S-3513               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 4474

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Warnke and Rasmussen

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 1/9/86.  Read first time 1/13/86 and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to manholes; adding a new section to chapter 49.17 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 49.17 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A person shall not enter a manhole being constructed or being used for repairs to underground utilities or remain inside of the opening unless a person is providing alert surveillance, except that a new manhole under construction is exempted if adequate steps are taken to insure safe working conditions.

          (2) A person, firm, or corporation authorized or permitted to construct or repair underground facilities by access through a manhole shall provide alert surveillance until the manhole cover is in place and no person remains in the underground facility.  The second employee shall be trained in safety and first aid practices and shall be responsible for alert surveillance of the occupied manhole to afford immediate action in emergencies.  The second employee may also perform other duties either above grade or in the manhole provided that the other duties do not interfere with his or her surveillance duties.

          (3) This section does not preclude an employee trained in safety practices, in the absence of a second employee, from entering a manhole for a brief period of time not in excess of twenty minutes for purposes such as inspections, housekeeping, taking readings, or similar work, provided adequate steps have been taken to insure safe working conditions.

          (4) A person, firm, or corporation that violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.  Each day a violation of this section occurs constitutes a separate offense.