HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 94565        FILED ON: 3/15/2010

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4565

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Ten

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An Act relative to floor finishing products..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 94 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 329. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings:-

“Floor finishing product”, any liquid or mixture used for any floor finishing operation, or formulated, marketed or otherwise intended for such use, including any paint, varnish, lacquer, lacquer sealers, stain or wax.

“Lacquer sealer”, a clear or pigmented wood finish, including clear lacquer sanding sealers, formulated with nitrocellulose or synthetic resins to dry by evaporation without chemical reaction.

“Commercial floor finishing operation”, the sanding of and application of any penetrating sealant or liquid coating that forms a hardened film to the surface of a wood floor, thereby altering the wood surface for purposes that are directly or indirectly connected with any business or other undertaking intended for profit.

No person shall sell, or keep or offer for sale, or have in his possession, or under his control, or use lacquer sealers with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit for commercial wood floor finishing operations.

No person shall use flammable floor finishing products with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit for any commercial floor finishing operation.

Whoever shall sell or keep for sale or offer for sale or have in his possession or under his control, or whoever shall use lacquer sealer in violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense or by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or both.  Whoever shall use any flammable floor finishing product in violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or both.