. 254.59.

254.30(2) (2) Penalties.

254.30(2)(a) (a) Civil penalty. Any person who violates ss. 254.11 to 254.178 or rules promulgated, or orders issued, under those sections may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 per violation. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.

254.30(2)(b) (b) Criminal penalty. Any person who knowingly violates any provision of ss. 254.11 to 254.178 or any rule promulgated, or order issued, under those sections shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 per violation. The court may place the person on probation under s. 973.09 for a period not to exceed 2 years.

254.30 History History: 1979 c. 221; 1987 a. 332; 1993 a. 27 s. 439; Stats. 1993 s. 254.30; 1993 a. 450; 2015 a. 55.

subch. III of ch. 254 SUBCHAPTER III

RADIATION PROTECTION

254.31 254.31 Definitions. In this subchapter:

254.31(1) (1) “By-product material” means any of the following:

254.31(1)(a) (a) Radioactive material, except special nuclear material, yielded in or made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incident to the process of producing or utilizing special nuclear material.

254.31(1)(b) (b) The tailings or waste produced by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from any ore processed primarily for its source material content.

254.31(2) (2) “Decommissioning” means conducting final operational activities at a nuclear facility to dismantle site structures, to decontaminate site surfaces and remaining structures, to stabilize and contain residual radioactive material and to carry out any other activities necessary to prepare the site for postoperational care.

254.31(2m) (2m) “General license” means a license, under requirements prescribed by the department by rule, to possess, use, transfer or acquire by-product material or devices or equipment utilizing by-product material without the filing of a license application by a person or issuance of licensing confirmation by the department.

254.31(3g) (3g) “Ionizing radiation” means all radiations capable of producing ions directly or indirectly in their passage through matter, including all of the following:

254.31(3g)(a) (a) Electromagnetic radiations, including X-rays and gamma rays.

254.31(3g)(b) (b) Particulate radiations, including electrons, beta particles, protons, neutrons, alpha particles and other nuclear particles.

254.31(3p) (3p) “Nonionizing radiation” means electromagnetic radiation, other than ionizing radiation, and any sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic wave.

254.31(4) (4) “Nuclear facility” means any reactor plant, any equipment or device used for the separation of the isotopes of uranium or plutonium, the processing or utilizing of radioactive material or handling, processing or packaging waste; any premises, structure, excavation or place of storage or disposition of waste or by-product material; or any equipment used for or in connection with the transportation of such material.

254.31(4p) (4p) “Radiation” means both ionizing and nonionizing radiation.