Bill > SF1346

This bill, named the Brady Aune and Joseph Anderson Safety Act, establishes new safety requirements for commercial diving operations, particularly those involving aquatic plant management. The bill amends existing law to require permit holders who use scuba diving equipment to provide documentation of a third-party hazard survey conducted by a qualified safety professional within the past year, which must include a written report evaluating safety practices, equipment, and training. The commissioner of natural resources is now prohibited from issuing or renewing commercial mechanical control permits to individuals or entities with recent occupational safety violations related to scuba diving, and can also deny permits to "successor persons" who share similar business characteristics with those who have violated safety standards. The bill introduces comprehensive new requirements for commercial diving operations, including mandatory certifications for divers, specific equipment standards (such as buoyancy-control devices, dive beacons, and emergency signaling devices), the requirement for a standby rescue-certified diver, and first aid and CPR training for all divers. Additionally, the commissioner of labor and industry must develop an information sheet explaining these new requirements and make it available to employers. These provisions aim to enhance workplace safety for commercial divers, particularly those working in aquatic plant management, and become effective between May and October 2025.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF1346&ssn=0&y=2025