Chapter 296-155 Safety standards for construction work.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 93-22-054 (Order 93-07), § 296-155-176, filed 10/29/93, effective 12/10/93.]

WAC 296-155-176, Lead, applies to all construction work where an employee may be occupationally exposed to lead. All construction work excluded from coverage in the general industry standard for lead by WAC 296-62-07521 (1)(b) is covered by this standard. Construction work is def…

Action level. Employee exposure, without regard to the use of respirators, to an airborne concentration of lead of 30 micrograms per cubic meter of air (30 µg/m3) calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).Competent person. One who is capable of identifying existing and …

(1) You must ensure that no employee is exposed to lead at concentrations greater than 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3) averaged over an 8-hour period.(2) If an employee is exposed to lead for more than 8 hours in any work day the employees' allowable exposure, as …

(1) General.(a) Each employer who has a workplace or operation covered by this standard must initially determine if any employee may be exposed to lead at or above the action level.(b) For the purposes of this section, employee exposure is that exposure which would occur if the e…

(1) Engineering and work practice controls. You must implement engineering and work practice controls, including administrative controls, to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead to or below the permissible exposure limit to the extent that such controls are feasible. Whe…

(1) General. For employees who use respirators required by WAC 296-155-176, you must provide each employee with an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of this section. Respirators must be used during:(a) Periods when an employee's exposure to lead exceeds t…

(1) Provision and use. Where an employee is exposed to lead above the PEL without regard to the use of respirators, where employees are exposed to lead compounds which may cause skin or eye irritation (e.g., lead arsenate, lead azide), and as protection for employees performing t…

(1) You must maintain all surfaces as free as practicable of accumulations of lead.(2) You must perform clean-up of floors and other surfaces where lead accumulates, wherever possible, by vacuuming or other methods that minimize the likelihood of lead becoming airborne.(3) Shovel…

(1) You must ensure that in areas where employees are exposed to lead above the PEL without regard to the use of respirators, food or beverage is not present or consumed, tobacco products are not present or used, and cosmetics are not applied.(2) Change areas.(a) You must provide…

(1) General.(a) You must make available initial medical surveillance to employees occupationally exposed on any day to lead at or above the action level. Initial medical surveillance consists of biological monitoring in the form of blood sampling and analysis for lead and zinc pr…

(1) Temporary medical removal and return of an employee.(a) Temporary removal due to elevated blood lead level. You must remove an employee from work having an exposure to lead at or above the action level on each occasion that a periodic and a follow-up blood sampling test condu…

(1) General.(a) Hazard communication. You must include lead in the program established to comply with the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), WAC 296-901-140. You must ensure that each employee has access to labels on containers of lead and safety data sheets, and is trained in …

(1) You must post the following warning signs in each work area where an employee's exposure to lead is above the PEL.DANGER LEAD WORK AREAMAY DAMAGE FERTILITY OR THE UNBORN CHILDCAUSES DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMDO NOT EAT, DRINK OR SMOKE IN THIS AREA(2) You must ensure…

(1) Exposure assessment.(a) You must establish and maintain an accurate record of all monitoring and other data used in conducting employee exposure assessments as required in WAC 296-155-17609.(b) Exposure monitoring records must include:(i) The date(s), number, duration, locati…

(1) Employee observation. You must provide affected employees or their designated representatives an opportunity to observe any monitoring of employee exposure to lead conducted pursuant to WAC 296-155-17609.(2) Observation procedures.(a) Whenever observation of the monitoring of…

The information contained in the appendices to WAC 296-155-176 is not intended by itself, to create any additional obligations not otherwise imposed by this standard nor detract from any existing obligation.(1) Substance identification.(a) Substance: Pure lead (Pb) is a heavy met…

This appendix summarizes key provisions of the standard for lead in construction that you as a worker should become familiar with.(1) Permissible exposure limit (PEL)—WAC 296-62-17607.The standard sets a permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of…

(1) Introduction.The primary purpose of the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act of 1973 is to assure, so far as possible, safe and healthful working conditions for every working person. The occupational health standard for lead in construction is designed to protect worke…

General.You must develop and maintain a hazard communication program as required by WAC 296-901-14010, which will provide information to all employees relative to hazardous chemicals or substances to which they are exposed, or may become exposed, in the course of their employment…

(1) Supplying personal protective equipment.(a) You must use personal protective equipment (PPE) wherever physical contact, absorption, or inhalation of a hazard could cause any injury or impairment to the function of any part of the body. These hazards include:• Hazardous proces…

Catenary life line. A horizontal rope between two fixed anchorages, independent of the work surface, to which the lanyard is attached, either by tying or by means of a sliding connection. A catenary life line must be capable of supporting a minimum dead weight of 5,400 pounds per…

All work conducted in a confined space must comply with the provisions of chapter 296-809 WAC, and the following sections.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-203, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16. Statutory Authority: Cha…

Confined space. A space that:(1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that ma…

New systems under construction or new installations which have not yet been connected to a used system, may substitute forced ventilation for the testing requirements of chapter 296-809 WAC provided:(1) Ventilation is effectively provided at least 5 minutes prior to entry into th…

(1) All employees on any construction site must be provided an individual hard hat which meets all requirements of (a) through (c) of this subsection.(a) Hard hats for the protection of employees against impact and/or penetration of falling and flying objects must meet the specif…

The hearing protection requirements of chapter 296-817 WAC, Hearing loss prevention (noise), apply.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 03-11-060, § 296-155-210, filed 5/19/03, effective 8/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17…

Employees whose duties require them to operate a power chain saw must wear flexible ballistic nylon pads, sewn or otherwise fastened into the trousers, or other equivalent protection that will protect the vulnerable areas of the legs.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040…

(1) Substantial footwear, made of leather or other equally firm material, must be worn by employees in any occupation in which there is a danger of injury to the feet through falling or moving objects, or from burning, scalding, cutting, penetration, or like hazard.(a) The soles …

(1) General.(a) Employees must use eye and face protection equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.(b) Eye and face protection equipment required by this part must meet the requirements specified in A…

The respiratory protection requirements applicable to construction work under this section are identical to those set forth in chapter 296-842 WAC.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 05-03-093, § 296-155-220, filed 1/18/05, effective 3/1/05. …

(1) When an employee is employed under conditions which expose them to a risk of drowning, they must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life saving device, unless it can be shown that conditions, such as shallow water, are such that flotation would not be achieved.(2) Prior to and …

Goggles, gloves, respirators and other protectors must not be interchanged among employees for use unless they have been thoroughly cleaned since last use.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-240, filed 4/19/16, effective …

(1) Every employer that does not require employees or contractors to wear a specific type of personal protective equipment as determined under the PPE hazard assessment, employer policy, or where otherwise required to comply with safety and health standard rules, must allow its e…

Approved. For the purpose of this part, means equipment that has been listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Factory Mutual Engineering Corp., or Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., federal agencies such as United States Mine Safety and Health Admi…

(1) General requirements.(a) You must be responsible for development of a fire protection program to be followed throughout all phases of construction and demolition work, and you must provide for firefighting equipment as specified in this part. As fire hazards occur, you must n…

(1) Ignition hazards.(a) Electrical wiring and equipment for light, heat, or power purposes must be installed in compliance with the requirements of Part I of this standard.(b) You must locate internal combustion engine powered equipment so that exhausts are well away from combus…

(1) General requirements.(a) You must use only approved containers and portable tanks for storage and handling of flammable liquids. You must use approved metal safety cans, or department of transportation approved containers for the handling and use of flammable liquids in quant…

(1) Approval of equipment and systems.(a) Each system must have containers, valves, connectors, manifold valve assemblies, and regulators of an approved type.(b) All cylinders must meet the department of transportation specification identification requirements published in 49 C.F…

(1) Ventilation.(a) You must supply fresh air in sufficient quantities to maintain the health and safety of workers. Where natural means of fresh air supply is inadequate, you must provide mechanical ventilation.(b) When heaters are used in confined spaces, you must take special …

Definition:Flagger. A person who provides temporary traffic control.MUTCD. The Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control as currently modified and adopted by the Washington state department of transportation.Link:For the current version of the MUTCD, see …

You must make sure that barricades used for the protection of employees meet the requirements of Part VI of the MUTCD.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-310, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16; WSR 04-24-089, § 296-155-310…

Barricade. An obstruction to deter the passage of persons or vehicles.Signs. The warnings of hazard, temporarily or permanently affixed or placed, at locations where hazards exist.Signals. Moving signs, provided by workers, such as flaggers, or by devices, such as flashing lights…

(1) General.(a) You must stack, rack, block, interlock, or otherwise secure materials stored in tiers to prevent sliding, falling or collapse.(b) You must conspicuously post maximum safe load limits of floors within buildings and structures, in pounds per square foot, in all stor…

(1) Whenever materials are dropped more than 20 feet to any point lying outside the exterior walls of the building, you must use an enclosed chute of wood, or equivalent material. For the purpose of this subsection, an enclosed chute is a slide, closed in on all sides, through wh…

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and chapter 49.17 RCW, and 29 C.F.R. 1926, Subpart CC. WSR 13-02-068, § 296-155-336, filed 12/31/12, effective 2/1/13.]

(1) This part applies to material/load handling activities when using slings, rigging hardware, below-the-hook lifting devices when performing construction activities. (2) This part does not apply to power-operated cranes and derricks when performing construction activities that …