Washington Administrative Code

(1) General requirements.(a) Designated areas. You may designate areas for hot work in sites such as vessels, vessel sections, fabricating shops, and subassembly areas that are free of fire hazards.(b) Nondesignated areas.(i) Before authorizing hot work in a nondesignated area, y…

(1) Written fire watch policy. You must create and keep current a written policy that specifies the following requirements for employees performing fire watch in the workplace:(a) The training employees must be given (WAC 296-304-01019(3) contains detailed fire watch training req…

(1) Employer responsibilities. You must:(a) Decide what type of response will be provided and who will provide it; and(b) Create, maintain, and update a written policy that:(i) Describes the internal and outside fire response organizations that you will use; and(ii) Defines what …

(1) Employer responsibilities. You must comply with the provisions of this section whenever employees are exposed to fixed extinguishing systems that could create a dangerous atmosphere when activated in vessels and vessel sections, regardless of geographic location.(2) Requireme…

(1) Employer responsibilities. You must ensure all fixed and portable fire protection systems needed to meet WISHA standards for employee safety or employee protection from fire hazards in land-side facilities, including, but not limited to, buildings, structures, and equipment, …

(1) You must train employees in the applicable requirements of this section:(a) By March 1, 2006, for employees currently working;(b) Upon initial assignment for new employees; and(c) When necessary to maintain proficiency for employees previously trained.(2) Employee training. Y…

(1) Application. This section applies to shipyard employment.(2) Designation.(a) One or more competent persons must be designated by you in accordance with the applicable requirements of this section, unless the requirements of WAC 296-304-020 through 296-304-02011, WAC 296-304-0…

Note:This appendix is nonmandatory and provides guidance to assist employers in establishing a fire safety plan as required in WAC 296-304-01007.Table of Contents1. Purpose.2. Worksite fire hazards and how to properly control them.3. Alarm systems and how to report fires.4. How t…

Scope, application and definitions applicable to this subsection:(1) Scope and application. This section applies to work in confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres in shipyard employment, including vessels, vessel sections, and on land-side operations regardl…

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 95-04-006, § 296-304-02001, filed 1/18/95, effective 3/10/95; Order 76-7, § 296-304-02001, filed 3/1/76; Order 74-25, § 296-304-02001, filed 5/7/74.]

You must ensure that atmospheric testing is performed in the following sequence: Oxygen content, flammability, toxicity.(1) Oxygen content.(a) You must ensure that the following spaces are visually inspected and tested by a competent person to determine the atmosphere's oxygen co…

(1) Locations covered by this section. You must ensure that manual cleaning and other cold work are not performed in the following spaces unless the conditions of subsection (2) of this section have been met:(a) Spaces containing or having last contained bulk quantities of combus…

(1) Hot work requiring testing by a marine chemist or Coast Guard authorized person.(a) You must ensure that hot work is not performed in or on any of the following confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres, boundaries of spaces or pipelines until the work area…

(1) Preventing hazardous materials from entering. Pipelines that could carry hazardous materials into spaces that have been certified "safe for workers" or "safe for hot work" must be disconnected, blanked off, or otherwise blocked by a positive method to prevent hazardous materi…

(1) Employee comprehension of signs and labels. You must ensure that each sign or label posted to comply with the requirements of this section is presented in a manner that can be perceived and understood by all employees.(2) Posting of large work areas. A warning sign or label r…

This appendix is a nonmandatory set of guidelines provided to assist employers in complying with the requirements of WAC 296-304-020 through 296-304-02011. This appendix neither creates additional obligations nor detracts from obligations otherwise contained in this chapter. It i…

This appendix provides a complete reprint of U.S. Coast Guard regulations as of October 1, 1993 referenced in WAC 296-304-020 for purposes of determining who is a Coast Guard authorized person.(1) Title 46 C.F.R. 35.01-1 (a) through (c) covering hot work on tank vessels reads as …

All sections of this chapter which include WAC 296-304-030 in the section number apply to surface preparation and preservation and WAC 296-304-03001 to 296-304-03009 applies only to shipbuilding and ship repairing.[Order 74-25, § 296-304-030, filed 5/7/74.]

(1) When toxic solvents are used, you must employ one or more of the following measures to safeguard the health of employees exposed to these solvents.(a) The cleaning operation must be completely enclosed to prevent the escape of vapor into the working space.(b) Either natural v…

(1) You must ensure that employees are protected against:(a) Skin contact during the handling and application of chemical paint and preservative removers; and(b) Eye injury by goggles or face shields that meet the requirements of WAC 296-304-09005 (1) and (2).(2) When using flamm…

(1) Power tools.(a) You must ensure that employees engaged in the removal of paints, preservatives, rusts or other coatings by means of power tools are protected against eye injury by goggles or face shields that meets the requirements of WAC 296-304-09005 (1) and (2).(b) All por…

All respirators required by this section must meet the requirements of chapter 296-842 WAC.(1) Paints mixed with toxic vehicles or solvents.(a) When employees spray paints mixed with toxic vehicles or solvents, you must ensure that the following conditions are met:(i) In confined…

In all cases when liquid solvents, paint and preservative removers, paints or vehicles, other than those covered by WAC 296-304-03007(2), are capable of producing a flammable atmosphere under the conditions of use the following precautions must be taken:(1) Smoking, open flames, …

All sections of this chapter which include WAC 296-304-040 in the section number apply to welding, cutting and heating.You are also required to protect employees from exposure to hexavalent chromium during the stainless steel welding process. See WAC 296-62-08003, Hexavalent chro…

(1) Mechanical ventilation requirements. For the purposes of this section, mechanical ventilation must meet the following requirements:(a) Mechanical ventilation must consist of either general mechanical ventilation systems or local exhaust systems.(b) General mechanical ventilat…

(1) Before welding, cutting or heating is commenced on any surface covered by a preservative coating whose flammability is not known, a test must be made by a competent person to determine its flammability. Preservative coatings must be considered to be highly flammable when scra…

(1) Drums, containers, or hollow structures which have contained toxic or flammable substances must, before welding, cutting, or heating is undertaken on them, either be filled with water or thoroughly cleaned of such substances and ventilated and tested.(2) Before heat is applie…

(1) Transporting, moving and storing compressed gas cylinders.(a) Valve protection caps must be in place and secure. Oil must not be used to lubricate protection caps.(b) When cylinders are hoisted, they must be secured on a cradle, slingboard or pallet. They must not be hoisted …

(1) Manual electrode holders.(a) Only manual electrode holders which are specifically designed for arc welding and cutting and are of a capacity capable of safely handling the maximum rated current required by the electrodes must be used.(b) Any current carrying parts passing thr…

(1) In ship-breaking, shipbuilding and ship repairing and related activities involving the use of and exposure to sources of ionizing radiation not only on conventionally powered but also on nuclear powered vessels, the applicable provisions of the Atomic Energy Commission's Stan…

All sections of this chapter which include WAC 296-304-050 in the section number apply to scaffolds, ladders and other working surfaces.[Order 74-25, § 296-304-050, filed 5/7/74.]

(1) General requirements.(a) All scaffolds and their supports whether of lumber, steel or other material, must be capable of supporting the load they are designed to carry with a safety factor of not less than four.(b) All lumber used in the construction of scaffolds must be spru…

(1) General requirements.(a) The use of ladders with broken or missing rungs or steps, broken or split side rails, or other faulty or defective construction is prohibited. When ladders with such defects are discovered, they must immediately be withdrawn from service. Inspection o…

See chapter 296-880 WAC, Unified safety standards for fall protection.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060, and chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 20-12-091, § 296-304-05005, filed 6/2/20, effective 10/1/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17…

Barge. An unpowered, flat bottom, shallow draft vessel including scows, carfloats and lighters, but not ship-shaped or deep-draft barges.River towboat. A shallow draft, low free board, self-propelled vessel designed to tow river barges by pushing ahead.(1) Access to vessels afloa…

(1) A gangway, ramp or permanent stairway of not less than 20 inches walking surface, of adequate strength, maintained in safe repair and securely fastened, must be provided between a floating dry dock and the pier or bulkhead.(2) Each side of such gangway, ramp or permanent stai…

(1) Cargo spaces.(a) There must be at least one safe and accessible ladder in any cargo space which employees must enter.(b) When any fixed ladder is visibly unsafe, you must prohibit its use by employees.(c) Straight ladders of adequate strength and suitably secured against shif…

(1) When firebox floors present tripping hazards of exposed tubing or of missing or removed refractory, sufficient planking to afford safe footing must be laid while work is being carried on within the boiler.(2) You must provide and ensure the use of fall protection when employe…

All sections of this chapter which include WAC 296-304-060 in the section number apply to general working conditions in shipyard employment, including work on vessels, on vessel sections, and at landside operations.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.…

(1) Good housekeeping conditions must be maintained at all times. Adequate aisles and passageways must be maintained in all work areas. All staging platforms, ramps, stairways, walkways, aisles, and passageways on vessels or dry docks must be kept clear of all tools, materials, a…

(1) General requirements.(a) You must provide adequate and readily accessible sanitation facilities.(b) You must establish and implement a schedule for servicing, cleaning, and supplying each facility to ensure it is maintained in a clean, sanitary, and serviceable condition.(2) …

(1) All means of access and walkways leading to working areas as well as the working areas themselves must be adequately illuminated.(a) For landside areas, you must provide illumination that meets the levels set forth in Table F-2.Table F-2Minimum Lighting Intensities in Foot-Ca…

(1) Steam supply and hoses.(a) Prior to supplying a vessel with steam from a source outside the vessel, you must ascertain from responsible vessel's representatives, having knowledge of the condition of the plant, the safe working pressure of the vessel's steam system. You must i…

When any work is performed in a confined space, except as provided in WAC 296-304-04001 (2)(c), or when an employee is working alone in an isolated location, the employee must be checked, by sight or verbal communication:(1) Throughout each workshift at regular intervals appropri…

(1) You must service each vessel's radar and communication systems in accordance with WAC 296-304-06016, Control of hazardous energy.(2) You must secure each vessel's radar and communication system so it is incapable of energizing or emitting radiation before any employee begins …

(1) Before employees are permitted to work in or on a lifeboat, either stowed or in a suspended position, you must ensure that the boat is secured independently of the releasing gear to prevent the boat from falling due to accidental tripping of the releasing gear and movement of…

Definition.Hazardous material. A material with one or more of the following characteristics:(a) Has a flash point below 140°F, closed cup, or is subject to spontaneous heating;(b) Has a threshold limit value below 500 p.p.m. in the case of a gas or vapor, below 500 mg./m.3 for fu…

(1) You must ensure that emergency medical services and first aid are readily accessible.(2) You must ensure that health care professionals are readily available for advice and consultation on matters of workplace health.(3) First-aid providers.(a) You must ensure that there is a…

Definition: Tags-plus system. A system to control hazardous energy that consists of an energy-isolating device with a tag affixed to it, and at least one additional safety measure.(1) Scope, application, and effective dates.(a) Scope. This section covers the servicing of machiner…

(1) Any employer who receives a package of hazardous material that is required to be marked, labeled, or placarded in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 C.F.R. parts 171 through 180) must retain those markings, labels, and pl…