(1) Buildings containing telecommunications facilities. See Table 1.

(a) Illumination. Lighting in telecommunication facilities shall be provided in an amount such that continuing work operations, routine observations, and the passage of employees can be carried out in a safe and healthful manner.

(b) For specific tasks in facilities, such as splicing cable and the maintenance and repair of equipment frame lineups, the employer shall install permanent lighting or portable supplemental lighting to attain a higher level of illumination.

(c) Minimum standards of illumination for industrial interiors must comply with WAC 296-800-210.

(d) Illumination of field work. Whenever natural light is insufficient to illuminate the worksite, artificial illumination shall be provided to enable the employee to perform the work safely.

(2) Working spaces.

(a) Space shall be provided for access to all medium high and high voltage equipment. The width of the working space in front of the equipment must be the width of the equipment or thirty inches, whichever is greater.

(b) Every structure, new or old, designed for human occupancy shall be provided with exits to permit the prompt escape of occupants in case of fire or other emergency. The means of egress shall be a continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way and consist of three separate and distinct parts; the way of exit access, the exit and the way of exit discharge. A means of egress comprises the vertical and horizontal ways of travel and shall include intervening room spaces, doorways, hallways, corridors, passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs, enclosures, lobbies, escalators, horizontal exits, courts and yards.

(c) "Maintenance aisles," or "wiring aisles," between equipment frame lineups are working spaces and are not a means of egress for purposes of WAC 296-800-310.

(3) Special doors.

(a) When blastproof or power actuated doors are installed in specially designed hard site security buildings and spaces, they shall be designed and installed so that they can be used as a means of egress in emergencies.

(b) When high voltage apparatus is isolated in a supplementary enclosure, interlocks shall be provided on all access doors.

(c) Warning signs shall be provided, which are visible both when the guard or cover is in place or removed.

(4) Power plant machinery in telecommunications facilities.

(a) When power plant machinery is operated with commutators and couplings uncovered, the adjacent housing shall be clearly marked to alert personnel to the rotating machinery.

(b) "Employee working" signs, or similar wording shall be placed on switches associated with motors or generators under repair.

(c) Before opening any power circuit, the load shall be reduced.

(d) All power switches on power panels and disconnects shall be in an open position and generator starting mechanisms disabled before maintenance or repair.

(e) When working on the brushes of a machine in operation, employees must use care not to break a circuit. When it is necessary to remove a brush from the holder, the machine must be shut down.

(f) Only fuse pullers specifically designed for that purpose shall be used when replacing cartridge type fuses.

(5) Battery handling.

(a) Eye protection devices which provide side as well as frontal eye protection for employees shall be provided when measuring storage battery specific gravity or handling electrolyte and the employer shall ensure that such devices are used by the employees.

(b) The employer must ensure that appropriate acid resistant gloves, face shields, and aprons are worn for protection against spattering.

(c) Facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body meeting the requirements of WAC 296-800-15030 shall be provided while servicing or handling batteries, unless the storage batteries are of the enclosed type and equipped with explosion proof vents, in which case sealed water rinse or neutralizing packs may be substituted for the quick drenching or flushing facilities. Maintenance free batteries do not require an emergency eye wash if no electrolyte or water is added to the battery.

(d) Employees assigned to work with storage batteries shall be instructed in emergency procedures such as dealing with accidental acid spills.

(e) Electrolyte (acid or base, and distilled water) for battery cells shall be mixed in a well-ventilated room. Acid or base shall be poured gradually, while stirring, into the water. Water shall never be poured into concentrated (greater than 75 percent) acid solutions. Electrolyte shall never be placed in metal containers nor stirred with metal objects.

(f) When taking specific gravity readings, the open end of the hydrometer shall be covered with an acid resistant material while moving it from cell to cell to avoid splashing or throwing the electrolyte.

(g) Ventilation shall be provided to ensure diffusion of the gasses from the battery to prevent the accumulation of an explosive type mixture.

(h) Racks and trays shall be substantial and treated to be resistant to the electrolyte.

(i) Floors shall be of acid resistant construction or be protected from acid accumulation.

(6) Transportation and storage of compressed gas cylinders.

(a) Highway mobile vehicles and trailers stored in garages in accordance with WAC 296-24-47513 (4)(b), equipped to carry more than one LP-gas container, but the total capacity of LP-gas containers per work vehicle stored in garages shall not exceed 100 pounds of LP-gas.

(b) All container valves, or other means that positively seals the container, shall be closed when not in use.

(c) Special compartments, racks, or blocking shall be provided and used to prevent cylinder movement when using or transporting nitrogen cylinders.

(d) Regulators shall be removed or guarded before a cylinder is transported.

(7) Potable water.

(a) An adequate supply of potable water shall be provided in all places of employment.

(b) Portable containers used to dispense drinking water shall be capable of being tightly closed and equipped with a tap. Water shall not be dipped from containers.

(c) Any container used to distribute drinking water shall be clearly marked as to the nature of its contents and not used for any other purpose.

(d) A common drinking cup is prohibited.

(e) Where single service cups (to be used but once) are supplied, both a sanitary container for the unused cups and a receptacle for disposing of the used cups shall be provided.

(f) All water containers used to furnish drinking water shall be thoroughly cleaned at least once each week or more often as conditions require.

(g) The requirements of this subsection do not apply to mobile crews or to normally unattended work locations as long as employees working at these locations have transportation immediately available, within the normal course of their duties, to nearby facilities otherwise meeting the requirements of this section.