Washington Administrative Code

This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic.Definitions:Inorganic arsenic. Elemental arsenic (As), copper aceto-arsenite, and inorganic compounds containing arsenic (measured as As), except arsine. Inorganic compounds do not contain the element carbon.E…

Summary:Your responsibility:To measure and minimize employee exposure to inorganic arsenic.IMPORTANT:The sections listed in basic rules apply to all employers covered by the scope of this chapter, WAC 296-848-100. To find additional sections that may apply to you, go to the Scope…

(1) You must effectively communicate the hazards of inorganic arsenic by doing both of the following:(a) Keep container labels free of statements that contradict or detract from the labels' hazard warning.Note:You may use labels required by other laws, rules, or ordinances in add…

You must provide washing facilities for employees exposed to inorganic arsenic.References:For additional washing facility requirements, go to another chapter, the Safety and health core rules, chapter 296-800 WAC, and find the section titled, Provide convenient and clean washing …

IMPORTANT:1. This section applies when workplace operations create potential airborne exposure to inorganic arsenic.2. When you conduct an exposure evaluation in a workplace where an employee uses a respirator, the protection provided by the respirator is not considered.3. Follow…

(1) You must provide written notification of exposure monitoring results, including notification about whether exposures exceed the permissible exposure limit (PEL), to employees represented by your exposure evaluation, within five business days after the monitoring results becom…

(1) You must establish and keep complete and accurate records for all exposure monitoring conducted under this chapter. Make sure the record includes, at least:(a) The name, Social Security number or other unique identifier, and job classification of the employee sampled and all …

Summary:Your responsibility:To detect any significant changes in employee health and exposure monitoring results.IMPORTANT:1. These sections apply when skin or eye irritation could occur or when employee exposure monitoring results are either:a. At or above the action level (AL) …

(1) You must train employees:(a) Who are exposed above the action level (AL) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) of air; or(b) Who could experience eye or skin irritation from exposure.(2) You must provide training:(a) At the time of initial assignment; and(b) At least every …

Hazard communication - General.(1) Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers must comply with all requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), WAC 296-901-140 for inorganic arsenic.(2) In classifying the hazards of inorganic arsenic at least the fo…

Exemption:• Periodic exposure evaluations aren't required if exposure monitoring results conducted to fulfill requirements in Exposure evaluation, WAC 296-848-20060, are below the action level (AL).You must obtain employee exposure monitoring results as specified in Table 2 by re…

IMPORTANT:Medical evaluations conducted under this section will satisfy the medical evaluation requirement found in another chapter, Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.(1) You must make medical evaluations available to current employees who have been, are, or will be exposed to ino…

IMPORTANT:This section applies when a medical evaluation is performed, or any time a medical record is created for an employee exposed to inorganic arsenic.(1) You must establish and maintain complete and accurate medical records for each employee receiving a medical evaluation a…

Summary:Your responsibility:To protect employees from exposure to inorganic arsenic by using feasible exposure controls and appropriate respirators.IMPORTANT:These sections apply when employee exposure monitoring results are above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 10 microg…

IMPORTANT:Use of employee rotation to control exposures is not advisable since inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen.(1) You must establish and implement a complete written exposure control plan that includes at least the following, for exposure control areas:(a) A description …

IMPORTANT:1. Use of employee rotation to control exposures is not advisable since inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen.2. Respirators and other personal protective equipment (PPE) do not substitute for feasible exposure controls.You must use feasible exposure controls to reduc…

(1) You must establish temporary or permanent exposure control areas where airborne concentrations of inorganic arsenic are above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) by doing all the following:(a) Distinguish the boundaries of exposure control areas from the rest of the workplac…

(1) You must provide the following facilities for employees who could experience eye or skin irritation from exposure to inorganic arsenic or who work in exposure control areas:(a) Clean change rooms with separate storage for street clothes and personal protective equipment (PPE)…

(1) You must provide PPE at no cost to employees, make sure employees use, and maintain their PPE as follows:(a) Provide clean and dry protective clothing to employees who could experience eye or skin irritation from exposure to inorganic arsenic or who work in exposure control a…

IMPORTANT:1. The requirements in this section are in addition to the requirements found in other chapters:a. Airborne contaminants, chapter 296-841 WAC.b. Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.(1) You must provide each employee with an appropriate respirator that complies with the req…

(1) You must make this section readily available to employees as required in Training, WAC 296-848-30005.(2) You must provide this section to the licensed health care professional (LHCP) as required in Step 4 of the medical evaluation process found in Medical evaluations, WAC 296…

(1) You must make this section readily available to employees as required in Training, WAC 296-848-30005.(2) You must provide this section to the licensed health care professional (LHCP) as required in Step 4 of the medical evaluation process found in Medical evaluations, WAC 296…

Action level. An airborne concentration of benzene of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average.Authorized personnel. Individuals specifically permitted by the employer to enter the exposure control area to perform necessary duties, or to obser…

This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to benzene.Definition:Exposure. The contact an employee has with benzene, whether or not protection is provided by respirators or other personal protective equipment (PPE). Exposure can occur through various routes of entry such a…

Summary:Your responsibility:To measure and minimize employee exposure to benzene.IMPORTANT:To determine which requirements to follow for your work tasks, go to Table 1 in the scope of this chapter, WAC 296-849-100.You must meet the requirements…in this section:Communication of ha…

Hazard communication—General.(1) Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers must comply with all requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS, WAC 296-901-140 for benzene).(2) In classifying the hazards of benzene at least the following hazards are to…

You must establish temporary or permanent exposure control areas where airborne concentrations of benzene are above, or can be reasonably expected to be above, the permissible exposure limits (PELs) for benzene by doing all the following:(1) Post signs in accordance with WAC 296-…

IMPORTANT:• When you conduct an exposure evaluation in a workplace where an employee uses a respirator, the protection provided by the respirator is not considered.• Following this section will fulfill the requirements to identify and evaluate respiratory hazards found in chapter…

You must make sure employees use appropriate PPE as protection from skin or eye contact with liquid benzene.Note:Harmful amounts of benzene can enter the body through skin and eye contact.Reference:To see additional personal protective equipment requirements, go to the Safety and…

(1) You must provide training and information to employees:(a) At the time of initial assignment to a work area where benzene is present;AND(b) At least every twelve months after initial training for employees exposed to airborne concentrations at or above the action level (AL) o…

(1) You must provide affected employees and their designated representatives an opportunity to observe exposure monitoring during Step 6 of the exposure evaluation process found in Exposure evaluations, WAC 296-849-11030.(2) You must make sure observers who enter areas with benze…

(1) You must provide written notification of exposure monitoring results to the employees represented by your exposure evaluation within five business days after the monitoring results become known to you.(2) In addition, when employee exposure monitoring results are above a perm…

(1) You must establish and keep complete and accurate records for all exposure monitoring conducted under this chapter. Make sure the record includes at least:(a) The name, Social Security number, or other unique identifier, and job classification of the employee sampled and all …

Summary:Your responsibility:To detect any significant changes in employee health and exposure monitoring results.IMPORTANT:These sections apply when employee exposure monitoring results are either:• At or above the action level (AL) of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) for benzene;OR• …

Exemption:Periodic exposure evaluations aren't required if exposure monitoring results conducted to fulfill requirements in Exposure evaluation, WAC 296-849-11030, are below the action level (AL) and short-term exposure limit (STEL).You must obtain employee exposure monitoring re…

IMPORTANT:Medical evaluations conducted under this section will satisfy the medical evaluation requirement found in Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.(1) You must provide the relevant medical follow-up specified in Tables 4 and 5 to any employee exposed to benzene during an emerge…

IMPORTANT:This section applies when an employee is referred to a hematologist or an internist for follow-up medical examination and evaluation required in Table 5, Medical follow-up requirements found in Medical evaluations, WAC 296-849-12030.(1) You must remove the employee from…

IMPORTANT:This section applies when a medical evaluation is performed, or any time a medical record is created for an employee exposed to benzene.(1) You must establish and maintain complete and accurate medical records for each employee receiving a medical evaluation and make su…

Summary:Your responsibility:To protect employees from exposure to benzene by using feasible exposure controls and appropriate respirators.IMPORTANT:These sections apply when existing or potential employee exposure monitoring results are above either of the following permissible e…

Exemption:This section does not apply to the cleaning and repair of barges and tankers that contained benzene.(1) You must establish and implement a written exposure control plan for exposure control areas that include a schedule for developing and implementing feasible exposure …

IMPORTANT:Respirators and other personal protective equipment (PPE) do not substitute for feasible exposure controls.You must use feasible exposure controls to reduce exposures, as specified in Table 6.Table 6Exposure Control RequirementsIf:Then you must use feasible controls to:…

IMPORTANT:These requirements are in addition to the requirements found in other chapters:• Airborne contaminants, chapter 296-841 WAC;• Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.(1) You must provide each employee with an appropriate respirator that complies with the requirements of this s…

(1) You must include an explanation of the contents of this section to employees as required in Training, WAC 296-849-11050.(2) You must provide a copy of this section to the licensed health care professional (LHCP) as required in Step 4 of the medical evaluation process found in…

(1) You must include an explanation of the contents of this section to employees as required in Training, WAC 296-849-11050.(2) You must provide a copy of this section to the licensed health care professional (LHCP) as required in Step 4 of the medical evaluation process found in…

For the purposes of this section the following definitions apply:(1) Action level - A concentration of airborne beryllium of 0.1 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m³) calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).(2) Airborne exposure and airborne exposure to beryllium …

This standard applies to occupational exposure to beryllium in all forms, compounds, and mixtures, except:(1) This standard does not apply to articles, as defined in chapter 296-901 WAC, Globally harmonized system for hazard communication, that contain beryllium and that the empl…

(1) Time-weighted average (TWA) PEL. The employer must ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of beryllium in excess of 0.2 µg/m³ calculated as an 8-hour TWA.(2) Short-term exposure limit (STEL). The employer must ensure that no employee is exposed to an …

(1) General. The employer must assess the airborne exposure of each employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to airborne beryllium in accordance with either the performance option in subsection (2) of this section or the scheduled monitoring option in subsectio…

(1) Establishment.(a) The employer must establish and maintain a beryllium work area wherever the criteria for a "beryllium work area" set forth in WAC 296-850-090 Definitions, are met. Exception:It is not required to establish a work area for construction work, ship breaking, sh…

For construction and maintenance projects, wherever employees are, or can reasonably be expected to be, exposed to airborne beryllium at levels above the TWA PEL or STEL, the employer must designate a competent person to:(1) Make frequent and regular inspections of job sites, mat…