Section 149.5.

The appeals board may award reasonable costs, including attorney's fees, consultant's fees, and witness' fees, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) in the aggregate, to any employer who appeals a citation resulting from an inspection or investigation conducted on or after January 1, 1980, issued for violation of an occupational safety and health standard, rule, order, or regulation established pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 140) of Division 1, if (1) either the employer prevails in the appeal, or the citation is withdrawn, and (2) the appeals board finds that the issuance of the citation was the result of arbitrary or capricious action or conduct by the division.

The appeals board shall adopt rules of practice and procedure to implement this section.

The payment of costs pursuant to this section shall be from funds in the regular operating budget of the division. The division shall show in its proposed budget for each fiscal year the following information with respect to the prior fiscal year:

(a) The total costs paid.

(b) The number of cases in which costs were paid.

(Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1077.)