Chapter 296-24 General safety and health standards.

This section contains the design and installation requirements for fixed extinguishing systems using gaseous agents.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. WSR 82-02-003 (Order 81-32), § 296-24-623, filed 12/24/81.]

(1) Scope. This section applies to all fixed extinguishing systems, using a gas as the extinguishing agent, installed to meet a particular DOSH standard. These systems must also comply with WAC 296-24-617. In some cases, the gas may be in a liquid state during storage.(2) Applica…

(1) You must ensure that agents used for initial supply and replenishment are of the type approved for the system's application. Carbon dioxide obtained by dry ice conversion to liquid is not acceptable unless it is processed to remove excess water and oil.(2) You must ensure tha…

(1) Scope and application. This section applies only to those systems which use gaseous agents. The requirements of WAC 296-24-617 also apply to the gaseous agent systems covered in this section.(2) Design concentrations. Total flooding gaseous systems are based on the volume of …

This section contains the design and installation requirements for extinguishing systems using water or foam solution as the extinguishing agent.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. WSR 82-02-003 (Order 81-32), § 296-24-627, filed 12/24/81.]

This section applies to all fixed extinguishing systems, using water or foam solution as the extinguishing agent, installed to meet a particular DOSH standard. These systems must also comply with WAC 296-24-617. This section does not apply to automatic sprinkler systems which are…

(1) You must ensure that foam and water spray systems are designed to be effective in at least controlling fire in the protected area or on protected equipment.(2) You must ensure that drainage of water spray systems is directed away from areas where employees are working and tha…

(1) Scope and application. This section applies to those systems that use water spray or foam. The requirements of WAC 296-24-617 also apply to this type of system.(2) Characteristics of foams. When selecting the type of foam for a specific hazard, the employer should consider th…

The requirements for installation, restoration, maintenance, testing and protection of fire detection systems and the criteria for response time can be found in this section.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. WSR 82-02-003 (Order 81-32), § 296-24-629, filed 12/24/…

This section applies to all automatic fire detection systems installed to meet the requirements of a particular DOSH standard.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 15-24-100, § 296-24-62901, filed 12/1/15, effective 1/5/16. Statutory Author…

(1) You must ensure that all devices and equipment constructed and installed to comply with this standard are approved for the purpose for which they are intended.(2) You must restore all fire detection systems and components to normal operating condition as promptly as possible …

(1) You must maintain all systems in an operable condition except during repairs or maintenance.(2) You must ensure that fire detectors and fire detection systems are tested and adjusted as often as needed to maintain proper reliability and operating condition except that factory…

(1) You must ensure that fire detection equipment installed outdoors or in the presence of corrosive atmospheres be protected from corrosion. The employer shall provide a canopy, hood, or other suitable protection for detection equipment requiring protection from the weather.(2) …

(1) You must ensure that fire detection systems installed for the purpose of actuating fire extinguishment or suppression systems shall be designed to operate in time to control or extinguish a fire.(2) You must ensure that fire detection systems installed for the purpose of empl…

You must ensure that the number, spacing and location of fire detectors is based upon design data obtained from field experience, or tests, engineering surveys, the manufacturer's recommendations, or a recognized testing laboratory listing.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.…

(1) Installation and restoration. Fire detection systems must be designed by knowledgeable engineers or other professionals, with expertise in fire detection systems and when the systems are installed, there should be an acceptance test performed on the system to insure it operat…

The following table contains a cross-reference listing of those current national consensus standards which contains information and guidelines that would be considered acceptable in complying with requirements in the specific sections.SectionNational Consensus StandardWAC 296-24-…

(1) Appendix general references. The following references provide information which can be helpful in understanding the requirements contained in all of the sections of Part G:(a) Fire Protection Handbook, National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-…

This appendix contains test methods which must be used to determine if protective clothing affords the required level of protection as specified in chapter 296-811 WAC - fire brigades.(1) Puncture resistance test method for foot protection.(a) Apparatus. You must perform the punc…

You must protect employees from exposure to hexavalent chromium during the stainless steel welding process. See WAC 296-62-08003, Hexavalent chromium for specific criteria.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 15-24-100, § 296-24-680, filed…

Welder and welding operator. Any operator of electric or gas welding and cutting equipment.Approved. Listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Refer to WAC 296-24-58501(19) for definitions of listed and approved, and federal regulation 29 C.F.R. 1910.7 for…

[Order 73-5, § 296-24-682, filed 5/9/73 and Order 73-4, § 296-24-682, filed 5/7/73.]

(1) Flammable mixture. You must guard against mixtures of fuel gases and air or oxygen may be explosive and . You must not allow any device or attachment facilitating or permitting mixtures of air or oxygen with flammable gases prior to consumption, except at the burner or in a s…

(1) Approval and marking. All portable cylinders used for the storage and shipment of compressed gases must be constructed and maintained in accordance with the regulations of the United States Department of Transportation, 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-179.(a) You must legibly mark compre…

(1) Fuel-gas manifolds.(a) You must approve manifolds either separately for each component part or as an assembled unit.(b) Except as provided in (1)(c) of this section you must limit fuel-gas cylinders connected to one manifold inside a building to a total capacity not exceeding…

(1) Materials and design. (a) Piping and fittings must comply with Section 2, Industrial Gas and Air Piping Systems, of the American National Standard Code for Pressure Piping, ANSI B 31.1-1967, insofar as it does not conflict with WAC 296-24-68207 (1)(b) and (c).(b) Pipe must be…

(1) General. You must install and use only in the service for which it is approved and as recommended by the manufacturer.(2) Pressure relief devices. You must protect service piping systems by pressure relief devices set to function at not more than the design pressure of the sy…

(1) Approval and marking.(a) Generators must be of approved construction and you must plainly mark them with the maximum rate of acetylene in cubic feet per hour for which they are designed; the weight and size of carbide necessary for a single charge; the manufacturer's name and…

(1) Packaging.(a) You must contain calcium carbide in metal packages of sufficient strength to prevent rupture. The packages must be provided with a screw top or equivalent. These packages must be constructed water- and air-tight. You must not use solder in such a manner that the…

(1) Installation requirements. Installation and operation of welding, cutting, and related equipment must be done by, or under the supervision of, a competent operator to insure the personal protection of viewers and demonstrators as well as the protection from fire, of materials…

[Order 73-5, § 296-24-685, filed 5/9/73 and Order 73-4, § 296-24-685, filed 5/7/73.]

(1) Equipment selection. You must choose welding equipment for safe application to the work to be done as specified in WAC 296-24-68503.(2) Installation. You must install welding equipment safely as specified by WAC 296-24-68505.(3) Instruction. Workers designated to operate arc …

Note:Assurance of consideration of safety in design is obtainable by choosing apparatus complying with the Requirements for Electric Arc-Welding Apparatus, NEMA EW-1-1962, National Electrical Manufacturers Association or the Safety Standard for Transformer-Type Arc-Welding Machin…

(1) General. Installation including power supply must be according to the requirements of chapter 296-24 WAC Part L, and WAC 296-800-280.(2) Grounding.(a) You must ground the frame or case of the welding machine (except engine-driven machines) under the conditions and according t…

(1) General. Workers assigned to operate or maintain arc welding equipment must be acquainted with the requirements of WAC 296-24-68501 through 296-24-68505, 296-24-69501 through 296-24-69507, 296-24-70001 through 296-24-70007 and 296-24-71501 through 296-24-71525; if doing gas-s…

[Order 73-5, § 296-24-690, filed 5/9/73 and Order 73-4, § 296-24-690, filed 5/7/73.]

(1) Installation. All equipment must be installed by a qualified electrician in conformance with chapter 296-24 WAC Part L, and WAC 296-800-280. There must be a safety-type disconnecting switch or a circuit breaker or circuit interrupter to open each power circuit to the machine,…

(1) Voltage. All external weld initiating control circuits must operate on low voltage, not over 120 volts.(2) Capacitor welding. You must suitably insulate or protect stored energy or capacitor discharge type of resistance welding equipment and control panels involving high volt…

(1) Counter-balance. All portable welding guns must have suitable counter-balanced devices for supporting the guns, including cables, unless the design of the gun or fixture makes counterbalancing impractical or unnecessary.(2) Safety chains. All portable welding guns, transforme…

(1) Ventilation and flash guard. Flash welding machines must be equipped with a hood to control flying flash. In cases of high production, where materials may contain a film of oil and where toxic elements and metal fumes are given off, you must provide ventilation in accordance …

You must ensure that a job hazard analysis is made, by qualified personnel, of the operations to be performed on each welding machine to determine the safeguards and personal protective equipment that must be used for each job.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17…

Periodic inspection must be made by qualified maintenance personnel, and records of the same maintained. You must instruct the operator to report any equipment defects to the supervisor and you must discontinue the use of the equipment until safety repairs have been completed.[St…

[Order 73-5, § 296-24-695, filed 5/9/73 and Order 73-4, § 296-24-695, filed 5/7/73.]

For elaboration of these basic precautions and of the special precautions of WAC 296-24-69503 as well as a delineation of the fire protection and prevention responsibilities of welders and cutters, their supervisors (including outside contractors) and those in management on whose…

When the nature of the work to be performed falls within the scope of WAC 296-24-69501(2) certain additional precautions may be necessary:(1) Combustible material. Wherever there are floor openings or cracks in the flooring that cannot be closed, you must take precautions so that…

(1) Used containers. You must not perform any welding, cutting, or other hot work on used drums, barrels, tanks or other containers until they have been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain that there are no flammable materials present or any substances such as gre…

(1) Accidental contact. When arc welding is to be suspended for any substantial period of time such as during lunch or overnight, you must remove all electrodes from the holders and the holders carefully located so that accidental contact cannot occur and the machine be disconnec…