CA AB2537

Requires public and private employers of workers in general acute care hospitals to supply personal protective equipment (N95 respirators, surgical masks, isolation gowns, eye protection, and shoe coverings) to employees who provide direct patient care or directly support patient care.

Mandates employers maintain a stockpile of specified personal protective equipment equal to 3 months of normal consumption beginning April 1, 2021, with equipment being unexpired, new, and unused.

Authorizes civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation for failing to maintain required equipment stockpiles, except when equipment shortages result from circumstances beyond the employer's control such as unfulfilled orders or theft.

Requires general acute care hospitals to report to the Department of Industrial Relations by January 15, 2021 their highest 7-day consecutive daily average consumption of personal protective equipment during 2019, under penalty of perjury.

Requires employers to establish written procedures for periodically determining the quantity and types of equipment used in normal consumption and grants the Division of Occupational Safety and Health enforcement authority through citation issuance.