Washington Administrative Code

You must make sure the conveyor system shuts down automatically if:(1) The ventilation system fails to maintain adequate ventilation; or(2) There is a fire.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 17-18-075, § 296-835-12065, filed 9/5/17, effe…

Summary.Your responsibility: Safeguard employees working with dip tanks used for specific processes.You must meet the requirements…in this section:Hardening or Tempering Meet specific requirements if you use a hardening or tempering tankWAC 296-835-13005Electrostatic Equipment Me…

(1) You must provide an automatic fire extinguishing system or an automatic dip tank cover for any hardening and tempering tank that uses flammable liquids or liquids with flashpoints greater than 199.4°F (93°C) and:(a) Holds five hundred gallons (1893 L) or more of liquid; or(b)…

ELECTRICAL(1) Provide safe electrical equipment.(a) You must make sure electrodes in your equipment are:(i) Substantial;(ii) Rigidly supported;(iii) Permanently located;(iv) Effectively insulated from ground by insulators.(b) You must make sure the insulators are:(i) Nonporous;(i…

(1) You must make sure all piping is substantial and rigidly supported.(2) You must make sure the paint is supplied by a:(a) Gravity tank that does not hold more than ten gallons (38 L); or(b) Direct low-pressure pumping system.(3) You must have an approved heat-actuated device t…

IMPORTANT:This section applies to the processes of roll coating, roll spreading, or roll impregnating that use a liquid having a flashpoint below 140°F (60°C). Material may be passed directly through a tank or over the surface of a roller that revolves partially submerged in the …

(1) You must make sure, if the tank has a condenser or a vapor-level thermostat, that it keeps the vapor level at least:(a) Thirty-six inches (91 cm) below the top of the tank if the width of the tank is seventy-two inches or more; or(b) One-half the tank width below the top of t…

You must control the spray to the greatest extent feasible by:(1) Enclosing the spraying operation as completely as possible; and(2) Using mechanical ventilation to provide enough inward air velocity to prevent the spray from leaving the vapor area.Note:Mechanical baffles may be …

For the purposes of this chapter the following definitions apply:Action level. A concentration of airborne respirable crystalline silica of 25 μg/m3, calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).Competent person. An individual who is capable of identifying existing and for…

This chapter applies to all occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica, except for the following:(1) Where employee exposure results from the processing of sorptive clays.(2) Where documented objective data demonstrates that employee exposures to respirable crystalli…

This section applies to all occupational exposures except for tasks performed according to the requirements in WAC 296-840-110.(1) Permissible exposure limit (PEL). You must ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess…

This section applies to construction work and other occupational exposures where the task performed is indistinguishable from a construction task listed in Table 1 of this section and the task will not be performed regularly in the same environment and conditions.(1) For each emp…

This section does not apply to occupational respirable crystalline silica exposures in construction work.(1) Establishment. You must establish a regulated area wherever an employee's exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica is, or can reasonably be exp…

This section does not apply to tasks listed and performed in accordance with Table 1 of WAC 296-840-110 Specified exposure control methods.(1) Engineering and work practice controls. You must use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to r…

(1) Where respiratory protection is required by this section, you must provide each employee an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of this section and chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators.(2) Respiratory protection is required:(a) Where exposures exceed the PE…

(1) Where respirator use is required by this chapter, you must institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with chapter 296-842 WAC, Respirators.(2) Specified exposure control methods. For tasks listed in Table 1 of WAC 296-840-110, if you fully and properly implemen…

(1) You must not allow dry sweeping or dry brushing where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica unless wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize the likelihood of exposure are not feasible.(2) You must not …

(1) You must establish and implement a written exposure control plan that contains at least the following elements:(a) A description of the tasks in the workplace that involve exposure to respirable crystalline silica;(b) A description of the engineering controls, work practices,…

(1) Medical surveillance must be made available at no cost to the employee and at a reasonable time and place for any employee:(a) Doing construction tasks and required by this chapter to use a respirator for thirty or more days per year.(b) Doing work other than construction tas…

(1) Regarding hazard communication you must:(a) Include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with chapter 296-901 WAC, Globally harmonized system for hazard communication.(b) Ensure that each employee has access to labels on containers of crystalline…

(1) Air monitoring data.(a) You must make and maintain an accurate record of all exposure measurements taken to assess employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica, as prescribed in WAC 296-840-105(2). This record must include at least the following information:(i) The date…

This chapter becomes effective on April 23, 2018. Employers must comply with obligations of this chapter in accordance with the following:(1) For occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in construction work, employers must comply with all obligations of this chapt…

This appendix specifies the procedures for analyzing air samples for respirable crystalline silica, as well as the quality control procedures that employers must ensure that laboratories use when performing an analysis required under WAC 296-840-105(4). Employers must ensure that…

Introduction.The purpose of this Appendix is to provide medical information and recommendations to aid physicians and other licensed health care professionals (PLHCPs) regarding compliance with the medical surveillance provisions of the respirable crystalline silica standard (cha…

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, and 49.17.050. WSR 19-04-099, § 296-840-175, filed 2/5/19, effective 3/8/19.]

Breathing zone. The space around and in front of an employee's nose and mouth, forming a hemisphere with a six to nine inch radius.Ceiling limit. See Permissible exposure limits (PELs).Dust. Solid particles suspended in air. Dusts are generated by handling, drilling, crushing, gr…

This chapter applies when your employees are, or could be, exposed to an airborne hazard.(1) The following are examples of airborne contaminants that may become airborne hazards in some workplaces:(a) Chemicals listed in Table 3, Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Co…

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-200, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-200, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]

Protect employees from potentially hazardous exposure while you perform your exposure evaluation, using all available resources to determine adequate protective measures.Note:• Resources include product labels, safety data sheets (SDSs), manufacturer recommendations, and industry…

(1) Conduct an exposure evaluation to determine or reasonably estimate whether an employee is or could be exposed to either of the following:(a) An airborne contaminant above a permissible exposure limit (PEL) listed in Table 3; or(b) Other airborne hazards, such as biological ha…

IMPORTANT:Respirators and other personal protective equipment are not exposure controls. Respirators may be used to protect employees while exposure controls are being installed or when it is not feasible to use exposure controls to remove or reduce the airborne hazard.(1) Use fe…

Require employees to use respirators when airborne hazards have not been removed using feasible exposure controls. For example, use respirators at any of the following times:(1) While exposure controls are being evaluated or put in place;(2) When the airborne hazard is not comple…

Notify employees who are or may be exposed to airborne hazards, as specified in Table 2.Note:The notification may be provided either individually, to a group, or by posting of results in an appropriate location that is accessible to affected employees.Table 2Notification Requirem…

IMPORTANT:The following information applies to Table 3, Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Contaminants.(1) Ppm refers to parts of vapor or gas per million parts of air by volume, at 25 degrees C and 760 mm Hg pressure.(2) Mg/m3 refers to milligrams of an airborne co…

(1) Respirators are required whenever respiratory hazards (including oxygen-deficient conditions) are present. For example, use respirators at any of the following times:(a) While exposure controls are being evaluated or put in place;(b) When it is not feasible to use exposure co…

Air-line respirator. An atmosphere-supplying respirator for which breathing air is drawn from a source separate from and not worn by the user, such as:(a) A cylinder or a tank;(b) A compressor;(c) An uncontaminated environment.Air-purifying respirator (APR). A respirator equipped…

Exemption:You do not need to designate a program administrator if employees use only filtering-facepiece respirators and do so only as voluntary use.Designate a program administrator who has overall responsibility for your program and has sufficient training or experience to over…

IMPORTANT:Respirator use is not voluntary, and the required use sections of this chapter apply, if:1. You choose to require respirator use.2. A respiratory hazard, such as exposure to a substance over the permissible exposure limit (PEL) or hazardous exposure to an airborne biolo…

Exemption:If employees use only filtering-facepiece respirators voluntarily, you do not need to follow these recordkeeping requirements.(1) Keep copies of:(a) Your current written respirator program(b) Written recommendations from the licensed health care professional (LHCP)(2) A…

Exemption:This section does NOT apply to respirator use that is voluntary. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use program requirements.(1) Develop a complete worksite-specific written respiratory protection program that includes the applicable elements listed in Table 3. The pro…

(1) A written copy of the current respirator program must be kept by the employer.(2) Keep each employee's current fit test record, if fit testing is conducted, until the next fit test is administered. Fit test records must include:(a) Employee name;(b) Test date;(c) Type of fit-…

Exemption:This section does NOT apply to respirator use that is voluntary. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use program requirements.IMPORTANT:See chapter 296-841 WAC, Airborne contaminants, for:1. Hazard evaluation requirements. Evaluation results are necessary for respirator…

Exemption:This section does not apply to employees who only use: 1. Filtering-facepiece respirators voluntarily. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use requirements; or 2. Escape-only respirators that are mouthpiece, loose-fitting, or hooded respirators.IMPORTANT:1. If an employ…

Exemption:This section does not apply to any respirators that are: 1. Voluntarily used. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use requirements. 2. Mouthpiece respirators and other escape-only respirators. 3. Loose-fitting respirators.IMPORTANT:1. Fit testing is an activity where th…

Exemption:This section does not apply to respirators that are voluntarily used. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use requirements.(1) Train employees, based on their duties, if they do any of the following:(a) Use respirators;(b) Supervise respirator users;(c) Issue, repair, o…

IMPORTANT:This section applies to employees who voluntarily use respirators only when maintenance is necessary to prevent the respirator from creating a hazard. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use requirements.(1) Make sure respirators are kept, at no cost to the employee, cl…

(1) Store respirators to protect them from all of the following:(a) Deformation of the facepiece or exhalation valve(b) Sunlight or extreme temperatures or other conditions(c) Contamination such as dust or damaging chemicals(d) Excessive moisture.Note:Use coffee cans, sealable pl…

(1) Conduct respirator inspections as often as specified in Table 9.(2) Make sure respirator inspections cover all of the following:(a) Respirator function;(b) Tightness of connections;(c) The condition of the facepiece, head straps, valves, connecting tubes, and cartridge, canis…

Exemption:This section does not apply to respirator use that is voluntary. See WAC 296-842-11005 for voluntary use program requirements.(1) Make sure employees use the procedure in WAC 296-842-22020 to perform a user seal check each time they put on their tight-fitting respirator…

Make sure employees leave the use area for any of these reasons:(1) To replace air-purifying filters, cartridges, or canisters;(2) When they smell or taste (detect) vapor or gas leakage from, for example, cartridges, canister, or the facepiece seal;(3) When they detect changes in…