H-692                _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 216

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives R. King, Patrick, Wang, Chandler, Fisch, Winsley and Lux

Read first time 1/25/85 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to common carrier railroads; adding new sections to chapter 81.40 RCW; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 81.40 RCW to read as follows:

          Each common carrier railroad shall make available to its employees classes in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation that will permit them to meet the requirements of section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 81.40 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) At least one person of a crew directly involved in the maintenance and operation of all common carrier railroads in the state of Washington shall hold a valid first aid certificate.  For the purposes of this section, a crew means a group of two or more employees.

          (2) Compliance with the requirements of this section may be achieved as follows:

          (a) All foremen, supervisors, or persons in direct charge of crews working in physically dispersed operations shall have a valid first aid certificate, but if the duties or work of the foreman, supervisor, or person in charge of the crew requires an absence from the crew, another person holding a valid first aid certificate shall be present.

          (b) If there is no foreman, supervisor, or person in direct charge assigned to the crew, at least one employee shall have a valid first aid certificate.

          (c) In an emergency, the foreman, supervisor, or person in direct charge of a crew will be permitted to work up to thirty days without having the required certificate if an employee in the crew or another foreman, supervisor, or person in direct charge in the immediate work area has the necessary certificate.

          (3) A valid certification shall be accomplished by passing a course of first aid instruction that conforms to standards at least equivalent to the American Red Cross first aid training course and cardiopulmonary course.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 81.40 RCW to read as follows:

          Penalties for failing to comply with sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be as provided by RCW 81.04.405.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     This act shall take effect on January 1, 1986.