Washington Administrative Code

(1) Approved lineman's belts and straps must be provided. The employer must ensure their use when work is performed at positions more than four feet above ground, on poles. The belt and strap (work-positioning systems) must be rigged so that an employee can free fall no more than…

(1) Poles.(a) When working with poles in piles or stacks, work must be performed from the ends of the poles and precautions must be taken for the safety of employees at the other end of the pole.(b) During pole hauling operations, all loads must be secured to prevent displacement…

(1) Employees involved in cable fault locating and testing must be instructed in the precautions necessary for their own safety and the safety of other employees.(2) Before voltage is applied to equipment not isolated, all possible precautions must be taken to ensure that no empl…

(1) Power conductors. Electric power conductors and equipment must be considered energized until the utility or utility representative has verified to the telecommunications employer/employee(s) on-site that the line(s) have been deenergized and grounded as listed in subsection (…

(1) Handling suspension strand.(a) When pulling strand off a reel trailer more than two spans there must be a reel tender.(b) There must be reliable communications between the employee pulling strand and the reel tender.(c) The employer must ensure that when handling cable suspen…

(1) Need for testing wood poles. Unless temporary guys or braces are attached, the following poles must be tested in accordance with subsection (2) of this section and determined to be safe before employees are permitted to climb them:Note:When work is to be performed on a wood p…

(1) General.(a) Employees engaged in pruning, trimming, removing, or clearing trees from lines must be required to consider all overhead and underground electrical power conductors to be energized with potentially fatal voltages, never to be touched (contacted) either directly or…

A minimum of two persons, one of whom must be a qualified person, must be used for line patrol duty at night when observing the overhead line and driving the vehicle must be done simultaneously. If repair to lines or equipment is found to be of such nature as to require two quali…

(1) Since storm work and emergency conditions create special hazards, only authorized representatives of the electric utility system operator/owner or a qualified tree trimmer per chapter 296-45 WAC and not telecommunication employees may perform tree work in these situations whe…

Underground/buried communication lines.(1) No employer shall permit an employee to work in such proximity to any part of an electric power circuit that the employee could contact the electric power circuit in the course of work, unless the employee is protected against electric s…

(1) Surface encumbrances. All surface encumbrances that are located so as to create a hazard to employees must be removed or supported, as necessary, to safeguard employees.(2) Underground installations.(a) The location of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, el…

(1) Guarding manholes and street openings.(a) When covers of manholes or vaults are removed, the opening must be promptly guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other acceptable temporary barrier to prevent an accidental fall through the opening and to protect employees workin…

(1) While work is being performed in manholes or vaults occupied jointly by an electric utility and a telecommunication utility;(a) The employer must demonstrate that the employee will be protected from all electrical hazards;(b) An employee with basic first-aid training must be …

(1) Ladders must be used to enter and exit manholes exceeding four feet in depth.(2) Metal and fiberglass manhole ladders must be free of structural defects and free of accident hazards such as sharp edges and burrs. The metal must be protected against corrosion unless inherently…

When open flames must be used in manholes, the following precautions must be taken to protect against the accumulation of combustible gas:(1) A test for combustible gas must be made immediately before using any open flame device.(2) A fuel tank (e.g., acetylene) may not be in the…

(1) Employer program requirements.(a) General activities exposing employees to lead hazards the employer must follow the requirements located in WAC 296-62-07521.(b) Construction activities exposing employees to lead hazards must follow the requirements located in WAC 296-155-176…

(1) In addition to the requirements of WAC 296-32-22515 the employer must ensure that at least two employees on-site are trained and hold current certifications in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) issued by the American Red Cross or any other organization w…

(1) Prior to grounding a radio transmitting station antenna, the employer must ensure that the rigger in charge:(a) Prepares a danger tag signed with their signature;(b) Requests the transmitting technician to shutdown the transmitter and to ground the antenna with its grounding …

In addition to the following requirements also see WAC 296-32-22555.(1) The employer must ensure that at least two qualified climbers are on-site at all times when employees are exposed to fall hazards above four feet.(2) The employer must require employees to adhere to acceptabl…

(1) Climbing towers in the hours of darkness must only be done after the job hazard assessment has addressed any additional hazards.(2) Precautions must be addressed for high voltage hazards when working adjacent to substations or transmission/distribution lines which could creat…

(1) Emergency response. The employer must establish and document site specific procedures for rescue of employees in the event of an emergency. The employer must designate its own employees to implement the rescue procedures. The documented procedures must be available for review…

(1) A rigging plan is intended to ensure that the proper procedures, equipment and rigging is used for each operation and to ensure that the supporting structure can support the rigging loads. A rigging plan must consider the following items:(a) Operational and nonoperational con…

When installing gin poles, the employer must ensure that the following requirements are met:(1) All applicable requirements for design, construction, installation, modification, testing, inspection, maintenance, and operation of gin poles as prescribed by the manufacturer or a re…

(1) Gin pole use must comply with the following:(a) A user's gin pole load chart must be provided for each pole.(b) Any special engineered lift that is outside of the load chart must only be allowed at the direction of a registered professional engineer. Monitoring and measuring …

The employer must ensure that gin pole inspections include all of the following:(1) Gin poles must have a documented inspection annually by a qualified person.(2) In addition to the annual inspection, the employer must designate a competent person who must visually inspect the gi…

(1) This section provides minimum design and use criteria for hoist mechanisms used for overhead material lifting and personnel lifting during the construction and/or maintenance of communication structures. All hoist mechanisms must meet applicable requirements for design, const…

(1) Personnel platforms and/or their suspension systems must be designed, constructed and tested according to ASME B30.23-2005, Personnel Lifting Systems. The design and manufacturer's specifications must be made by a registered professional engineer.Note:Additional requirements …

This section sets forth the minimum requirements for individuals working with helicopters used as a method for the installation, replacement, and/or removal of antennas and antenna supporting structures.(1) Helicopters and helicopter cranes used for external load lifting during c…

(1) What are attendant services?Attendant services are proper and necessary personal care services (custodial care) provided to maintain the claimant in their residence.(2) Who may receive attendant services?Claimants who are temporarily or permanently totally disabled and render…

This chapter applies to employers as defined in this chapter at warehouse distribution centers.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.84.060, 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060, chapters 49.17 and 49.84 RCW. WSR 24-12-048, § 296-35-010, filed 5/31/24, effective 7/1/24.]

(1) Adverse action. Any action taken or threatened by an employer against an employee for their exercise of chapter 49.84 RCW rights, which may include, but is not limited to:(a) Terminating, suspending, demoting, or denying a promotion;(b) Changing the number of work hours for w…

(1) The time period considered in a quota, including designated as productive time or time on task must include time to use the bathroom, including reasonable travel time; and(2) The time period considered in a quota, including designated as productive time or time on task must i…

Employer size, for the purposes of this chapter, is determined based on the number of employees on the day of the alleged violation or the average number of employees over the previous 12 months, whichever is greater, except for the purposes of establishing penalties under chapte…

(1) A quota violates chapter 49.17 RCW if the quota:(a) Does not provide sufficient time as required under WAC 296-35-200;(b) Prevents the performance of any activity related to occupational safety and health required by the employer for the employee to do the work subject to any…

(1) An employer must maintain and preserve all records required under WAC 296-136-060.(2) Records on how the time periods required under RCW 49.84.025 or WAC 296-35-200 were considered in determining any quota must be preserved for three years.(3) Nothing in this section requires…

(1) An employer may not take adverse action against an employee in whole or in part for failing to meet a quota that violates RCW 49.84.032 or this chapter. A quota that violates the law may not be a factor leading to an adverse action by the employer.(2) A person who has adverse…

(1) A person including, but not limited to, an employer, their agent, a person acting as or on behalf of a hiring entity, or the officer or agent of any entity, business, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company, may not discharge or in any way retaliate, discrimina…

If any provision of the rules in this chapter, or their application to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of these rules or their application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.84.060, 49.17.010,…

(1) You may request an interim order when requesting a permanent or temporary variance, or anytime after. Interim orders allow you to vary from existing WISHA requirements until we make a final decision on your variance request.(2) We may choose to issue an interim order in respo…

As used herein, the following terms mean:(1) Approved. In compliance with a subsisting resolution of approval adopted by the department of labor and industries, division of safety.(2) Adequate. The term when applied to materials, devices, structures, methods and procedures is syn…

(1) The owner's responsibility. There shall be on every job involving work in compressed air an owner's representative who shall be experienced in compressed air work and who shall represent the owner in all matters of joint responsibility under the Washington labor laws and the …

Every reasonable precaution shall be taken to insure the safety of the workmen whether provided herein or not.[Rules (Part III A), filed 12/28/62.]

(1) A safety miner shall be selected by the crew on each shift. He shall have at least five years' experience as a practical miner and shall be the holder of an unexpired first-aid certificate from the Red Cross, U.S. Bureau of Mines, or the department of labor and industries. Hi…

All machinery, equipment, appliances, materials, structures and places on the job shall at all times be maintained in a safe condition and in good repair. Every person observing any defects shall immediately advise his immediate or higher superior.[Rules (Part III C), filed 12/28…

While work in compressed air is in progress, a competent person designated by the superintendent shall make a regular inspection at least once every day of all machinery, equipment, appliances, structures and places. Immediately upon discovery of any defect, he shall report the s…

No person shall be subjected to pressure exceeding 50 pounds per square inch gage except in case of emergency.[Rules (Part III E), filed 12/28/62; § 1, filed 3/23/60.]

Every effort shall be made by the best available means to prevent the wet bulb temperature exceeding 80 degrees F. A wet bulb thermometer, in good working order, shall be provided in every working chamber.[Rules (Part III F), filed 12/28/62; § 20, Rule 2006, filed 3/23/60.]

The working chamber, shafts and passageways of tunnels and caissons shall be provided with bracing as may be necessary to safely resist any superimposed loads or any forces which may cause excessive deformation of the walls.[Rules (Part III G), filed 12/28/62; § 19, filed 3/23/60…

A telephone intercommunication system ready for use at all times shall be maintained between the working chamber, the power house, the source of compressed air, the place of compressed air control, the first-aid room and the superintendent's office.Exception:Where the working cha…

No person under the influence of intoxicating liquor shall be permitted to enter upon the job; nor shall any person carry any liquor on the job.[Rules (Part III I), filed 12/28/62; § 24, Rule 2402, filed 3/23/60.]