DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR AND INDUSTRIES

(1) Chapter 296-307 WAC applies to all agricultural operations with one or more employees covered by the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA), chapter 49.17 RCW.

"Agricultural operations" means farming and ranching, including, but not limited to:

(a) Cultivating and tilling the soil;

(b) Dairy farming;

(c) Producing, cultivating, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural commodity;

(d) Raising livestock, bees, fur-bearing animals, or poultry; and

(e) Any practices performed by a farmer or on a farm, incident to or in connection with such farming operations, including but not limited to preparation for market and delivery to:

(i) Storage;

(ii) Market; or

(iii) Carriers for transportation to market. Agricultural operations include, but are not limited to, all employers in one or more of the following standard industrial classification (SIC) codes:

"Agricultural operations" do not include a farmer's processing for sale or handling for sale a commodity or product grown or produced by a person other than the farmer or the farmer's employees.

(2) Chapter 296-24 WAC does not apply to agricultural operations.

(3) All agricultural operations are also covered by the requirements of chapter 296-62 WAC, General occupational health ((rules)) standards, and chapter 296-901 WAC, Globally harmonized system for hazard communication.

(4) Occasionally, employees engaged in agricultural operations may also be covered by the safety standards of other industries. Following are excerpts from four industry standards that may help you determine if these other standards also apply:

This standard establishes safety practices, means, methods and operations for all types of logging, regardless of the end use of the wood. These types of activities include, but are not limited to, pulpwood and timber harvesting and the logging of sawlogs, veneer bolts, poles, pilings and other forest products. The requirements herein contained do not apply to log handling at sawmills, plywood mills, pulp mills or other manufacturing operations governed by their own specific safety standards.

(1) WAC 296-99-010 through 296-99-070 apply to:

• Dry grinding operations of soycake;

• Dry grinding operations of soycake;

• Dust pelletizing plants;

• Feed mills;

• Flour mills;

• Flat storage structures;

• Grain elevators;

• Rice mills; and

• Soybean flaking operations.

(2) WAC 296-99-075, 296-99-080, and 296-99-085 apply only to grain elevators.

(3) Chapter 296-99 WAC does not apply to alfalfa storage or processing operations if they do not use grain products.

The chapter 296-78 WAC shall apply to and include safety requirements for all installations where the primary manufacturing of wood building products takes place. The installations may be a permanent fixed establishment or a portable operation. These operations shall include but are not limited to log and lumber handling, sawing, trimming and planing, plywood or veneer manufacturing, canting operations, waste or residual handling, operation of dry kilns, finishing, shipping, storage, yard and yard equipment, and for power tools and affiliated equipment used in connection with such operation. WAC 296-78-450 shall apply to shake and shingle manufacturing. The provisions of WAC 296-78-500 through 296-78-84011 are also applicable in shake and shingle manufacturing except in instances of conflict with the requirements of WAC 296-78-705.

The standards included in this chapter apply throughout the state of Washington, to any and all work places subject to the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (chapter 49.17 RCW), where construction, alteration, demolition, related inspection, and/or maintenance and repair work, including painting and decorating, is performed. These standards are minimum safety requirements with which all industries must comply when engaged in the above listed types of work.

(5) If rules in this chapter conflict with rules in another chapter of Title 296 WAC, this chapter prevails.

Important:

Thousands of chemicals can be found in today's workplaces. These chemicals may have the capacity to cause health problems, from minor skin irritations to serious injuries or diseases like cancer.

The employer chemical hazard communication rule was developed to make sure employers and employees are informed about chemical hazards in the workplace.

This rule applies to:

• Employers engaged in businesses where chemicals are used, distributed, or produced for use or distribution.

• Contractors or subcontractors that work for employers engaged in businesses where chemicals are used, distributed, or produced for use or distribution.

To inform and train your employees about the hazards of chemicals they may be exposed to during normal working conditions, or in foreseeable emergencies by:

• Making a list of the hazardous chemicals present in your workplace

• Preparing a written Chemical Hazard Communication Program for your workplace

• Informing your employees about this rule and your program

• Providing training to your employees about working in the presence of hazardous chemicals

• Getting and keeping the material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for the hazardous chemicals

• Making sure that labels on containers of hazardous chemicals are in place and easy to read

Develop, implement, maintain, and make available a written Chemical Hazard Communication Program

Identify and list all the hazardous chemicals present in your workplace

Obtain and maintain material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for each hazardous chemical used

Make sure that material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are readily accessible to your employees

Label containers holding hazardous chemicals

Inform and train your employees about hazardous chemicals in your workplace

Follow these rules for laboratories using hazardous chemicals

Follow these rules for handling chemicals in factory sealed containers

Translate certain chemical hazard communication documents upon request

Attempt to obtain a material safety data sheet (MSDS) upon request

Exemption: Items or chemicals exempt from the rule, and exemptions from labeling

Definitions

This chapter sets minimum requirements for content and distribution of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and labels for hazardous chemicals.

• This chapter applies when you do one or more of the following:

– Import, produce, or repackage chemicals, including manufactured items (such as bricks, welding rods, and sheet metal) that are not exempt as articles

– Sell or distribute hazardous chemicals to manufacturers, distributors or employers

– Choose not to rely on material safety data sheets (MSDSs) provided by the importer, manufacturer or distributor.

Use Table 2 to find out which sections of this part apply to you. For example, if you import AND sell hazardous chemicals ALL sections apply. WAC 296-307-56050 applies to all employers covered by the scope of this part.

• Develop, implement, maintain, and make available a written Chemical Hazard Communication Program specific to your workplace. The Chemical Hazard Communication Program must, at a minimum, include:

– A list of hazardous chemicals known to be present in your workplace.

– Procedures for making sure all containers are properly labeled.

– A description of how you are going to obtain and maintain your material safety data sheets (MSDSs).

– A description of how you are going to train and inform your employees about hazardous chemicals in their workplace.

– A description of how you are going to inform your employees about:

♦ Chemical hazards used during nonroutine tasks.

♦ The hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in employee work areas.

• Make your Chemical Hazard Communication Program available to your employees.

This chapter sets minimum requirements for content and distribution of material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and labels for hazardous chemicals.

• This chapter applies when you do one or more of the following:

– Import, produce, or repackage chemicals, including manufactured items (such as bricks, welding rods, and sheet metal) that are not exempt as articles

– Sell or distribute hazardous chemicals to manufacturers, distributors or employers

– Choose to develop material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for a product you do not import or manufacture.

See WAC 296-800-170, the Employer chemical hazard communication rule, for MSDSs, label, and other requirements that apply when hazardous chemicals are used in your workplace.

• All of the following are always exempt from this chapter:

– Ionizing and nonionizing radiation

– Biological hazards

– Tobacco and tobacco products

• The chemicals and items listed in Table 1 are exempt from this chapter under the conditions specified.

Use Table 2 to find out which sections of this chapter apply to you. For example, if you import AND sell hazardous chemicals ALL sections apply. WAC 296-839-500 applies to all employers covered by the scope of this chapter.