This section does not apply to occupational respirable crystalline silica exposures in construction work.

(1) Establishment. You must establish a regulated area wherever an employee's exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica is, or can reasonably be expected to be, in excess of the PEL.

(2) Demarcation. You must demarcate the regulated areas from the rest of the workplace in a manner that minimizes the number of employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica within the regulated area.

(3) You must post signs at all entrances to regulated areas that bear the legend specified in WAC 296-840-150(2).

(4) Access. You must limit access to regulated areas to:

(a) Persons authorized by the employer and required by work duties to be present in the regulated area;

(b) Any person entering such an area as a designated representative of employees for the purpose of exercising the right to observe monitoring procedures under WAC 296-840-105; and

(c) Any person authorized by the department or regulations issued under it to be in a regulated area.

(5) Provision of respirators. You must provide each employee and the employee's designated representative entering a regulated area with an appropriate respirator in accordance with WAC 296-840-125 and must require each employee and the employee's designated representative to use the respirator while in a regulated area.