Washington Administrative Code

(1) Written exposure control plan.(a) The employer must establish, implement, and maintain a written exposure control plan, which must contain:(i) A list of operations and job titles reasonably expected to involve airborne exposure to or dermal contact with beryllium;(ii) A list …

(1) General. The employer must provide respiratory protection at no cost to the employee and ensure that each employee uses respiratory protection:(a) During periods necessary to install or implement feasible engineering and work practice controls where airborne exposure exceeds,…

(1) Provision and use. The employer must provide at no cost, and ensure that each employee uses, appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment in accordance with the written exposure control plan required under subsection (1) of this section and other applicable requirem…

(1) General. For each employee working in a beryllium work area, who can reasonably be expected to have dermal contact with beryllium, or who is required to use personal protective clothing or equipment by this rule in construction work, ship breaking, ship building, or ship repa…

(1) General.(a) The employer must maintain all surfaces in beryllium work areas and regulated areas as free as practicable of beryllium and in accordance with the written exposure control plan required under WAC 296-850-130(1) and the cleaning methods required under this subsecti…

(1) General.(a) The employer must make medical surveillance required by this section available at no cost to the employee, and at a reasonable time and place, to each employee:(i) Who is or is reasonably expected to be exposed at or above the action level for more than 30 days pe…

(1) An employee is eligible for medical removal, if the employee works in a job with airborne exposure at or above the action level and either:(a) The employee provides the employer with:(i) An abnormal or borderline finding for a single blood BeLPT test, until confirmatory testi…

(1) General.(a) Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, and employers must comply with all requirements of chapter 296-901 WAC, Globally harmonized system for hazard communication, for beryllium.(b) In classifying the hazards of beryllium, at least the following hazards …

(1) Air monitoring data.(a) The employer must make and maintain a record of all exposure measurements taken to assess airborne exposure as prescribed in WAC 296-850-115 Exposure assessment.(b) This record must include at least the following information:(i) The date of measurement…

(1) Effective date. This standard shall become effective December 12, 2018.(2) Compliance dates. All obligations of this standard commence and become enforceable on December 12, 2018, except:(a) Change rooms and showers required by WAC 296-850-145 of this standard must be provide…

This standard defines a beryllium work area as any work area where materials that contain at least 0.1 percent beryllium by weight are processed (1) during any of the operations listed in Appendix A of this standard, or (2) where employees are, or can reasonably be expected to be…

Purpose: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 beryllium standard. Appendix B is for informatio…

Action level. An airborne concentration of ethylene oxide (EtO) of 0.5 parts per million, 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 …

This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to ethylene oxide.Definition:Ethylene oxide (EtO). An organic chemical represented by the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) registry number 75-21-8. It is a flammable colorless gas that is commonly used to sterilize medical equipmen…

Summary:Your responsibility:To evaluate employee exposure and protect employee from ethylene oxide.IMPORTANT:• The requirements in basic rules apply to all employers covered by the scope of this chapter, WAC 296-855-100. Additional sections may apply to you, based on employee exp…

(1) You must make sure that all containers of EtO whose contents are capable of causing employee exposure above the action level or above the STEL are labeled, tagged, or marked with this warning, stating that breathing airborne concentrations of EtO is hazardous.(2) You must kee…

(1) You must establish temporary or permanent exposure control areas where airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide (EtO) exceed or could exceed the permissible exposure limits (PELs) by doing all the following:(a) Clearly identify the boundaries of exposure control areas in any…

(1) You must make sure employees wear appropriate PPE as protection from skin or eye contact with ethylene oxide (EtO), liquid EtO, or EtO solutions. (2) You must provide appropriate PPE at no cost to employees.[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.…

IMPORTANT:This section applies when there is a potential for airborne exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) in your workplace.When you conduct an exposure evaluation in a workplace where an employee uses a respirator, the protection provided by the respirator is not considered. Follow…

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

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

(1) You must keep documentation you develop, of the processing, use, or handling of products made from or containing EtO, that conclusively demonstrates that the action level or STEL for EtO cannot be exceeded under any foreseeable conditions of use.(2) You must include the follo…

(1) You must train employees who are potentially exposed above the:(a) Action level (AL) 0.5 parts per million (ppm); or(b) Fifteen-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL) of five ppm.(2) You must provide training:(a) At the time of initial assignment; and(b) Then at least every …

Summary:Your responsibility:To monitor employee health and workplace exposures to ethylene oxide (EtO).IMPORTANT:These sections apply when employee exposure monitoring results are either above the:1. Action level (AL) of 0.5 parts per million (ppm); or2. Short-term exposure limit…

Exemption:Periodic employee exposure monitoring is not required if exposure monitoring results conducted to fulfill requirements in Exposure evaluation, WAC 296-855-20050, are below the action level (AL).You must obtain employee exposure monitoring results according to the freque…

IMPORTANT:Medical evaluations meeting all requirements of this section will fulfill the medical evaluation requirement found in another chapter, Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.Employees who wear respirators need to be medically evaluated to make sure the respirator will not har…

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

Summary:Your responsibility:To protect employees from exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) by using feasible exposure controls and appropriate respirators.IMPORTANT:These sections apply when employee exposure monitoring results are above either of the following permissible exposure l…

(1) You must establish and implement a written exposure control plan to reduce employee exposure to EtO below both TWA8 and the STEL by the use of feasible exposure controls. Include at least the following in your plan:(a) A schedule for periodic leak detection surveys.(b) Make s…

IMPORTANT:The use of an employee rotation schedule to control employee exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) is prohibited.Respirators and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are not exposure controls. (1) You must use feasible exposure controls to reduce exposure to, or below, …

IMPORTANT:The requirements in this section are in addition to the requirements found in another chapter, Respirators, chapter 296-842 WAC.Medical evaluations meeting all requirements of WAC 296-855-30030, will fulfill the medical evaluation requirement found in another chapter, R…

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

Action level. An airborne concentration of formaldehyde of 0.5 parts per million of air calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average.Authorized personnel. Individuals specifically permitted by the employer to enter the exposure control area to perform duties, or to observe emplo…

This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde includes formaldehyde gas, its solutions, and materials that release formaldehyde.Definitions:Formaldehyde. An organic chemical with the formula of HCHO, represented by the chemical abstract service (…

Your responsibility:To measure and minimize employee exposure to formaldehyde.IMPORTANT:• The requirements in basic rules apply to all employers covered by the scope of this chapter. Additional sections may apply to you. Turn to the scope and follow Table 1 in that section to det…

(1) You must make sure containers of gasses, solutions, or materials composed of greater than 0.1 percent formaldehyde, and capable of releasing formaldehyde at concentrations greater than 0.1 ppm to 0.5 ppm, are properly labeled, tagged, or marked with all of the following:(a) T…

Exemption:Training is not required for employees when you have conclusive documentation that they cannot be exposed to formaldehyde at airborne concentrations above 0.1 parts per million (ppm).(1) You must provide training and information to employees exposed to formaldehyde at a…

(1) You must provide PPE at no cost to employees and make sure employees wear the equipment.(2) You must make sure that employees do not take contaminated clothing or other PPE from the workplace.Select PPE that is appropriate for your workplace based on at least the following:(a…

You must implement appropriate protective measures while you conduct your exposure evaluation.Employees performing activities with exposure to airborne formaldehyde that could exceed the 0.75 ppm, 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA8), or the 2 ppm 15-minute short-term exposure lim…

IMPORTANT:• This section applies when there is a potential for an employee to be exposed to airborne formaldehyde in your workplace.• When you conduct an exposure evaluation in a workplace where an employee uses a respirator, the protection provided by the respirator is not consi…

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

(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 the following:(a) The name, unique identifier, and job classification of both:(i) The employee sampled;AND(ii) All other …

Your responsibility:To monitor employee health and workplace exposures to formaldehyde.You must meet the requirements…in the section:Periodic exposure evaluationsWAC 296-856-30010Medical and emergency evaluationsWAC 296-856-30020Medical removalWAC 296-856-30030Multiple LHCP revie…

Exemption:Periodic employee exposure monitoring is not required if exposure monitoring results conducted to fulfill requirements in this chapter, Exposure evaluations, WAC 296-856-20050, are below both the action level (AL) and 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL).You must …

IMPORTANT:• Medical evaluations completed to meet the respirator use requirements of this section also need to meet the requirements found in a separate chapter, Respirators, medical evaluations, WAC 296-842-140.(1) You must make medical evaluations available to current employees…

Exemption:Medical removal or restrictions do not apply when skin irritation or skin sensitization occurs from products that contain less than 0.05 percent of formaldehyde.IMPORTANT:• This section applies when an employee reports irritation of the mucosa of the eye or the upper ai…

IMPORTANT:• This section applies each time a medical examination or consultation is performed to determine whether medical removal or restriction is required.(1) You must promptly notify employees that they may seek a second medical opinion from an LHCP of their choice, each time…

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

Your responsibility:To control employee exposure to airborne formaldehyde and protect employees by using appropriate respirators.IMPORTANT:• These sections apply when employee exposure monitoring results are above the permissible exposure limit (PEL):– The 8-hour time-weighted av…

IMPORTANT:• Respirators and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are not exposure controls.You must use feasible exposure controls to reduce employee exposures to a level below the permissible exposure limit (PEL) or to as low a level as achievable.[Statutory Authority: RCW …