81-5,239.

Request for investigation of alleged violation; preliminary inquiry; formal investigation; procedure.

(1) Any person may make a request for an investigation into an alleged violation of the Conveyance Safety Act by giving notice to the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector of such violation or danger.

(2) Upon receipt of a request for an investigation, the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector shall perform a preliminary inquiry into the charges contained in the request for investigation. A request for an investigation may be made in person or by telephone call and shall set forth with reasonable particularity the grounds for the request for an investigation. During the preliminary inquiry, the name, address, and telephone number of the person making the request for an investigation shall be available only to the State Fire Marshal, state elevator inspector, or other person carrying out the preliminary inquiry on behalf of the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector. The State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector shall keep a record of each request for an investigation received under this section for three years after such request is made.

(3) If after the preliminary inquiry the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that such violation or danger exists and is likely to continue to exist such that the operation of the conveyance endangers the public, the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector shall cause a formal investigation to be made. During the formal investigation, a statement shall be taken from the person who made the request for an investigation and the person's name, address, and telephone number shall be made available to any opposing parties upon request.

(4) If the State Fire Marshal or state elevator inspector determines that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that a violation or danger exists under either subsection (2) or (3) of this section, the State Fire Marshal shall notify the person requesting the investigation in writing of such determination.