Chapter 296-307 Safety standards for agriculture.

The first three digits of the WAC (296) are the title. The second three digits are the chapter (307). The third number group is the section, which may have three or five digits. The fourth and fifth digits are treated as if there were a decimal point after the third digit.For exa…

(1) Chapter 296-307 WAC applies to all agricultural operations with one or more employees covered by the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA), chapter 49.17 RCW.The term "agriculture" means farming and include, but is not limited to:(a) The cultivation and tillage …

Approved. Approved by the director of the department of labor and industries, or by another organization designated by the department. Also means listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.Authorized person. Someone you have approved to perform specific duti…

Whenever the department requires the employer to have equipment or processes approved by an organization such as the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Bureau of Mines (MSHA), or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the approval of that organization…

(1) The employer must provide a safe and healthful working environment.(2) The employer must ensure that employees do not use defective or unsafe tools and equipment, including tools and equipment that may be furnished by the employee.(3) The employer must implement a written acc…

(1) Employees must cooperate with the employer and other employees in efforts to eliminate accidents.(2) Employees must be informed of and observe all safe practices.(3) Employees must notify the employer of unsafe conditions of equipment or workplaces.(4) Employees must use all …

(1) If the employer finds that it is impractical to comply with specific requirements of this standard, the department may permit a variation from the requirements. However, the employer must still provide equal protection by substitute means and comply with the requirements of c…

(1) The employer must instruct all employees in safe working practices at the beginning of employment. Instruction must be tailored to the types of hazards to which employees are exposed.(2) The employer must develop a written accident prevention program tailored to the needs of …

(1) Foreman-crew safety meetings:(a) Must be held at least monthly; or(b) Whenever there are significant changes in job assignments.(c) These meetings must be tailored to the particular operation or activity occurring at the time.(2) The meeting minutes must document subjects dis…

(1) The employer must provide a bulletin board or posting area large enough to display the required safety and health poster, "Job Safety and Health Protection" (F416-081-000), and other safety education material.(2) The bulletin board must be readily visible in a place where emp…

Employer's responsibility: Make sure first-aid trained personnel are available to provide quick and effective first aid.The employer must meet the requirements…in this section:Make sure that first-aid trained personnel are available to provide quick and effective first aid.WAC 29…

The employer must comply with the first-aid training requirements of 29 C.F.R. 1910.151(b) which states:"In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be a…

(1) The employer must make sure first-aid supplies are readily available. (See first-aid kit table.)(2) The employer must make sure first-aid supplies in workplace are appropriate to:(a) The employer's occupational setting.(b) The response time of the employer's emergency medical…

(1) The employer must provide an emergency shower:(a) When there is potential for major portions of an employee's body to contact corrosives, strong irritants, or toxic chemicals.(b) That delivers water to cascade over the user's entire body at a minimum rate of 20 gallons (75 li…

(1) The employer must make sure all plumbed emergency washing facilities are inspected once a year to make sure they function correctly.Note:Inspections should include: 1. Examination of the piping. 2. Making sure that water is available at the appropriate temperature and quality…

Note:Supplemental flushing equipment cannot be used in place of required emergency showers or eyewashes.(1) The employer must make sure hand-held drench hoses deliver at least 3.0 gallons (11.4 liters) of water per minute for fifteen minutes or more.Note:Why use a drench hose? A …

Corrosive (as used in first aid, WAC 296-307-039). A substance that causes destruction of living tissue by chemical action, including acids with a pH of 2.5 or below or caustics with a pH of 11.0 or above.Emergency washing facilities. Emergency washing facilities are emergency sh…

(1) The employer must furnish to each employee a place of employment free from recognized controllable hazards likely to cause serious injury or death.(2) The employer must furnish and require employees to use any safety devices and safeguards that are needed to control recognize…

(1) Using hoes with handles less than four feet long or any hand tool used for weeding or thinning crops in a stooped position, is prohibited.(2) The employer must ensure that hand tools are in good condition. Using defective hand tools is prohibited.(3) The employer must ensure …

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-055, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-055, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

(1) Ladders must be checked for defects before use, and thoroughly inspected periodically. Ladders must be inspected immediately in the following situations:(a) If a ladder tips over, inspect for side rails dents or bends, or excessively dented rungs; check all rung-to-side-rail …

(1) At the beginning of employment, the employer must provide employees with orientation and training on the proper use of ladders, including how to set a ladder and properly dismount with a full load.(2) To prevent ladder upset, the employer must instruct employees to avoid over…

(1) Orchard ladders longer than sixteen feet are prohibited.(2) Standing on the top two steps of the orchard ladder is prohibited.(3) Employers must instruct employees to not stand on the top two steps (the top cap and the next step down) of orchard ladders.(4) Employers must ins…

(1) Ladders made by fastening cleats across a single rail are prohibited.(2) Wood ladders, when not in use, should be stored where they will not be exposed to the elements, but where there is good ventilation. They must be stored away from radiators, stoves, steam pipes, or other…

Job-made ladder. A ladder that the employer or employees build.Job-made ladders must meet the following requirements:(1) All cleats must be made of one-by-four-inch nominal lumber, or stronger.(2) Cleats must be inset into the edges of side rails to a depth of one-half inch, or f…

(1) Employees must be prohibited from entering any bin, bunker, hopper, or similar area when loose materials (such as chips, sand, grain, gravel, sawdust, etc.) may collapse, unless the employee wears a safety belt with a lifeline attached and is attended by a helper.Note:Silage …

(1) The employer must ensure that all farm tractors and other slow-moving farm vehicles and equipment used on public roads have lamps, reflectors, and a slow-moving vehicle emblem. From one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, slow-moving vehicles must have lig…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-070, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-070, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

(1) The employer must maintain all motor vehicles and their parts in good repair and safe condition.(2) The employer must not use tires that are worn beyond the point of safety.(3) Employees must report to the employer any motor vehicle or other farm equipment that is in unsafe o…

(1) Vehicles must be driven at safe operating speed.(2) Truck drivers must operate equipment at a safe speed for roadway conditions.(3) When an employee backing a truck has obstructed vision, the employee must be assisted by a signaler. The signaler must have a clear view of the …

Only qualified drivers may operate motor vehicles and must have a current motor vehicle operator's license.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-07005, filed 10/20/20, effective 11/20/20. WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § …

(1) The employer must ensure that motor vehicles have brakes that will safely hold the maximum load on maximum grades.(2) Trucks parked on an incline must have the steered wheels turned into the curb and must have at least one "driver" wheel chocked on each side, independent of t…

(1) The employer must ensure that employees load and unload motor vehicles safely.(2) All loads transported on trucks or truck and trailer combinations must be properly secured and distributed. Loads must not exceed the safe operating load for the roadway condition and the capaci…

All motor vehicles must have standard lights, horn, flags, flares, and other safety equipment that conforms to the state of Washington motor vehicles laws.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-07011, filed 10/20/20, eff…

The employer must ensure that motor vehicles used regularly to transport employees meet the following requirements:(1) The vehicles are well equipped, covered against the weather, and maintained in good mechanical condition at all times.(2) A sufficient number of properly secured…

(1) Battery changing installations must be located in areas designated for that purpose.(2) Facilities must be provided for:(a) Flushing and neutralizing spilled electrolyte;(b) Fire protection;(c) Protecting charging apparatus from damage by trucks; and(d) Adequate ventilation o…

Farm field equipment. Tractors or implements, including self-propelled implements, used in agricultural operations.(1) All power transmission components must be guarded according to WAC 296-307-280.(2) The manufacturer's instruction manual, if published by the manufacturer and cu…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-080, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-080, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

All agricultural tractors manufactured after October 25, 1976, must meet the requirements of WAC 296-307-080. An agricultural tractor manufactured on or before October 25, 1976, must meet the requirements of WAC 296-307-080 if:(1) The tractor was built or sold with rollover prote…

Agricultural tractor. A two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicle, or a track vehicle of more than twenty net engine horsepower, designed to furnish the power to pull, carry, propel, or drive implements that are designed for agriculture. All human-powered implements are exclude…

The employer must provide a rollover protective structure (ROPS) for each employee-operated tractor that is covered by WAC 296-307-080. ROPS used on wheel-type tractors must meet the test and performance requirements of OSHA 1928.51 C.F.R. Protective frames for wheel type agricul…

(1) Where ROPS are required by WAC 296-307-080, the employer must:(a) Provide each tractor with a seatbelt;(b) Require that each employee use the seatbelt while the tractor is moving; and(c) Require that each employee tighten the seatbelt sufficiently to confine the employee to t…

ROPS are not required on agricultural tractors that are used as follows:(1) Low profile tractors used in orchards, vineyards or hop yards where the vertical clearance requirements would substantially interfere with normal operations, and for work related to these uses.(2) Low pro…

(1) The employer must ensure that every employee who operates an agricultural tractor is informed of the operating practices listed below and of any other practices dictated by the work environment. The employer must provide the information at the time of initial assignment and a…

(1) The employer must ensure that batteries, fuel tanks, oil reservoirs, and coolant systems are constructed and located or sealed to ensure that no spillage comes in contact with the operator in the event of an upset.(2) All sharp edges and corners at the operator's station must…

(1) This section applies to the following types of material handling equipment: Rubber-tired, self-propelled scrapers; rubber-tired front-end loaders; rubber-tired dozers; wheel-type agricultural and industrial tractors; crawler tractors; crawler-type loaders; and motor graders, …

This section applies to wheel-type agricultural tractors used in construction work and to wheel-type industrial tractors used in agriculture work.(1) If grid or mesh is used for overhead protection, the largest permissible opening is 1.5 in. (38 mm.) in diameter. The overhead pro…

[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-095, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-22-048, § 296-306A-095, filed 10/31/96, effective 12/1/96.]

WAC 296-307-095 applies to any agricultural employer with one or more employees engaged in any hand-labor operations in the field.Exception:WAC 296-307-09515 (handwashing facilities) and 296-307-09518 (toilet facilities) do not apply if employees: (1) Are engaged in field activit…

Accessible. A maximum of one-quarter mile or five minutes travel time from the worksite.Hand-labor operations. Agricultural operations performed by hand or with hand tools.For example: The hand cultivation, weeding, planting or harvesting of vegetables, nuts, fruit, seedlings or …