BILL REQ. #:  S-4340.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/12.   

     AN ACT Relating to whistleblowing in the conveyance workplace; amending RCW 70.87.020; reenacting and amending RCW 70.87.010; and adding a new section to chapter 70.87 RCW.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 70.87.020 and 2003 c 143 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The purpose of this chapter is to provide for safety of life and limb, to promote safety awareness, and to ensure the safe design, mechanical and electrical operation, and inspection of conveyances, and performance of conveyance work, and all such operation, inspection, and conveyance work subject to the provisions of this chapter shall be reasonably safe to persons and property and in conformity with the provisions of this chapter and the applicable statutes of the state of Washington, and all orders, and rules of the department. The use of unsafe and defective conveyances imposes a substantial probability of serious and preventable injury to employees and the public exposed to unsafe conditions. The prevention of these injuries and protection of employees and the public from unsafe conditions is in the best interest of the people of this state. It is the policy of the legislature that employees should be protected from workplace reprisal or retaliatory action for the opposition to or reporting in good faith of practices that may violate the provisions of this chapter and the rules promulgated hereunder, or of the safety, installation, repair, or maintenance policies of their employers. Personnel performing work covered by this chapter must, by documented training or experience or both, be familiar with the operation and safety functions of the components and equipment. Training and experience must include, but not be limited to, recognizing the safety hazards and performing the procedures to which the personnel performing conveyance work covered by this chapter are assigned in conformance with the requirements of this chapter. This chapter establishes the minimum standards for personnel performing conveyance work.
     (2) This chapter is not intended to prevent the use of systems, methods, or devices of equivalent or superior quality, strength, fire resistance, code effectiveness, durability, and safety to those required by this chapter, provided that there is technical documentation to demonstrate the equivalency of the system, method, or device, as prescribed in this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter.
     (3) In any suit for damages allegedly caused by a failure or malfunction of the conveyance, conformity with the rules of the department is prima facie evidence that the conveyance work, operation, and inspection is reasonably safe to persons and property.

Sec. 2   RCW 70.87.010 and 2009 c 128 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Advisory committee" means the elevator advisory committee as described in this chapter.
     (2) "Alteration" means any change to equipment, including its parts, components, and/or subsystems, other than maintenance, repair, or replacement.
     (3) "Automobile parking elevator" means an elevator: (a) Located in either a stationary or horizontally moving hoistway; (b) used exclusively for parking automobiles where, during the parking process, each automobile is moved either under its own power or by means of a power-driven transfer device onto and off the elevator directly into parking spaces or cubicles in line with the elevator; and (c) in which persons are not normally stationed on any level except the receiving level.
     (4) "Belt manlift" means a power driven endless belt provided with steps or platforms and a hand hold for the transportation of personnel from floor to floor.
     (5) "Casket lift" means a lift that (a) is installed at a mortuary, (b) is designed exclusively for carrying of caskets, (c) moves in guides in a basically vertical direction, and (d) serves two or more floors or landings.
     (6) "Conveyance" means an elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter, belt manlift, automobile parking elevator, moving walk, and other elevating devices, as defined in this section.
     (7) "Conveyance work" means the alteration, construction, dismantling, erection, installation, maintenance, relocation, and wiring of a conveyance.
     (8) "Department" means the department of labor and industries.
     (9) "Director" means the director of the department or his or her representative.
     (10) "Dumbwaiter" means a hoisting and lowering mechanism equipped with a car (a) that moves in guides in a substantially vertical direction, (b) the floor area of which does not exceed nine square feet, (c) the inside height of which does not exceed four feet, (d) the capacity of which does not exceed five hundred pounds, and (e) that is used exclusively for carrying materials.
     (11) "Elevator" means a hoisting or lowering machine equipped with a car or platform that moves in guides and serves two or more floors or landings of a building or structure;
     (a) "Passenger elevator" means an elevator (i) on which passengers are permitted to ride and (ii) that may be used to carry freight or materials when the load carried does not exceed the capacity of the elevator;
     (b) "Freight elevator" means an elevator (i) used primarily for carrying freight and (ii) on which only the operator, the persons necessary for loading and unloading, and other employees approved by the department are permitted to ride;
     (c) "Sidewalk elevator" means a freight elevator that: (i) Operates between a sidewalk or other area outside the building and floor levels inside the building below the outside area, (ii) does not have a landing opening into the building at its upper limit of travel, and (iii) is not used to carry automobiles;
     (d) "Hand elevator" means an elevator utilizing manual energy to move the car;
     (e) "Inclined elevator" means an elevator that travels at an angle of inclination of seventy degrees or less from the horizontal;
     (f) "Multideck elevator" means an elevator having two or more compartments located one immediately above the other;
     (g) "Observation elevator" means an elevator designed to permit exterior viewing by passengers while the car is traveling;
     (h) "Power elevator" means an elevator utilizing energy other than gravitational or manual to move the car;
     (i) "Electric elevator" means an elevator where the energy is applied by means of an electric driving machine;
     (j) "Hydraulic elevator" means an elevator where the energy is applied by means of a liquid under pressure in a cylinder equipped with a plunger or piston;
     (k) "Direct-plunger hydraulic elevator" means a hydraulic elevator having a plunger or cylinder directly attached to the car frame or platform;
     (l) "Electro-hydraulic elevator" means a direct-plunger elevator where liquid is pumped under pressure directly into the cylinder by a pump driven by an electric motor;
     (m) "Maintained-pressure hydraulic elevator" means a direct-plunger elevator where liquid under pressure is available at all times for transfer into the cylinder;
     (n) "Roped hydraulic elevator" means a hydraulic elevator having its plunger or piston connected to the car with wire ropes or indirectly coupled to the car by means of wire ropes and sheaves;
     (o) "Rack and pinion elevator" means a power elevator, with or without a counterweight, that is supported, raised, and lowered by a motor or motors that drive a pinion or pinions on a stationary rack mounted in the hoistway;
     (p) "Screw column elevator" means a power elevator having an uncounterweighted car that is supported, raised, and lowered by means of a screw thread;
     (q) "Rooftop elevator" means a power passenger or freight elevator that operates between a landing at roof level and one landing below and opens onto the exterior roof level of a building through a horizontal opening;
     (r) "Special purpose personnel elevator" means an elevator that is limited in size, capacity, and speed, and permanently installed in structures such as grain elevators, radio antenna, bridge towers, underground facilities, dams, power plants, and similar structures to provide vertical transportation of authorized personnel and their tools and equipment only;
     (s) "Workmen's construction elevator" means an elevator that is not part of the permanent structure of a building and is used to raise and lower workers and other persons connected with, or related to, the building project;
     (t) "Boat launching elevator" means a conveyance that serves a boat launching structure and a beach or water surface and is used for the carrying or handling of boats in which people ride;
     (u) "Limited-use/limited-application elevator" means a power passenger elevator where the use and application is limited by size, capacity, speed, and rise, intended principally to provide vertical transportation for people with physical disabilities.
     (12) "Elevator contractor" means any person, firm, or company that possesses an elevator contractor license in accordance with this chapter and who is engaged in the business of performing conveyance work covered by this chapter.
     (13) "Elevator contractor license" means a license that is issued to an elevator contractor who has met the qualification requirements established in RCW 70.87.240.
     (14) "Elevator helper/apprentice" means a person who works under the general direction of a licensed elevator mechanic. A license is not required to be an elevator helper/apprentice.
     (15) "Elevator mechanic" means any person who possesses an elevator mechanic license in accordance with this chapter and who is engaged in performing conveyance work covered by this chapter.
     (16) "Elevator mechanic license" means a license that is issued to a person who has met the qualification requirements established in RCW 70.87.240.
     (17) "Escalator" means a power-driven, inclined, continuous stairway used for raising and lowering passengers.
     (18) "Existing installations" means an installation defined as an "installation, existing" in this chapter or in rules adopted under this chapter.
     (19) "Inspector" means an elevator inspector of the department or an elevator inspector of a municipality having in effect an elevator ordinance pursuant to RCW 70.87.200.
     (20) "License" means a written license, duly issued by the department, authorizing a person, firm, or company to carry on the business of performing conveyance work or to perform conveyance work covered by this chapter.
     (21) "Licensee" means the elevator mechanic or elevator contractor.
     (22) "Maintenance" means a process of routine examination, lubrication, cleaning, servicing, and adjustment of parts, components, and/or subsystems for the purpose of ensuring performance in accordance with this chapter. "Maintenance" includes repair and replacement, but not alteration.
     (23) "Material hoist" means a hoist that is not a part of a permanent structure used to raise or lower materials during construction, alteration, or demolition. It is not applicable to the temporary use of permanently installed personnel elevators as material hoists.
     (24) "Material lift" means a lift that (a) is permanently installed, (b) is comprised of a car or platform that moves in guides, (c) serves two or more floors or landings, (d) travels in a vertical or inclined position, (e) is an isolated, self-contained lift, (f) is not part of a conveying system, and (g) is installed in a commercial or industrial area not accessible to the general public or intended to be operated by the general public.
     (25) "Moving walk" means a passenger carrying device (a) on which passengers stand or walk and (b) on which the passenger carrying surface remains parallel to its direction of motion.
     (26) "One-man capacity manlift" means a single passenger, hand-powered counterweighted device, or electric-powered device, that travels vertically in guides and serves two or more landings.
     (27) "Owner" means any person having title to or control of a conveyance, as guardian, trustee, lessee, or otherwise.
     (28) "Permit" means a permit issued by the department: (a) To perform conveyance work, other than maintenance; or (b) to operate a conveyance.
     (29) "Person" means this state, a political subdivision, any public or private corporation, any firm, or any other entity as well as an individual.
     (30) "Personnel hoist" means a hoist that is not a part of a permanent structure, is installed inside or outside buildings during construction, alteration, or demolition, and used to raise or lower workers and other persons connected with, or related to, the building project. The hoist may also be used for transportation of materials.
     (31) "Platform" means a rigid surface that is maintained in a horizontal position at all times when in use, and upon which passengers stand or a load is carried.
     (32) "Private residence conveyance" means a conveyance installed in or on the premises of a single-family dwelling and operated for transporting persons or property from one elevation to another.
     (33) "Public agency" means a county, incorporated city or town, municipal corporation, state agency, institution of higher education, political subdivision, or other public agency and includes any department, bureau, office, board, commission or institution of such public entities.
     (34) "Repair" means the reconditioning or renewal of parts, components, and/or subsystems necessary to keep equipment in compliance with this chapter.
     (35) "Replacement" means the substitution of a device, component, and/or subsystem in its entirety with a unit that is basically the same as the original for the purpose of ensuring performance in accordance with this chapter.
     (36) "Single-occupancy farm conveyance" means a hand-powered counterweighted single-occupancy conveyance that travels vertically in a grain elevator and is located on a farm that does not accept commercial grain.
     (37) "Stairway chair lift" means a lift that travels in a basically inclined direction and is designed for use by individuals with disabilities.
     (38) "Wheelchair lift" means a lift that travels in a vertical or inclined direction and is designed for use by individuals with disabilities.
     (39) "Employee" means any person employed by an elevator contractor.
     (40) "Whistleblower" means any employee who in good faith reports practices or opposes practices that may violate the provisions of this chapter or the rules promulgated hereunder, or of the safety, installation, repair, or maintenance policies of his or her employer. The term also means (a) an employee who is believed to have reported such practices but who, in fact, has not reported such practices or (b) an employee who has assisted in the reporting of practices or has provided testimony or information in connection with the reporting of practices.
     (41) "Workplace reprisal or retaliatory action" includes actions such as discharge or in any manner discrimination against any employee who has reported or filed any complaint or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this chapter, or has testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding or because of the exercise by such employee on behalf of himself or herself or others of any right or responsibility afforded by this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 70.87 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An employee who is a whistleblower and who as a result of being a whistleblower has been subjected to workplace reprisal or retaliatory action has the remedies provided under chapter 49.60 RCW.
     (2) The identity of a whistleblower who reports, in good faith, to the department or to a political subdivision that regulates conveyances, practices that may violate the provisions of this chapter or the rules promulgated hereunder must remain confidential. The provisions of RCW 4.24.500 through 4.24.520, providing certain protections to persons who communicate to government agencies, apply to such reports.