(a) The director
may assess all civil penalties provided in this section, giving due
consideration to the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the owner or
contractor, and the history of previous violations.
(b) Violations. The following shall apply to
violations:
(1) Any owner or contractor who
violates chapter
397, HRS, or any safety standards and
codes adopted pursuant to chapter
91, HRS, or who violates or fails to
comply with any order made under or by virtue of chapter
397, HRS, or who defaces, displaces,
destroys, damages, or removes without the authority of the department any
safety device, safeguard, notice, order, or warning required by chapter
397, HRS, its standards, or codes,
shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each such
violation;
(2) Any owner who allows
the installation, construction, reconstruction, relocation, or alteration of
any elevator or kindred equipment prior to obtaining an installation or
alteration permit as required by section
12-229-5.1
shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000. The penalty may be
reduced by a maximum of ten percent for history of past violations;
(3) Owners who fail to report an accident as
required by section
12-229-10.1
shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per instance.
Consideration may be given for good faith and history of violations;
(4) Owners who fail to maintain or provide
records or reports to the department as required by this part shall be assessed
a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per record not maintained or
provided;
(5) Repeated violations
shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000. Consideration may
be given for gravity only;
(6)
Owners who fail to take an elevator or kindred equipment out of service as
specified in section
12-229-7.1(b)(4)
shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000; and
(7) Each day a violation continues shall
constitute a separate violation except during an abatement period.
(c) Discrepancies and penalties.
The following shall apply to discrepancies and penalties:
(1) Any conditions found not in conformance
with applicable standard or codes adopted pursuant to chapter
397, HRS, shall be regarded as
discrepancies and shall be made known to the owner or contractor by letter or
written order to correct or both. All discrepancies shall be satisfactorily
resolved as soon as possible. When, in the opinion of the department, a
discrepancy constitutes a potentially serious hazard, the department may
prohibit the use of the equipment until the condition is abated. Failure to
abate unsafe conditions or failure to correct discrepancies within the time
prescribed shall be a violation subject to the civil penalties prescribed in
this section;
(2) Assessing
penalties.
(A) Consideration shall be given
to the gravity of the violation. For a violative condition that could not or
probably would not result in serious harm to life the penalty may be reduced by
forty percent;
(B) Consideration
shall be given to the good faith of the owner or contractor. For immediate
correction or for attempts to make correction or abate hazards that have been
thwarted by conditions beyond the control of the owner or contractor, the
penalty may be reduced by forty percent; and
(C) Consideration shall be given for the
history of previous violations. For no previous violations by the owner or
contractor, the penalty may be reduced by ten percent.
(d) Anyone who knowingly makes a
false statement on any document required by chapter
397, HRS, upon conviction, shall be
punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment or both. Any
evidence suggesting that a false statement may have been made shall be
immediately referred to the director, who shall consult with the state attorney
general for purposes of initiating appropriate action.