PDFWAC 296-56-60053

Hazardous atmospheres and substances.

(1) Purpose and scope.
Important:
This section covers areas where a hazardous atmosphere or substance may exist, except where one or more of the following sections apply:
1.
WAC 296-56-60049 Hazardous cargo
2.
WAC 296-56-60051 Handling explosives or hazardous materials
3.
WAC 296-56-60055 Carbon monoxide
4.
WAC 296-56-60057 Fumigants, pesticides, insecticides and hazardous preservatives
5.
WAC 296-56-60107 Terminal facilities handling menhaden and similar species of fish
6.
WAC 296-56-60235 Welding, cutting and heating (hot work)
7.
WAC 296-56-60237 Spray painting
(2) You must make a determination of hazard:
(a) Whenever a room, building, vehicle, railcar or other space contains or has contained a hazardous atmosphere, a designated and appropriately equipped person must test the atmosphere before entry to determine whether a hazardous atmosphere exists.
(b) Records of results of any tests required by this section must be maintained for at least thirty days.
(3) You must make sure tests are made by a designated person to ensure that the atmosphere is not hazardous when mechanical ventilation is used to maintain a safe atmosphere.
(4) You must make sure only designated persons enter hazardous atmospheres. The following provisions apply:
(a) Persons entering a space containing a hazardous atmosphere must be protected by respiratory and emergency protective equipment meeting the requirements of chapter 296-842 WAC;
(b) Persons entering a space containing a hazardous atmosphere must be instructed in the nature of the hazard, precautions to be taken, and the use of protective and emergency equipment. Standby observers, similarly equipped and instructed, must continuously monitor the activity of employees within such space; and
(c) Except for emergency or rescue operations, employees must not enter into any atmosphere which has been identified as flammable or oxygen deficient (less than nineteen and one-half percent oxygen). Persons who may be required to enter flammable or oxygen deficient atmospheres in emergency operations must be instructed in the dangers attendant to those atmospheres and instructed in the use of self-contained breathing apparatus, which must be utilized.
(d) To prevent inadvertent employee entry into spaces that have been identified as having hazardous, flammable or oxygen deficient atmospheres, appropriate warning signs or equivalent means must be posted at all means of access to those spaces.
(5) You must make sure only designated employees protected from the harmful effects of asbestos as required by WAC 296-62-07517 and chapter 296-65 WAC, clean up spills when the packaging of asbestos cargo leaks.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 15-24-102, § 296-56-60053, filed 12/1/15, effective 1/5/16; WSR 05-03-093, § 296-56-60053, filed 1/18/05, effective 3/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040 and [49.17].050. WSR 99-10-071, § 296-56-60053, filed 5/4/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW and RCW 49.17.040, [49.17].050 and [49.17].060. WSR 92-22-067 (Order 92-06), § 296-56-60053, filed 10/30/92, effective 12/8/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. WSR 86-03-064 (Order 86-02), § 296-56-60053, filed 1/17/86; WSR 85-01-022 (Order 84-24), § 296-56-60053, filed 12/11/84.]