As used in this chapter:

1. (A) "Public employer" means any of the following:

   1. (1) The state and its instrumentalities;
   2. (2) Any political subdivisions and their instrumentalities, including any county, county hospital, municipal corporation, city, village, township, park district, school district, state institution of higher learning, public or special district, state agency, authority, commission, or board;
   3. (3) Any other branch of public employment not mentioned in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section.

2. (B) "Public employee" means any individual who engages to furnish services subject to the direction and control of a public employer, including those individuals working for a private employer who has contracted with a public employer and over whom the national labor relations board has declined jurisdiction. "Public employee" does not mean any of the following:

   1. (1) A firefighter, an emergency medical technician-basic, an emergency medical technician-intermediate, a paramedic, or a peace officer employed by a public employer as defined in division (A)(2) of this section, any member of the organized militia ordered to duty by state authority pursuant to Chapter 5923. of the Revised Code, or a firefighter, an emergency medical technician-basic, an emergency medical technician-intermediate, or a paramedic employed by a private employer that is organized as a nonprofit fire company or life squad that contracts with a public employer to provide fire protection or emergency medical services;
   2. (2) Any person employed as a correctional officer in a county or municipal corporation correctional institution, whether the county or municipal corporation solely or in conjunction with each other operates the institution;
   3. (3) Any person who engages to furnish services subject to the direction and control of a public employer but does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, for those services;
   4. (4) Any forest officer, park officer, watercraft officer, wildlife officer, or preserve officer.
3. (C) "Public employee representative" means an employee organization certified by the state employment relations board under section 4117.05 of the Revised Code as the exclusive representative of the public employees in a bargaining unit.
4. (D) "Employment risk reduction standard" means a standard which requires conditions, or the adoption or use of one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes, reasonably necessary or appropriate to provide safe and healthful employment and places of employment.
5. (E) "Ohio employment risk reduction standard" means any risk reduction standard adopted or issued under this chapter.

6. (F) "Undue hardship" means any requirement imposed under this chapter or a rule or order issued thereunder that would require a public employer to take an action with significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of all of the following factors:

   1. (1) The nature and cost of the action required under this chapter;
   2. (2) The overall financial resources of the public employer involved in the action;
   3. (3) The number of persons employed by the public employer at the particular location where the action may be required;
   4. (4) The effect on expenses and resources or the impact otherwise of the action required upon the operations of the public employer at the location where the action may be required;
   5. (5) The overall size of the public employer with respect to the number of its public employees;
   6. (6) The number, type, and location of the public employer's operations, including the composition, structure, and functions of the workforce of the public entity;
   7. (7) The geographic separateness, administrative, or fiscal relationship of the public employer's operations to the whole public employer.