Washington Administrative Code

(1)(a) Prior to permitting employees to start demolition operations, a competent person must perform an engineering survey of the structure(s) to determine the condition and structural integrity of the framing, floors, walls, and the possibility of unplanned collapse of any porti…

(1) You must only use those stairways, passageways, and ladders, designated as means of access to the structure of building. Other access ways must be entirely closed off at all times.(2) You must periodically inspect all stairs, passageways, ladders and incidental equipment ther…

(1) You must not drop any material to any point lying outside the exterior walls of the structure unless the area is protected in accordance with WAC 296-155-775(12).(2) All materials chutes, or sections thereof, at an angle of more than 45° from the horizontal, must be entirely …

Any openings cut in a floor for the disposal of materials must be no larger in size than 25% of the aggregate of the total floor area, unless the lateral supports of the removed flooring remain in place. Floors weakened or otherwise made unsafe by demolition operations must be sh…

(1) You must not permit masonry walls, or other sections of masonry, to fall upon the floors of the building in such masses as to exceed the safe carrying capacities of the floors.(2) You must not permit any wall section, which is more than one story in height, to stand alone wit…

(1) Openings cut in a floor must extend the full span of the arch between supports.(2) Before demolishing any floor arch, you must remove debris and other material from such arch and other adjacent floor area. You must provide for planks not less than two inches by 10 inches in c…

(1) You must not use mechanical equipment on floors or working surfaces unless such floors or surfaces are of sufficient strength to support the imposed load.(2) Floor openings must have curbs or stop-logs to prevent equipment from running over the edge.(3) Mechanical equipment u…

(1) During the demolition of the exterior walls of a structure originally more than 70 feet high, you must erect catch platforms along the exterior faces of such walls where necessary to prevent injury to persons working below.(2) You must construct and maintain such catch platfo…

(1) The storage of waste material and debris on any floor must not exceed the allowable floor loads.(2) In buildings having wooden floor construction, the flooring boards may be removed from not more than one floor above grade to provide storage space for debris, provided falling…

(1) When floor arches have been removed, you must provide planking in accordance with WAC 296-155-800(2) for the workers engaged in razing the steel framing.(2) Cranes and derricks used must meet the requirements specified in Part L of this chapter. Other hoisting equipment must …

(1) You must not permit any workers in any area, which can be adversely affected by demolition operations, when balling or clamming is being performed. You must only permit those workers necessary for the performance of the operations in this area at any other time.(2) The weight…

Selective demolition by explosives must comply with chapter 296-52 WAC.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 16-09-085, § 296-155-830, filed 4/19/16, effective 5/20/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. WSR 86-03-074 (Order 86-1…

(1) Coverage.(a) This section applies to the following types of material handling equipment: To all rubber-tired, self-propelled scrapers, rubber-tired front-end loaders, rubber-tired dozers, wheel-type agricultural and industrial tractors, crawler tractors, crawler-type loaders,…

(1) Definitions applicable to this section. For purposes of this section, "vehicle weight" means the manufacturer's maximum weight of the prime mover for rubber-tired self-propelled scrapers. For other types of equipment to which this section applies, "vehicle weight" means the m…

(1) Definitions applicable to this section. Agricultural tractor. As defined by SAE J333a, Operator Protection for Wheel-Type Agricultural and Industrial Tractors (July 1970), a "wheel-type vehicle of more than 20 engine horsepower designed to furnish the power to pull, carry, pr…

(1) General.(a) Purpose. When overhead protection is provided on wheel-type agricultural and industrial tractors, the overhead protection must be designed and installed according to the requirements contained in this section. The provisions of WAC 296-155-955 for rubber-tired doz…

This standard contains requirements under chapter 49.105 RCW for:(1) Contractors performing work that includes the application of fire-resistant materials to use a certified fire-resistant material applicator for installations in the following buildings:(a) Wet or dry mix materia…

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.(1) Authorized training provider. An apprenticeship program registered with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, by a fire-resistant material manufact…

(1) Beginning one year from the effective date of this rule, contractors must ensure all fire-resistant material is applied by a certified fire-resistant material applicator prior to the individual applying any fire-resistant material. The applicator's certification must be for t…

(1) To qualify for a fire-resistant material applicators certification, individuals must:(a) Attend and successfully complete an approved spray fireproofing or firestop fire-resistant material training course for applicators.(b) The courses are:• Spray fire-resistant material ful…

(1) Fire-resistant material applicator training providers and courses may be sponsored by an apprenticeship program registered with the Washington state apprenticeship and training council, by fire-resistant material manufacturers, or other certified training providers that have …

Table 1: Training course content for spray fireproofing materialGoal of certification: Provide the necessary training to understand the procedures to properly perform application of fireproofing materials (also known as spray fire-resistive materials (SFRM)) in the construction i…

(1) The department may deny, suspend, or revoke a course approval if the authorized training provider does not comply with the training requirements of this chapter.(2) The department may suspend or revoke the authorized training provider course(s) approval, if in the department'…

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words shall have these meanings:(1) "Director" shall mean the director of the department of labor and industries of the state of Washington.(2) "Employee" shall have the same meaning as that defined in [RCW] 51.08.180 and 51.08.185.…

(1) Any employee who believes that he or she has been discharged or otherwise discriminated against by an employer in violation of this section may file a complaint with the director alleging discrimination within ninety days of the date of the alleged violation. Upon receipt of …

The department's preferred worker program provides eligible employers with financial incentives to hire certified preferred workers.[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.020, 51.04.030, and 2015 c 137. WSR 16-13-116, § 296-16-100, filed 6/21/16, effective 7/22/16. Statutory Authority: …

(1) A worker may be certified as a preferred worker, in the sole discretion of the supervisor of industrial insurance or the supervisor's designee, if the worker has an open state fund insured claim for an industrial injury or occupational disease, or a closed state fund claim wh…

(1) A worker with a developmental disability may be certified as a preferred worker, in the sole discretion of the supervisor of industrial insurance or the supervisor's designee, if the worker has an open state fund insured claim for an industrial injury or occupational disease,…

Only a department employee with authority to do so may certify a worker as a preferred worker.[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.020, 51.04.030, and 2015 c 137. WSR 16-13-116, § 296-16-120, filed 6/21/16, effective 7/22/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.010, 51.04.020 and 2004 c 25…

The department can revoke the preferred worker certification when the worker no longer meets the certification requirements outlined in WAC 296-16-110.[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.020, 51.04.030, and 2015 c 137. WSR 16-13-116, § 296-16-125, filed 6/21/16, effective 7/22/16.]

(1) A worker's preferred worker certification lasts for thirty-six consecutive months of employment at medically approved work, and will not be extended. The thirty-six consecutive month period begins the first date the certified preferred worker actually returns to work at a med…

No. While a worker may have multiple open claims at the same time, the department will not grant the worker preferred worker certification under more than one of these claims at the same time.(1) If the worker still has preferred worker certification time remaining from a previou…

The following employers may be eligible to benefit from the preferred worker program if they employ a certified preferred worker, with a date of injury on or after January 1, 2025, in a job approved by the department's credentialed vocational rehabilitation professional; or if th…

(1) Preferred worker benefits for a worker with a date of injury on or after January 1, 2025, are only available when the offered job is approved by a credentialed vocational rehabilitation professional who meets the qualifications in WAC 296-19A-210. The final determination must…

(1) In the sole discretion of the supervisor of industrial insurance or the supervisor's designee, an eligible employer, insured through the state fund or self-insured, may receive benefits shown in the table below:A certified preferred worker who is hired by:EmployerState Fund e…

(1) An employer must employ the certified preferred worker in a job that:(a) Will continue to be available into the foreseeable future; and(b) Is confirmed as consistent with the worker's permanent work restrictions as outlined in WAC 296-16-145; and(c) Addresses a business need …

Yes, the employer, injured worker, or health care provider can send a written protest to the department or appeal to the board of industrial insurance appeals within sixty days from the date the decision is communicated.[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.04.020, 51.04.030, and 2015 c 1…

The stay-at-work program encourages employers insured with the department to bring their injured workers back to work quickly and safely. If eligible, we will reimburse an employer for up to half the basic gross wages the employer paid to the injured worker during light duty or t…

To qualify for stay-at-work reimbursements: (1) You must be the "employer at the time of injury" or "employer of injury" on a claim. You are the employer at the time of injury if the worker was injured while working for you. For occupational disease claims, you are the employer i…

If the attending provider restricts your worker from performing his or her usual work, you may ask the attending provider to release your worker to perform light duty or transitional work for you. If the attending provider does so, you may employ your worker consistent with the a…

(1) We will reimburse you only once for an incurred expense: If your worker has more than one claim, we will not reimburse you more than once for the same wages paid or training, clothing, or equipment provided.(2) If we receive valid reimbursement requests from different employe…

(1) To request reimbursements, fill out the appropriate stay-at-work reimbursement form we will supply you that is available on our website. One form is for wage reimbursement and there is a separate form for all other reimbursements. Once you have completed the form or forms, ma…

Chapter 296-17 WAC, General reporting rules, audit and recordkeeping, rates and rating system for Washington workers' compensation insurance provides rules applicable to workers' compensation insurance coverage (industrial insurance) that employers in the state of Washington must…

In developing the general reporting rules and classifications which govern Washington's workers' compensation classification plan, we have used certain words or phrases which could have several meanings. Many of these words or phrases are defined by law in the Revised Code of Was…

What is a workers' compensation insurance program? Workers' compensation insurance is a no-fault insurance program that eliminates blame to either party for workplace injuries or illnesses. The principal features include:•Wage and medical benefits to employees who suffer on-the-j…

(1) I own a business. Am I required to have workers' compensation insurance coverage for my employees? Nearly every employer doing business in the state of Washington is required to have workers' compensation insurance for his/her employees. Washington law (RCW 51.12.020) does ex…

How do I determine if I am an employer? Chances are that if you employ one or more individuals to work for you, you are probably an employer. RCW 51.08.070, 51.08.180 and 51.08.195 all define the employer/employee relationship. These laws present the conditions that must exist be…

(1) Where can I buy workers' compensation insurance? Washington law requires that you:• Purchase your workers' compensation insurance through labor and industries. You will need to complete a business license application to obtain workers' compensation insurance from us; or• Be c…

(1) As a business owner, can I buy workers' compensation insurance to cover myself or to cover workers who are exempt from mandatory coverage as defined in RCW 51.12.020, 51.12.035, or 51.12.170?Yes. Coverage is not required, but is available for sole proprietors, partners, quali…

(1) Will you notify me when you have opened my workers' compensation insurance account?Yes, we will notify you when we have opened your workers' compensation insurance account.(2) Will you contact me if you need additional information about my business?Yes, we will contact you if…