OSHA, LCB exchange letters about Brooks, safety of the building

The state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration raised concerns last week about  "an unstable and dangerous employee" in the Legislative Building, which prompted the director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau to respond today to assure inspectors precautions have been taken because of Assemblyman Steven Brooks' troubles.

The exchange of letters (both attached here) a week apart comes against a backdrop of renewed concerns about Brooks entering the building.

LCB Director Rick Combs wrote to OSHA's Chris Davis that he assumes "the complaint refers to Assemblyman Steven Brooks who was arrested before the commencement of the legislative session for allegedly making threats against Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick." Although Brooks obviously is not his employee, Combs emphasizes that he and his folks "have been following this situation closely" and "have estbalished various additional measures" when Brooks is in the building (he is now banned).

Combs said patrols past Brooks' office and the number of legislative police have been increased and he details the use of surveillance cameras. He and legislative officers have met with skittish folks and "a panic alarm button was installed at the desks of certain employees, either upon their request or because it was deemed advisable."

Combs was responding to a Feb. 4 letter from OSHA's Davis in which he informed the LCB boss a "notice of safety or health hazards" had been reported to the agency: "There is an unstable and dangerous employee that (sic) has been allowed to remain at this building despite many of our colleague's (sic) concerns regarding his frightening behavior, history of violence, known threats against other employees, arrests, psychiatric commitments and multiple recent instances of brandishing deadly weapons."

As if this story couldn't get stranger.....

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