Arizona has become the latest state to pass a law prohibiting employers from banning guns in the workplace as long as they are safely locked in vehicles.

The new law prohibits employers from enforcing policies that would ban employees from lawfully storing firearms in locked private vehicles in company parking lots.

Similar laws have been passed in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah.

The Arizona law, which comes into effect Sept. 30 of this year, prohibits property owners, tenants, public or private employers or business entities from maintaining or enforcing any policy or rule that would forbid employees (as well as visitors and customers) from lawfully transporting or storing a firearm, provided that the firearm is:

• In the employee's locked and privately-owned vehicle or in a locked compartment of a privately owned motorcycle
• Not visible from the outside of the vehicle or motorcycle.

The Arizona law includes some restrictions involving other state or federal laws, employer-owned vehicles, alternative parking areas, residential property and military property.

The list of states with existing or proposed laws that permit workplace firearms growing, but despite these new laws, employers are still not relieved of their OSHA responsibility to keep the workplace safe - including the parking lot.

Editor's Note: To help employers walk this fine line, SafetyXChange offers a new audio conference. Join us as James P. Anelli tells you what you need to know about the new firearms laws - and what you can do to protect the safety of your employees and minimize the risk to your company.

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