Title 49, LABOR REGULATIONS

(1) Before the assignment of an employee to a worksite employer, a staffing agency must: (a) Inquire about the worksite employer's safety and health practices and hazards at the actual workplace where the employee will be working to assess the safety conditions, workers tasks, an…

(1) A health care employer shall adopt policies that require the use of a smoke evacuation system during any planned surgical procedure that is likely to generate surgical smoke which would otherwise make contact with the eyes or respiratory tract of the occupants of the room. (2…

(1) The surgical smoke evacuation account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. Revenues to the account consist of appropriations and transfers by the legislature and all other funding directed for deposit into the account. Only the director of the department of labor…

(1) Any employer with employees who operate, maintain, or construct high voltage lines and equipment or who conduct line-clearance tree trimming in close proximity to high voltage lines and equipment shall: (a) Make an automated external defibrillator available and accessible to …

(1) The department may adopt rules related to preventing musculoskeletal injuries and disorders that provide standards for an industry or risk classification, subject to the limits in this section. (2)(a) Within a 12-month period, the department may not adopt more than one set of…

(1) The director is authorized, in the director's discretion, to provide funding to employers to purchase additional equipment that may be needed to comply with a rule adopted under RCW 49.17.520. The maximum amount of funding each year is two percent of the premiums paid into th…

(1) The director shall adopt rules, pursuant to this section, to address safety and health issues specific to workers performing construction activities who menstruate or express milk, or both. The rules must be included in the rules governing construction safety standards and mu…

The department shall make a good faith effort to notify an employer within 10 calendar days when the department immediately identifies a hazard that could cause injury to a minor worker during an inspection conducted under this chapter. Such notice does not eliminate or modify an…

This act shall be known and cited as the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act of 1973. [ 1973 c 80 s 29.]

The legislature finds that: (1) Violence is an escalating problem in many health care settings in this state and across the nation; (2) Based on an analysis of workers' compensation claims, the department of labor and industries reports that health care employees face the highest…

For purposes of this chapter: (1) "Health care setting" means: (a) Hospitals as defined in RCW 70.41.020; (b) Home health, hospice, and home care agencies under chapter 70.127 RCW, subject to RCW 49.19.070; (c) Evaluation and treatment facilities as defined in RCW 71.05.020; (d) …

(1)(a) Each health care setting shall develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan for the purposes of preventing violence and protecting employees from violence in the setting. (b) In a health care setting with a safety committee established pursuant to RCW 49.17.0…

(1) By July 1, 2020, and on a regular basis thereafter, as set forth in the plan developed under RCW 49.19.020, each health care setting shall provide violence prevention training to all applicable employees, volunteers, and contracted security personnel, as determined by the pla…

Each health care setting shall keep a record of any violent act against an employee, a patient, or a visitor occurring at the setting. Each record shall be kept for at least five years following the act reported, during which time it shall be available for inspection by the depar…

Failure of a health care setting to comply with this chapter shall subject the setting to citation under chapter 49.17 RCW. [ 1999 c 377 s 6.]

A health care setting needing assistance to comply with this chapter may contact the federal department of labor or the state department of labor and industries for assistance. The state departments of labor and industries, social and health services, and health shall collaborate…

It is the intent of the legislature that any violence protection and prevention plan developed under this chapter be appropriate to the setting in which it is to be implemented. To that end, the legislature recognizes that not all professional health care is provided in a facilit…

(1) Every health care setting must conduct a timely investigation of every workplace violence incident. (2) In each investigation required by this section, the health care setting must review the incident for purposes of identifying factors contributing to or causing workplace vi…

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Department" means the department of labor and industries. (2) "Late night retail establishment" means any business or commercial establishment making sales…

In addition to providing crime prevention training as provided in *section 2 of this act, all employers operating late night retail establishments shall: (1) Post a conspicuous sign in the window or door which states that there is a safe on the premises and it is not accessible t…

The requirements of this chapter shall be implemented and enforced, including rules, citations, violations, penalties, appeals, and other administrative procedures by the director of the department of labor and industries pursuant to the Washington industrial safety and health ac…

This act shall take effect January 1, 1990. The director of the department of labor and industries may immediately take such steps as are necessary to ensure that this act is implemented on its effective date. [ 1989 c 357 s 7.]

The term "pressure" means gauge air pressure in pounds per square inch. [ 1937 c 131 s 1; RRS s 7666-1.]

Every employer of persons for work in compressed air shall: (1) Connect at least two air pipes with the working chamber and keep such pipes in perfect working condition; (2) Attach to the working chamber in accessible positions all instruments necessary to show its pressure and k…

Every employer of persons for work in compressed air shall: (1) Keep at the place of work at all necessary times a duly qualified medical officer to care for cases of illness and to administer strictly and enforce RCW 49.24.020 and 49.24.040; (2) Keep at a medical lock required b…

If an employee is a new employee, an absentee for ten or more successive days, an employee who has worked in compressed air continuously for three months or a beginner in compressed air who has worked but a single shift as required by *RCW 49.24.050, the officer required by RCW 4…

Violation of or noncompliance with any provision of *this article by any employer, manager, superintendent, foreman or other person having direction or control of such work shall be a gross misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty dollars or by impr…

The director of labor and industries shall have the power and it shall be the director's duty to enforce the provisions of RCW 49.24.010 through 49.24.070. Any authorized inspector or agent of the department may issue and serve upon the employer or person in charge of such work, …

Every person, firm or corporation constructing, building or operating a tunnel, quarry, caisson or subway, excepting in connection with mines, with or without compressed air, shall in the employment of any labor comply with the following safety provisions: (1) A safety miner shal…

(1) All lighting in compressed air chambers shall be by electricity only. Wherever practicable there shall be two independent lighting systems with independent sources of supply. (2) The exterior of all lamp sockets shall be entirely nonmetallic. (3) All portable incandescent lam…

Exhaust valves shall be provided, having risers extending to the upper part of chamber, if necessary, and shall be operated at such times as may be required and especially after a blast, and persons shall not be required to resume work after a blast until the gas and smoke have c…

All reasonable precaution shall be taken against fire, and provisions shall be made so that water lines shall be available for use at all times. Fire hose connections with hose connected shall be installed in all power plants and work houses. There shall be fire hose connections …

(1) Whenever the air pressure in a tunnel heading exceeds twenty-one pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure, two air chambers shall always be in use, except for such time as may be necessary when headings are being started from shafts; and whenever practicable the pres…

(1) Each bulkhead in tunnels of twelve feet or more in diameter or equivalent area, shall have at least two locks in perfect working condition, one of which shall be used as an air lock. An additional lock for use in case of emergency shall be held in reserve. (2) The air lock sh…

When locking explosives and detonators into the air chamber, they shall be kept at opposite ends of the lock. While explosives and detonators are being taken through, no persons other than the lock tender and the carriers shall be permitted in the lock. [ 2009 c 549 s 1014; 1941 …

(1) A good and sufficient air plant for the compression of air shall be provided to meet not only ordinary conditions, but emergencies, and to provide margin for repairs at all times. Provision must be made for storing in tanks at each boiler house enough feed water for twelve ho…

When electric power is used for running compressors supplying air for compressed air tunnel work and such power is purchased from a local central station or power company— (1) There shall be two or more sources of power from the power company's stations to the compressor plant. S…

While work is in progress, the employer shall employ a competent person who shall make a regular inspection at least once every working day of all engines, boilers, steam pipes, drills, air pipes, air gauges, air locks, dynamos, electric wiring, signaling apparatus, brakes, cages…

No employee shall ride on any loaded car, cage, or bucket, nor walk up or down any incline or shaft while any car, cage, or bucket is above him or her. [ 2010 c 8 s 12024; 1941 c 194 s 12; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 7666-20.]

No vehicle shall be operated underground at a speed greater than five miles an hour, while construction work is going on. [ 1941 c 194 s 13; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 7666-21.]

Oil for illumination or power shall not be taken into the underground workings of any tunnel or kept therein in greater quantities than one day's supply. [ 1941 c 194 s 14; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 7666-22.]

(1) No greater quantity of explosives than that which is required for immediate use shall be taken into the working chamber. (2) Explosives shall be conveyed in a suitable covered wooden box. (3) Detonators shall be conveyed in a separate covered wooden box. (4) Explosives and de…

When firing by electricity from power or lighting wires, a proper switch shall be furnished with lever down when "off". The switch shall be fixed in a locked box to which no person shall have access except the blaster. There shall be provided flexible leads or connecting wires no…

(1) After a blast is fired, loosened pieces of rock shall be scaled from the sides of the excavation and after the blasting is completed, the entire working chamber shall be thoroughly scaled. (2) The person in charge shall inspect the working chamber and have all loose rock or g…

Any code of signals used shall be printed and copies thereof, in such languages as may be necessary to be understood by all persons affected thereby, shall be kept posted in a conspicuous place near entrances to workplaces and in such other places as may be necessary to bring the…

All shafting used in pneumatic caissons shall be provided with ladders, which are to be kept clear and in good condition at all times. The distance between the centers of the rungs of a ladder shall not exceed fourteen inches and shall not vary more than one inch in any one piece…