EXPEDITED RULES
LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
Title of Rule: WAC 296-800-310 Exit routes and employee alarm systems.
Purpose: On July 8, 2003, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found our rules regarding exit routes and employee alarm systems not at-least-as-effective-as the federal rule. The proposed changes will make our rule at-least-as-effective-as the federal equivalent.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060,
Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 49.17 RCW.
Summary: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found our rules regarding exit routes and employee alarm systems not at-least-as-effective-as the federal rule. The proposed changes will make our rule at-least-as-effective-as the federal equivalent.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Tracy Spencer, Tumwater, (360) 902-5530; Implementation and Enforcement: Michael A. Silverstein, Tumwater, (360) 902-5495.
Name of Proponent: Department of Labor and Industries, governmental.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: WAC 296-800-310 Exit routes and employee alarm systems, contains requirements on now to notify and evacuate employees during emergency situations. There are no anticipated effects of this rule making.
Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: The following sections are affected by this rule making:
AMENDED SECTIONS:
WAC 296-800-310 Summary.
| | The proposal adds an important statement, which references the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101-2000, the Life Safety Code. |
| | The proposal changes the ceiling of an exit route to seven feet six inches high. |
| | The proposal adds refuge area to where an exit route can lead. |
| | The proposal adds an exemption, stating you don't need an alarm system if employees can promptly see or smell a fire or other hazards in time to provide adequate warning to other employees. |
| | The proposal adds definitions for: |
| - | Occupant load |
| - | Refuge area |
| - | Self-lighting or self-luminous. |
THIS RULE IS BEING PROPOSED UNDER AN EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE AGENCY TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS, PREPARE A SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT, OR PROVIDE RESPONSES TO THE CRITERIA FOR A SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE RULE. IF YOU OBJECT TO THE USE OF THE EXPEDITED RULE-MAKING PROCESS, YOU MUST EXPRESS YOUR OBJECTIONS IN WRITING AND THEY MUST BE SENT TO Carmen Moore, Department of Labor and Industries, P.O. Box 44001, Olympia, WA 98504-4001 , AND RECEIVED BY January 6, 2004.
November 4, 2003
Paul Trause
Director
OTS-6731.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 01-23-060, filed 11/20/01,
effective 12/1/01)
WAC 296-800-310
Summary.
Your responsibility: To
provide and maintain emergency exit routes and to install and
maintain adequate employee alarm systems.
IMPORTANT:
An employer who demonstrates compliance with the exit route provisions of NFPA 101-2000, the Life Safety Code, will be in compliance with the corresponding requirements of this section.
Exit routes:
You must:
Provide an adequate number of exit routes.
Make sure that exit routes are large enough.
Make sure that exit routes meet their specific design and construction requirements.
Make sure that each exit route leads outside.
Provide unobstructed access to exit routes.
Exit doors must be readily opened from the inside.
Use side-hinged doors to connect rooms to exit routes.
Provide outdoor exit routes that meet requirements.
Minimize danger to employees while they are using emergency exit routes.
Mark exits adequately.
Provide adequate lighting for exit routes and signs.
Maintain the fire retardant properties of paints or other coatings.
Maintain emergency safeguards.
Maintain exit routes during construction and repair.
Provide doors in freezer or refrigerated rooms that open from the inside.
Employee alarm systems:
You must:
Install and maintain an appropriate employee alarm system.
Establish procedures for sounding emergency alarms.
Test the employee alarm system.
| Exemption: | This rule does not apply to vehicles, vessels, or other mobile structures. |
| Note: | The introduction has important information about building, electrical and fire codes that may apply to you in addition to WISHA rules. See "How do the WISHA rules relate to building, fire, and electrical codes" in the introduction section of this book. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-23-060, § 296-800-310, filed 11/20/01, effective 12/1/01; 01-11-038, § 296-800-310, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]
Make sure each exit route is large enough to accommodate the maximum-permitted occupant load for each floor served by the route.
Make sure the capacity of an exit route does not decrease at any point.
Make sure an exit route is at least ((6)) 7 feet ((8))
6 inches high at all points.
Make sure ((objects that stick out into the exit route,
such as fans hanging from the ceilings or cabinets on walls,
do not reduce the minimum height and width of the exit route))
projections from the ceiling do not reach a point less than 6
feet 8 inches from the floor.
Make sure exit routes are at least 28 inches wide at all points between any handrails.
If necessary, routes must be wider than 28 inches to accommodate the expected occupant load.
Make sure objects that stick out into the exit route, such as cabinets on walls, do not reduce the minimum width of the exit route.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-23-060, § 296-800-31010, filed 11/20/01, effective 12/1/01; 01-11-038, § 296-800-31010, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]
Make sure that building exit routes lead:
Directly outside or to a street, walkway((;)), refuge
area, or to an open space with access to the outside.
To streets, walkways, or open spaces large enough to accommodate all building occupants likely to use the exit.
Make sure the exit routes clearly show the route employees use to leave the building in an emergency.
Install a standard safeguard with a warning sign, if a doorway or corner of a building could allow an employee to walk in front of an engine or trolley.
Use doors, partitions, or other effective means to show employees the correct route out of the building, if the stairs in your exit route lead anywhere but out of the building.
| Note: | If the stairs in your exit route lead past the exit to the basement, you might install a gate at the point they lead towards that basement. The gate could help your employees stay on the exit route taking them out of the building. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-11-038, § 296-800-31020, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]
| Exemptions: | If you have ten or fewer employees in a particular workplace, you can use direct voice communication to sound the alarm, if all employees can hear it. For this kind of workplace, you do not need a back-up system. |
| In workplaces where employees would not otherwise be able to recognize audible or visible alarms, you can use tactile devices to alert them. |
Make sure that a working employee alarm system with a
distinctive signal to warn employees of fire or other
emergencies is installed and maintained((, unless employees
can see or smell a fire or other hazard)).
| Exemption: | You do not need an alarm system if employees can promptly see or smell a fire or other hazard in time to provide adequate warning to other employees. |
Supervisory alarms
Discharge alarms
Detection systems required on fixed extinguishing systems
Detection systems required on fire suppression systems
Make sure that your employee alarm systems are:
Providing enough warning to allow employees to safely escape from the workplace, the immediate work area, or both.
Noticeable above surrounding noise or light levels by all employees in the affected portions of the workplace.
Distinctive and recognizable as a signal, to evacuate the work area.
Restored to working order as soon as possible, after each test or alarm.
Supervised, if installed after July 1, 1982, and if it has that capacity.
Able to alert assigned personnel whenever a malfunction exists in the system.
Adequately warning employees of emergencies.
Serviced, maintained, and tested by a person trained in the alarm system's design and functions to keep the system operating reliably and safely.
In working order, except when undergoing repairs or maintenance.
Warning employees of fire or other emergencies with a distinctive signal, if they are not able to see or smell a fire or other hazard.
Manual actuation devices that, if provided, are unobstructed, easy to find, and readily accessible.
Using alarm devices, components, combinations of devices, or systems with approved construction and installation. This applies to steam whistles, air horns, strobe lights, or similar lighting devices, as well as tactile devices.
Supplied with spare alarm devices available to restore the system promptly if a component breaks, is worn, or destroyed.
Kept in full operating condition by maintaining and replacing power supplies as often as necessary.
Supplied with a back-up means of alarm, such as employee runners or telephones, when regular systems are out of service.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 01-11-038, § 296-800-31070, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]
Abatement Action Plans
Refers to your written plans for correcting a WISHA violation.
Abatement date
The date on the citation when you must comply with specific safety and health standards listed on the citation and notice of assessment or the corrective notice of redetermination.
Acceptable
As used in Electrical, WAC 296-800-280 means an installation or equipment is acceptable to the director of labor and industries, and approved:
If it is accepted, or certified, or listed, or labeled, or otherwise determined to be safe by a nationally recognized testing laboratory; or
With respect to an installation or equipment of a kind which no nationally recognized testing laboratory accepts, certifies, lists, labels, or determines to be safe, if it is inspected or tested by another federal agency, or by a state, municipal, or other local authority responsible for enforcing occupational safety provisions of the National Electrical Code, and found in compliance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code as applied in this section;
OR
With respect to custom-made equipment or related installations which are designed, fabricated for, and intended for use by a particular customer, if it is determined to be safe for its intended use by its manufacturer on the basis of test data which the employer keeps and makes available for inspection to the director and his/her authorized representatives. Refer to federal regulation 29 CFR 1910.7 for definition of nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Accepted
As used in Electrical, WAC 296-800-280 means an installation is accepted if it has been inspected and found by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to conform to specified plans or to procedures of applicable codes.
Access
As used in material safety data sheets (MSDSs) as Exposure Records, WAC 296-800-180 means the right and opportunity to examine and copy exposure records.
Affected employees
As used in WISHA appeals, penalties and other procedural rules, WAC 296-800-350 means employees exposed to hazards identified as violations in a citation.
Analysis using exposure or medical records
An analysis using exposure records or medical records can be any collection of data or a statistical study. It can be based on either:
Partial or complete information from individual employee exposure or medical records or
Information collected from health insurance claim records
The analysis is not final until it has been:
Reported to the employer or
Completed by the person responsible for the analysis
ANSI
This is an acronym for the American National Standards Institute.
Approved means:
Approved by the director of the department of labor and industries or their authorized representative, or by an organization that is specifically named in a rule, such as Underwriters' Laboratories (UL), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
As used in Electrical, WAC 296-800-280 means acceptable to the authority enforcing this section. The authority enforcing this section is the director of labor and industries. The definition of acceptable indicates what is acceptable to the director and therefore approved.
Assistant director
The assistant director for the WISHA services division at the department of labor and industries or his/her designated representative.
ASTM
This is an acronym for American Society for Testing and Materials.
Attachment plug or plug
As used in the basic electrical rules, WAC 296-800-280 means the attachment at the end of a flexible cord or cable that is part of a piece of electrical equipment. When it is inserted into an outlet or receptacle, it connects the conductors supplying electrical power from the outlet to the flexible cable.
Bare conductor
A conductor that does not have any covering or insulation.
Bathroom
A room maintained within or on the premises of any place of employment, containing toilets that flush for use by employees.
Biological agents
Organisms or their by-products.
Board
As used in WISHA appeals, penalties and other procedural rules, WAC 296-800-350 means the board of industrial insurance appeals.
Ceiling
An exposure limit that must not be exceeded during any part of the employee's workday. The ceiling must be determined over the shortest time period feasible and should not exceed fifteen minutes.
Certification
As used in WISHA appeals, penalties and other procedural rules, WAC 296-800-350 means refers to an employer's written statement describing when and how a citation violation was corrected.
CFR
This is an acronym for Code of Federal Regulations.
Chemical
Any element, chemical compound, or mixture of elements and/or compounds.
Chemical agents (airborne or contact)
A chemical agent is any of the following:
Airborne chemical agent which is any of the following:
Dust - solid particles suspended in air, that are created by actions such as:
Handling.
Drilling.
Crushing.
Grinding.
Rapid impact.
Detonation.
Decrepitation of organic or inorganic materials such as rock, ore, metal, coal, wood, and grain.
Fume - solid particles suspended in air, that are created by condensation from the gaseous state.
Gas - a normally formless fluid, such as air, which can be changed to the liquid or solid state by the effect of increased pressure or decreased temperature or both.
Mist - liquid droplets suspended in air. Mist is created by:
Condensation from the gaseous to the liquid state;
OR
Converting a liquid into a dispersed state with actions such as splashing, foaming, spraying or atomizing.
Vapor - the gaseous form of a substance that is normally in the solid or liquid state.
Contact chemical agent which is any of the following:
Corrosive - a substance that, upon contact, causes destruction of living tissue by chemical action, including acids with a pH of 2.5 or below or caustics with a pH of 11.0 or above.
Irritant - a substance that will induce a local inflammatory reaction upon immediate, prolonged, or repeated contact with normal living tissue.
Toxicant - a substance that has the inherent capacity to produce personal injury or illness to individuals by absorption through any body surface.
Chemical manufacturer
An employer with a workplace where one or more chemicals are produced for use or distribution.
Chemical name
The scientific designation of a chemical in accordance with one of the following:
The nomenclature system developed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) rules of nomenclature
A name which will clearly identify the chemical for the purpose of conducting a hazard evaluation.
Circuit breaker
Is a device used to manually open or close a circuit. This device will also open the circuit automatically and without damage to the breaker when a predetermined overcurrent is applied. (600 volts nominal or less)
Is a switching device capable of making, carrying, and breaking currents under normal circuit conditions, and also making, carrying for a specified time, and breaking currents under specified abnormal circuit conditions, such as those of short circuit. (Over 600 volts nominal)
Citation
Refers to the citation and notice issued to an employer for any violation of WISHA safety and health rules. A citation and notice may be referred to as a citation and notice of assessment but is more commonly referred to as a citation.
Combustible liquid
A combustible liquid has a flashpoint of at least 100°F (37.8°C) and below 200°F (93.3°C). Mixtures with at least 99% of their components having flashpoints of 200°F (93.3°C) or higher are not considered combustible liquids.
Commercial account
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means an arrangement in which a retail distributor sells hazardous chemical(s) to an employer, generally in large quantities over time, and/or at costs that are below the regular retail price.
Common name
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means any designation or identification such as:
Code name
Code number
Trade name
Brand name
Generic name used to identify a chemical other than by its chemical name.
Compressed gas
A gas or mixture of gases that, when in a container, has an absolute pressure exceeding:
40 psi at 70°F (21.1°C)
OR
104 psi at 130°F (54.4°C) regardless of the pressure at 70°F (21.1°C)
Compressed gas can also mean a liquid with a vapor pressure that exceeds 40 psi at 100°F (37.8°C)
Conductor
A wire that transfers electric power.
Container
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means any container, except for pipes or piping systems, that contains a hazardous chemical. It can be any of the following:
Bag
Barrel
Bottle
Box
Can
Cylinder
Drum
Reaction vessel
Storage tank
Correction date
The date by which a violation must be corrected. Final orders or extensions that give additional time to make corrections establish correction dates. A correction date established by an order of the board of industrial insurance appeals remains in effect during any court appeal unless the court suspends the date.
Corrective notice
Refers to a notice changing a citation and is issued by the department after a citation has been appealed.
Corrosive
A substance that, upon contact, causes destruction of living tissue by chemical action, including acids with a pH of 2.5 or below or caustics with a pH of 11.0 or above.
Covered conductor
A conductor that is covered by something else besides electrical insulation.
Damp location
As used in basic electrical rules, WAC 296-800-280 means partially protected areas that are exposed to moderate moisture. Outdoor examples include roofed open porches and marquees. Interior examples include basements and barns.
Department
Those portions of the department of labor and industries responsible for enforcing the Washington Industrial Safety Act (WISHA).
Designated representative
Any individual or organization to which an employee gives written authorization.
A recognized or certified collective bargaining agent without regard to written authorization.
The legal representative of a deceased or legally incapacitated employee.
Director
The director means the director of the department of labor and industries or their designee.
Distributor
A business, other than a chemical manufacturer or importer, that supplies hazardous chemicals to other distributors or to employers.
Documentation
As used in WISHA appeals, penalties and other procedural rules, WAC 296-800-350 means material that you submit to prove that a correction is completed. Documentation includes, but is not limited to, photographs, receipts for materials and/or labor.
Dry location
As used in basic electrical rules, WAC 296-800-280 means areas not normally subjected to damp or wet conditions. Dry locations may become temporarily damp or wet, such as when constructing a building.
Dust
Solid particles suspended in air that are created by actions such as:
Handling.
Drilling.
Crushing.
Grinding.
Rapid impact.
Detonation.
Decrepitation of organic or inorganic materials such as rock, ore, metal, coal, wood, and grain.
Emergency washing facilities
Emergency washing facilities are emergency showers, eyewashes, eye/face washes, hand-held drench hoses, or other similar units.
Electrical outlets
Places on an electric circuit where power is supplied to equipment through receptacles, sockets, and outlets for attachment plugs.
Employee
Based on chapter 49.17 RCW, the term employee and other terms of like meaning, unless the context of the provision containing such term indicates otherwise, means an employee of an employer who is employed in the business of his or her employer whether by way of manual labor or otherwise and every person in this state who is engaged in the employment of or who is working under an independent contract the essence of which is personal labor for an employer under this standard whether by way of manual labor or otherwise.
Employee exposure record
As used in material safety data sheets (MSDSs) as exposure records, WAC 296-800-180 means a record containing any of the following kinds of information:
Environmental (workplace) monitoring or measuring of a toxic substance or harmful physical agent, including personal, area, grab, wipe, or other form of sampling, as well as related collection and analytical methodologies, calculations, and other background data relevant to interpretation of the results obtained;
Biological monitoring results which directly assess the absorption of a toxic substance or harmful physical agent by body systems (e.g., the level of a chemical in the blood, urine, breath, hair, fingernails, etc.) but not including results which assess the biological effect of a substance or agent or which assess an employee's use of alcohol or drugs;
Material safety data sheets indicating that the material may pose a hazard to human health;
OR
In the absence of the above, a chemical inventory or any other record which reveals where and when used and the identity (e.g., chemical, common or trade name) of a toxic substance or harmful physical agent.
Employer
Based on chapter 49.17 RCW, an employer is any person, firm, corporation, partnership, business trust, legal representative, or other business entity which engages in any business, industry, profession, or activity in this state and employs one or more employees or who contracts with one or more persons, the essence of which is the personal labor of such person or persons and includes the state, counties, cities, and all municipal corporations, public corporations, political subdivisions of the state, and charitable organizations: Provided, That any persons, partnership, or business entity not having employees, and who is covered by the Industrial Insurance Act must be considered both an employer and an employee.
Exit
Provides a way of travel out of the workplace.
Exit route
A continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to safety outside.
Explosive
A chemical that causes a sudden, almost instant release of pressure, gas, and heat when exposed to a sudden shock, pressure, or high temperature.
Exposed live parts
Electrical parts that are:
Not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated
AND
Capable of being accidentally touched or approached closer than a safe distance.
Exposed wiring methods
Involve working with electrical wires that are attached to surfaces or behind panels designed to allow access to the wires.
Exposure or exposed
As used in employer chemical hazard communication, WAC 296-800-170 and material safety data sheets (MSDSs) as exposure records, WAC 296-800-180. An employee has been, or may have possibly been, subjected to a hazardous chemical, toxic substance or harmful physical agent while working. An employee could have been exposed to hazardous chemicals, toxic substances, or harmful physical agents in any of the following ways:
Inhalation
Ingestion
Skin contact
Absorption
Related means.
The terms exposure and exposed only cover workplace exposure involving a toxic substance or harmful physical agent in the workplace different from typical nonoccupational situations in the way it is:
Used
Handled
Stored
Generated
Present
Exposure record
See definition for employee exposure record.
Extension ladder
A portable ladder with 2 or more sections and is not self-supporting. The 2 or more sections travel in guides or brackets that let you change the length. The size of a portable ladder is determined by adding together the length of each section.
Failure-to-abate
Any violation(s) resulting from not complying with an abatement date.
Final order
Any of the following (unless an employer or other party files a timely appeal):
Citation and notice;
Corrective notice;
Decision and order from the board of industrial insurance appeals;
Denial of petition for review from the board of industrial insurance appeals; or
Decision from a Washington State superior court, court of appeals, or the state supreme court.
Final order date
The date a final order is issued.
First aid
The extent of treatment you would expect from a person trained in basic first aid, using supplies from a first-aid kit.
Tests, such as X rays, must not be confused with treatment.
Flammable
A chemical covered by one of the following categories:
Aerosol flammable means an aerosol that, when tested by the method described in 16 CFR 1500.45 yields either a flame projection more than 18 inches at full valve opening or a flashback (a flame extending back to the valve) at any degree of valve opening;
Gas, flammable means:
A gas that, at temperature and pressure of the surrounding area, forms a flammable mixture with air at a concentration of 13% by volume or less or
A gas that, at temperature and pressure of the surrounding area, forms a range of flammable mixtures with air wider than 12% by volume, regardless of the lower limit.
Liquid, flammable means any liquid having a flashpoint below 100°F (37.8°C), except any mixture having components with flashpoints of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher, the total of which make up 99% or more of the total volume of the mixture.
Solid, flammable means a solid, other than a blasting agent or explosive as defined in 29 CFR 1910.109(a), that is likely to cause fire through friction, moisture absorption, spontaneous chemical change, or retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be ignited readily. Solid, inflammable also means that when the substance is ignited, it burns so powerfully and persistently that it creates a serious hazard. A chemical must be considered to be a flammable solid if, when tested by the method described in 16 CFR 1500.44, it ignites and burns with a self-sustained flame at a rate greater than one-tenth of an inch per second along its major axis.
Flashpoint
The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off a vapor in sufficient concentration to ignite when tested by any of the following measurement methods:
Tagliabue closed tester: (See American National Standard Method of Test for Flash Point by Tag Closed Tester, Z11.24-1979 (ASTM D 56-79)) for liquids with a viscosity of less than 45 Saybolt Universal Seconds (SUS) at 100°F (37.8°C), that do not contain suspended solids and do not have a tendency to form a surface film under test; or
Pensky-Martens closed tester: (See American National Standard Method of Test for Flash Point by Pensky-Martens Closed Tester, Z11.7-1979 (ASTM D 93-79)) for liquids with a viscosity equal to or greater than 45 SUS at 100°F (37.8°C), or that contain suspended solids, or that have a tendency to form a surface film under test; or
Setaflash closed tester: (See American National
Standard Method of Test for Flash Point by Setaflash Closed
Tester (ASTM D 3278-78).)
| Note: | Organic peroxides, which undergo auto accelerating thermal decomposition, are excluded from any of the flashpoint measurement methods specified above. |
Typically used to connect electrical equipment to an outlet or receptacle. These cords can have an attachment plug to connect to a power source or can be permanently wired into the power source. Flexible cords, extension cords, cables and electrical cords are all examples of flexible cord.
Floor hole
An opening in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard that measures at least one inch but less than 12 inches at its smallest dimension and through which materials and tools (but not people) can fall.
Examples of floor holes are:
Belt holes
Pipe openings
Slot openings
Floor opening
An opening in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard that measures at least 12 inches in its smallest dimension and through which a person can fall.
Examples of floor openings are:
Hatchways
Stair or ladder openings
Pits
Large manholes
The following are NOT considered floor openings:
Openings occupied by elevators
Dumbwaiters
Conveyors
Machinery
Containers
Foreseeable emergency
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means any potential event that could result in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous chemical into the workplace. Examples of foreseeable emergencies include equipment failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment.
Fume
Solid particles suspended in air that are created by condensation from the gaseous state.
Gas
A normally formless fluid, such as air, which can be changed to the liquid or solid state by the effect of increased pressure or decreased temperature or both.
Ground
As used in Electrical, WAC 296-800-280, a connection between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth or other conducting body besides the earth. This connection can be intentional or accidental.
Grounded
A connection has been made between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth or another conducting body besides the earth.
Grounded conductor
A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.
Ground-fault circuit-interrupter
A device whose function is to interrupt the electric circuit to the load when a fault current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that is less than that required to operate the overcurrent protective device of the supply circuit.
Grounding conductor
Is used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes.
Grounding conductor, equipment
A conductor used to connect noncurrent-carrying metal parts of equipment, raceways, and other enclosures to the system grounded conductor and/or the grounding electrode conductor at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.
Guarded
Covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed, or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats, or platforms to remove the likelihood of being accidentally touched or approached closer than a safe distance.
Hand-held drench hoses
Hand-held drench hoses are single-headed emergency washing devices connected to a flexible hose that can be used to irrigate and flush the face or other body parts.
Handrail
A single bar or pipe supported on brackets from a wall or partition to provide a continuous handhold for persons using a stair.
Harmful physical agent
Any physical stress such as noise, vibration, repetitive motion, heat, cold, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, and hypo- or hyperbaric pressure which:
Is listed in the latest edition of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS); or
Has shown positive evidence of an acute or chronic health hazard in testing conducted by, or known to, the employer;
OR
Is the subject of a material safety data sheet kept by or known to the employer showing that the material may pose a hazard to human health.
Hazard
Any condition, potential or inherent, which can cause injury, death, or occupational disease.
Hazard warning
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 can be a combination of words, pictures, symbols,
or combination appearing on a label or other appropriate form
of warning which shows the specific physical and health
hazard(s), including target organ effects, of the chemical(s)
in the container(s).
| Note: | See definition for physical hazard and health hazard to determine which hazards must be covered. |
Any chemical that is a physical or health hazard.
Health hazard
A chemical, mixture, biological agent, or physical agent that may cause health effects in short- or long-term exposed employees. Based on statistically significant evidence from at least one study conducted using established scientific principles. Health hazards include:
Carcinogens
Toxic or highly toxic agents
Reproductive toxins
Irritants
Corrosives
Sensitizers
Hepatotoxins (liver toxins)
Nephrotoxins (kidney toxins)
Neurotoxins (nervous system toxins)
Substances that act on the hematopoietic system (blood or blood-forming system)
Substances that can damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes
Hot or cold conditions.
Hospitalization
To be sent to, to go to, or be admitted to, a hospital or an equivalent medical facility and receive medical treatment beyond first-aid treatment, regardless of the length of stay in the hospital or medical facility.
Identity
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means any chemical or common name listed on the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for the specific chemical. Each identity used must allow cross-references among the:
Required list of hazardous chemicals
Chemical label
MSDSs
Imminent danger violation
Any violation(s) resulting from conditions or practices in any place of employment, which are such that a danger exists which could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm, immediately or before such danger can be eliminated through the enforcement procedures otherwise provided by the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act.
Importer
The first business within the Customs Territory of the USA that:
Receives hazardous chemicals produced in other countries
AND
Supplies them to distributors or employers within the USA
Insulated
A conductor has been completely covered by a material that is recognized as electrical insulation and is thick enough based on:
The amount of voltage involved
AND
The type of covering material
Interim waiver
An order granted by the department allowing an employer to vary from WISHA requirements until the department decides to grant a permanent or temporary waiver.
Irritant
A substance that will induce a local inflammatory reaction upon immediate, prolonged, or repeated contact with normal living tissue.
Ladder
Consists of 2 side rails joined at regular intervals by crosspieces called steps, rungs, or cleats. These steps are used to climb up or down.
Listed
Equipment is listed if it:
Is listed in a publication by a nationally recognized laboratory (such as UL, underwriters laboratory) that inspects the production of that type of equipment,
AND
States the equipment meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found safe to use in a specific manner.
Material safety data sheet (MSDS)
Written, printed, or electronic information (on paper, microfiche, or on-screen) that informs manufacturers, distributors, employers or employees about a hazardous chemical, its hazards, and protective measures as required by material safety data sheet and label preparation, chapter 296-839 WAC.
Medical treatment
Treatment provided by a physician or by registered professional personnel under the standing orders of a physician. Medical treatment does not include first-aid treatment even if provided by a physician or registered professional personnel.
Mist
Liquid droplets suspended in air. Mist is created by:
Condensation from the gaseous to the liquid state;
OR
Converting a liquid into a dispersed state with actions such as splashing, foaming, spraying or atomizing.
Mixture
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170, any combination of 2 or more chemicals (if that combination did not result from a chemical reaction).
Movable equipment
As used in WAC 296-800-35052, a hand-held or nonhand-held machine or device;
That is powered or nonpowered;
AND
Can be moved within or between worksites
Must
Must means mandatory.
NEMA
These initials stand for National Electrical Manufacturing Association.
NFPA
This is an acronym for National Fire Protection Association.
Nose
The portion of the stair tread that projects over the face of the riser below it.
Occupant load
The maximum number of people allowed in a particular building or portion of a building at any one time.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Created in 1970 when the U.S. Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides safety on the job for workers. OSHA oversees state plans (such as WISHA in Washington) that have elected to administer the safety and health program for their state. OSHA requires WISHA rules to be at least as effective as OSHA rules.
Office work environment
An indoor or enclosed occupied space where clerical work, administration, or business is carried out.
In addition, it includes:
Other workplace spaces controlled by the employer and used by office workers, such as cafeterias, meeting rooms, and washrooms.
Office areas of manufacturing and production facilities, not including process areas.
Office areas of businesses such as food and beverage establishments, agricultural operations, construction, commercial trade, services, etc.
Open riser
A stair step with an air space between treads has an open riser.
Organic peroxide
This is an organic compound containing the bivalent-0-0-structure. It may be considered a structural derivative of hydrogen peroxide if one or both of the hydrogen atoms has been replaced by an organic radical.
Outlet
See definition for electrical outlets.
Oxidizer
A chemical other than a blasting agent or explosive as defined in WAC 296-52-60130 or CFR 1910.109(a), that starts or promotes combustion in other materials, causing fire either of itself or through the release of oxygen or other gases.
Permissible exposure limits (PELs)
Permissible exposure limits (PELs) are employee exposures to toxic substances or harmful physical agents that must not be exceeded. PELs are specified in applicable WISHA rules.
Person
Based on chapter 49.17 RCW, one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, business trusts, legal representatives, or any organized group of persons.
Personal eyewash units
Personal eyewash units are portable, supplementary units that support plumbed units or self-contained units, or both, by delivering immediate flushing for less than fifteen minutes.
Personal service room
Used for activities not directly connected with a business' production or service function such as:
First aid
Medical services
Dressing
Showering
Bathrooms
Washing
Eating
Personnel
See the definition for employees.
Physical hazard
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means a chemical that has scientifically valid evidence to show it is one of the following:
Combustible liquid
Compressed gas
Explosive
Flammable
Organic peroxide
Oxidizer
Pyrophoric
Unstable (reactive)
Water reactive
Platform
Platform means an extended step or landing that breaks a continuous run of stairs.
Plug
See definition for attachment plug.
Potable water
Water that you can safely drink. It meets specific safety standards prescribed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations, published in 40 CFR Part 141, and 40 CFR 147.2400.
Predictable and regular basis
Employee functions such as, but not limited to, inspection, service, repair and maintenance which are performed
at least once every 2 weeks
OR
4 man-hours or more during any sequential 4-week period (to calculate man-hours multiply the number of employees by the number of hours during a 4-week period).
Produce
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170, any one of the following:
Manufacture
Process
Formulate
Blend
Extract
Generate
Emit
Repackage
Purchaser
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170, an employer who buys one or more hazardous chemicals to use in their workplace.
Pyrophoric
A chemical is pyrophoric if it will ignite spontaneously in the air when the temperature is 130°F (54.4°C) or below.
Qualified person
A person who has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve problems relating to the subject matter, work, or project, either by:
Possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing;
OR
Extensive knowledge, training and experience.
Railing or standard railing
A vertical barrier erected along exposed edges of a floor opening, wall opening, ramp, platform, or runway to prevent falls of persons.
Reassume jurisdiction
The department has decided to take back its control over a citation and notice being appealed.
Receptacle or receptacle outlet
As used in basic electrical rules, WAC 296-800-280 means outlets that accept a plug to supply electric power to equipment through a cord or cable.
Record
A record is any item, collection, or grouping of information. Examples include:
Paper document
Microfiche
Microfilm
X-ray film
Computer record
Refuge area
A protected space along an exit route that is separated from other spaces inside the building by a barrier with at least a one-hour fire resistance-rating
OR
A floor in a building with an automatic sprinkler system that has at least two spaces that are separated by smoke-resistant partitions. See WAC 296-24-607 for requirements for automatic sprinkler systems.
Repeat violation
A violation is a repeat violation if the employer has been cited one or more times previously for a substantially similar hazard.
Responsible party
As used in employer chemical hazard communication, WAC 296-800-170. Someone who can provide appropriate information about the hazardous chemical and emergency procedures.
Rise
The vertical distance from the top of a tread to the top of the next higher tread.
Riser
The vertical part of the step at the back of a tread that rises to the front of the tread above.
Rungs
Rungs are the cross pieces on ladders that are used to climb up and down the ladder.
Runway
An elevated walkway above the surrounding floor or ground level. Examples of runways are footwalks along shafting or walkways between buildings.
Safety factor
The term safety factor means the ratio of when something will break versus the actual working stress or safe load when it is used.
Self-lighting or self-luminous
A light source that
Is illuminated by a self-contained power source other than batteries
AND
Operates independently from external power sources.
Serious violation
Serious violation must be deemed to exist in a workplace if there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a condition which exists, or from one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes which have been adopted or are in use in such workplace, unless the employer did not, and could not with the exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the presence of the violation.
Short-term exposure limit (STEL)
An exposure limit, averaged over a short time period (usually measured for 15 minutes) that must not be exceeded during any part of an employee's workday.
Should
Should means recommended.
Single ladder
A type of portable ladder with one section.
It is distinguished by all of the following:
It has one section
It cannot support itself
Its length cannot be adjusted
Smoking
A person is smoking if they are:
Lighting up
Inhaling
Exhaling
Carrying a pipe, cigar or cigarette of any kind that is burning
Specific chemical identity
This term applies to chemical substances. It can mean the:
Chemical name
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number
Any other information that reveals the precise chemical designation of the substance.
Stair railing
A vertical barrier attached to a stairway with an open side to prevent falls. The top surface of the stair railing is used as a handrail
Stairs or stairway
A series of steps and landings:
leading from one level or floor to another,
leading to platforms, pits, boiler rooms, crossovers, or around machinery, tanks, and other equipment
Used more or less continuously or routinely by employees, or only occasionally by specific individuals.
With three or more risers
Standard safeguard
Safety devices that prevent hazards by their attachment to:
Machinery
Appliances
Tools
Buildings
Equipment
These safeguards must be constructed of:
Metal
Wood
Other suitable materials
The department makes the final determination about whether a safeguard is sufficient for its use.
Step ladder
A portable ladder with:
Flat steps
A hinge at the top allowing the ladder to fold out and support itself
Its length that cannot be adjusted.
Time weighted average (TWA8)
An exposure limit, averaged over 8 hours, that must not be exceeded during an employee's work shift.
Toeboard
A barrier at floor level along exposed edges of a floor opening, wall opening, platform, runway, or ramp, to prevent falls of materials.
Toxic chemical
As used in first aid, WAC 296-800-150, is a chemical that produces serious injury or illness when absorbed through any body surface.
Toxic substance
Any chemical substance or biological agent, such as bacteria, virus, and fungus, which is any of the following:
Listed in the latest edition of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS)
Shows positive evidence of an acute or chronic health hazard in testing conducted by, or known to, the employer
The subject of a material safety data sheet kept by or known to the employer showing the material may pose a hazard to human health.
Toxicant
A substance that has the inherent capacity to produce personal injury or illness to individuals by absorption through any body surface.
Trade secret
Any confidential:
Formula
Pattern
Process
Device
Information
Collection of information
The trade secret is used in an employer's business and gives an opportunity to gain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it.
See WAC 296-62-053 for requirements dealing with trade secrets.
Tread
As used in stairs and stair railings, WAC 296-800-250 means the horizontal part of the stair step.
Tread run
As used in stairs and stair railings, WAC 296-800-250 means the distance from the front of one stair tread to the front of an adjacent tread.
Tread width
The distance from front to rear of the same tread including the nose, if used.
UL (Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.)
You will find these initials on electrical cords and equipment. The initials mean the cord or equipment meets the standards set by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.
Unstable (reactive)
As used in employer chemical hazard communication, WAC 296-800-170. An unstable or reactive chemical is one that in its pure state, or as produced or transported, will vigorously polymerize, decompose, condense, or will become self-reactive under conditions of shocks, pressure or temperature.
Use
As used in employer chemical hazard communication, WAC 296-800-170, means to:
Package
Handle
React
Emit
Extract
Generate as a by-product
Transfer.
Vapor
The gaseous form of a substance that is normally in the solid or liquid state.
Voltage of a circuit
The greatest effective potential difference between any two conductors or between a conductor and ground.
Voltage to ground
The voltage between a conductor and the point or conductor of the grounded circuit. For undergrounded circuits, it is the greatest voltage between the conductor and any other conductor of the circuit.
Voltage, nominal
Nominal voltage is a value assigned to a circuit or system to designate its voltage class (120/240, 480Y/277, 600, etc.). The actual circuit voltage can vary from the value if it is within a range that permits the equipment to continue operating in a satisfactory manner.
WAC
This is an acronym for Washington Administrative Code, which are rules developed to address state law.
Water-reactive
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170, a water-reactive chemical reacts with water to release a gas that is either flammable or presents a health hazard.
Watertight
Constructed so that moisture will not enter the enclosure or container.
Weatherproof
Constructed or protected so that exposure to the weather will not interfere with successful operation. Rainproof, raintight, or watertight equipment can fulfill the requirements for weatherproof where varying weather conditions other than wetness, such as snow, ice, dust, or temperature extremes, are not a factor.
Wet location
As used in basic electrical rules, WAC 296-800-280 means:
Underground installations or in concrete slabs or masonry that are in direct contact with the earth
Locations that can be saturated by water or other liquids
Unprotected locations exposed to the weather (like vehicle washing areas)
WISHA
This is an acronym for the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act.
Work area
As used in employer chemical hazard communication, WAC 296-800-170, a room or defined space in a workplace where hazardous chemicals are produced or used, and where employees are present.
Working days
Means a calendar day, except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. Legal holidays include:
New Year's Day - January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents' Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day
Veterans' Day - November 11
Thanksgiving Day
The day after Thanksgiving Day; and
Christmas Day - December 25
The number of working days must be calculated by not counting the first working day and counting the last working day.
Worker
See the definition for employee.
Workplace
The term workplace means:
Any plant, yard, premises, room, or other place where an employee or employees are employed for the performance of labor or service over which the employer has the right of access or control, and includes, but is not limited to, all workplaces covered by industrial insurance under Title 51 RCW, as now or hereafter amended.
As used in Employer Chemical Hazard Communication, WAC 296-800-170 means an establishment, job site, or project, at one geographical location containing one or more work areas.
You
See definition of employer.
Your representative
Your representative is the person selected to act in your behalf.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. 03-18-090, § 296-800-370, filed 9/2/03, effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. 02-16-047, § 296-800-370, filed 8/1/02, effective 10/1/02; 01-23-060, § 296-800-370, filed 11/20/01, effective 12/1/01; 01-11-038, § 296-800-370, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]