(1) General restrictions.

(a) After the application of any pesticide on an agricultural establishment, the agricultural employer shall not allow or direct any worker to enter or to remain in the treated area before the restricted-entry interval specified on the pesticide labeling has expired, except as provided in this section.

(b) Entry-restricted areas in greenhouses are specified in column D in Table 2 under WAC 296-307-12015 (3)(d).

(c) When two or more pesticides are applied at the same time, the restricted-entry interval shall be the longest of the applicable intervals.

(d) The agricultural employer shall assure that any worker who enters a treated area under a restricted-entry interval as permitted by subsections (3), (4), and (5) of this section uses the personal protective equipment specified in the product labeling for early entry workers and follows any other requirements on the pesticide labeling regarding early entry.

(2) Exception for activities with no contact. A worker may enter a treated area during a restricted-entry interval if the agricultural employer assures that both of the following are met:

(a) The worker will have no contact with anything that has been treated with the pesticide to which the restricted-entry interval applies, including, but not limited to, soil, water, air, or surfaces of plants; and

(b) No such entry is allowed until any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by WAC 296-307-12015 (3)(c) or in the labeling have been met.

(3) Exception for short-term activities. A worker may enter a treated area during a restricted-entry interval for short-term activities if the agricultural employer assures that the following requirements are met:

(a) No hand labor activity is performed.

(b) The time in treated areas under a restricted-entry interval for any worker does not exceed one hour in any twenty-four-hour period.

(c) No such entry is allowed for the first four hours following the end of the application, and no such entry is allowed thereafter until any inhalation exposure level listed in the labeling has been reached or any ventilation criteria established by WAC 296-307-12015 (3)(c) or in the labeling have been met.

(d) The personal protective equipment specified on the product labeling for early entry is provided to the worker. Such personal protective equipment shall conform to the following standards:

(i) Personal protective equipment (PPE) means devices and apparel that are worn to protect the body from contact with pesticides or pesticide residues, including, but not limited to, coveralls, chemical-resistant suits, chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant footwear, respiratory protection devices, chemical-resistant aprons, chemical-resistant headgear, and protective eyewear.

(ii) Long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, long pants, short pants, shoes, socks, and other items of work clothing are not considered personal protective equipment for the purposes of this section and are not subject to the requirements of this section, although pesticide labeling may require that such work clothing be worn during some activities.

(iii) When "chemical-resistant" personal protective equipment is specified by the product labeling, it shall be made of material that allows no measurable movement of the pesticide being used through the material during use.

(iv) When "waterproof" personal protective equipment is specified by the product labeling, it shall be made of material that allows no measurable movement of water or aqueous solutions through the material during use.

(v) When a "chemical-resistant suit" is specified by the product labeling, it shall be a loose-fitting, one-piece or two-piece, chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet.

(vi) When "coveralls" are specified by the product labeling, they shall be a loose-fitting, one-piece or two-piece garment, such as a cotton or cotton and polyester coverall, that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet. The pesticide product labeling may specify that the coveralls be worn over a layer of clothing. If a chemical-resistant suit is substituted for coveralls, it need not be worn over a layer of clothing.

(vii)(A) Gloves shall be of the type specified on the pesticide product labeling. Gloves made of leather, cotton, or other absorbent materials must not be worn for early-entry activities, unless gloves made of these materials are listed as acceptable for such use on the product labeling. If chemical-resistant gloves with sufficient durability and suppleness are not obtainable, leather gloves may be worn on top of chemical-resistant gloves. However, once leather gloves have been worn for this use, they shall not be worn thereafter for any other purpose, they shall only be worn over chemical-resistant gloves.

(B) Separable glove liners may be worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves, unless the pesticide product labeling specifically prohibits their use. Separable glove liners are defined as separate glove-like hand coverings made of lightweight material, with or without fingers. Work gloves made from lightweight cotton or poly-type material are considered to be glove liners if worn beneath chemical-resistant gloves. Separable glove liners may not extend outside the chemical-resistant gloves under which they are worn. Chemical-resistant gloves with nonseparable absorbent lining materials are prohibited.

(C) If used, separable glove liners must be discarded immediately after a total of no more than ten hours of use or within twenty-four hours of when first put on, whichever comes first. The liners must be replaced immediately if directly contacted by pesticide. Used glove liners shall not be reused. Contaminated liners must be disposed of in accordance with any federal, state, or local regulations.

(viii) When "chemical-resistant footwear" is specified by the product labeling, it shall be one of the following types of footwear: Chemical-resistant shoes, chemical-resistant boots, or chemical-resistant shoe coverings worn over shoes or boots. If chemical-resistant footwear with sufficient durability and a tread appropriate for wear in rough terrain is not obtainable for workers, then leather boots may be worn in such terrain.

(ix) When "protective eyewear" is specified by the product labeling, it shall be one of the following types of eyewear: Goggles; face shield; safety glasses with front, brow, and temple protection; or a full-face respirator.

(x) When "chemical-resistant headgear" is specified by the product labeling, it shall be either a chemical-resistant hood or a chemical-resistant hat with a wide brim.

(e) The agricultural employer shall assure that the worker, before entering the treated area, either has read the product labeling or has been informed, in a manner that the worker can understand, of all labeling requirements related to human hazards or precautions, first aid, symptoms of poisoning, personal protective equipment specified for early entry, and any other labeling requirements related to safe use.

(f) The agricultural employer shall assure that:

(i) Workers wear the personal protective equipment correctly for its intended purpose and use personal protective equipment according to manufacturer's instructions.

(ii) Before each day of use, all personal protective equipment is inspected for leaks, holes, tears, or worn places, and any damaged equipment is repaired or discarded.

(iii) Personal protective equipment that cannot be cleaned properly is disposed of in accordance with any applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

(iv) All personal protective equipment is cleaned according to manufacturer's instructions or pesticide product labeling instructions before each day of reuse. In the absence of any such instructions, it shall be washed thoroughly in detergent and hot water.

(v) Before being stored, all clean personal protective equipment is dried thoroughly or is put in a well-ventilated place to dry.

(vi) Personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides is kept separately and washed separately from any other clothing or laundry.

(vii) Any person who cleans or launders personal protective equipment is informed that such equipment may be contaminated with pesticides, of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to pesticides, and of the correct way(s) to handle and clean personal protective equipment and to protect themselves when handling equipment contaminated with pesticides.

(viii) All clean personal protective equipment is stored separately from personal clothing and apart from pesticide-contaminated areas.

(ix) Each worker is instructed how to put on, use, and remove the personal protective equipment and is informed about the importance of washing thoroughly after removing personal protective equipment.

(x) Each worker is instructed in the prevention, recognition, and first-aid treatment of heat-related illness.

(xi) Workers have a clean place(s) away from pesticide-storage and pesticide-use areas for storing personal clothing not in use; putting on personal protective equipment at the start of any exposure period; and removing personal protective equipment at the end of any exposure period.

(g) When personal protective equipment is required by the labeling of any pesticide for early entry, the agricultural employer shall assure that no worker is allowed or directed to perform the early entry activity without implementing, when appropriate, measures to prevent heat-related illness.

(h) During any early entry activity, the agricultural employer shall provide a decontamination site in accordance with WAC 296-307-12050.

(i) The agricultural employer shall not allow or direct any worker to wear home or to take home personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides.

(4) Declaration of an agricultural emergency.

(a) The director of the Washington state department of agriculture may declare the existence of circumstances causing an agricultural emergency on a particular establishment or establishments.

(b) The director may declare an agricultural emergency based on the reasonably expected certainty of circumstances occurring based on weather or other forecasts that would create conditions that would normally be anticipated to cause an agricultural emergency.

(c) The agricultural employer may determine if the establishment under his/her control is subject to the agricultural emergency declared by the director.

(d) Emergency repair of equipment that is in use and sited within a pesticide treated area under a restricted-entry interval, such as frost protection devices, shall be considered to be an agricultural emergency.

(e) Activities that require immediate response such as fire suppression, relocation of greenhouse plants due to power failure, and similar conditions, shall be considered to be agricultural emergencies.

(5) Agricultural activities permitted under an agricultural emergency.

(a) A worker may enter a pesticide treated area under a restricted-entry interval in an agricultural emergency to perform tasks, including hand labor tasks, necessary to mitigate the effects of the agricultural emergency if the agricultural employer assures that all the following requirements are met:

(i) No entry is permitted for the first four hours after the pesticide application or the minimum reentry interval allowed by EPA for that product, whichever is less;

(ii) The personal protective equipment specified on the product labeling for early entry is provided to the worker;

(iii) The agricultural employer shall assure that the worker, before entering the treated area, either has read the product labeling or has been informed, in a manner the worker can understand, of all labeling requirements related to human hazards or precautions, first aid, symptoms of poisoning, personal protective equipment specified for early entry, and any other labeling requirements related to safe use;

(iv) The agricultural employer shall assure that the worker wears the proper PPE and that the PPE is in operable condition and that the worker has been trained in its proper use;

(v) The agricultural employer shall assure that measures have been taken, when appropriate, to prevent heat-related illness;

(vi) A decontamination site has been provided in accordance with EPA regulations;

(vii) The agricultural employer shall not allow or direct any worker to wear home or take home personal protective equipment contaminated with pesticides.

(b) If the agricultural emergency is due to equipment failure, then the agricultural employer shall assure that all the requirements in subsection (1) of this section are met plus the following additional requirement. The only permitted activity until the restricted-entry interval has elapsed is equipment repair that would mitigate the effect of the equipment failure.

(6) Recordkeeping required for agricultural emergencies.

(a) If the employer declares that his/her establishment is affected by an agricultural emergency and that activities regulated by the worker protection standard have been performed, the employer shall keep the following records for seven years from the date of the agricultural emergency:

(i) Date of the agricultural emergency;

(ii) Time of the agricultural emergency, start and end;

(iii) Reason for the agricultural emergency, such as frost, fire, equipment failure, etc.;

(iv) Crop/site;

(v) Pesticide(s) - name, EPA number, REI;

(vi) Name, date, time of entry and exit of early entry person(s);

(vii) Estimated potential of economic loss which would have occurred had no early entry been allowed.

(b) Records shall be completed within twenty-four hours of the early entry exposure and be available to the department and/or department of health and/or medical facility or treating physician if requested by the above or the employee.

(7) Exception to entry restrictions requiring EPA approval. EPA may in accordance with 40 C.F.R., Part 170.112(e) grant an exception from the requirements of this section. A request for an exception must be submitted to the Director, Office of Pesticide Programs (H-7501C), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 "M" Street SW, Washington, DC 20460 and must be accompanied by two copies of the information specified in 40 C.F.R., Part 170.112(e).