(1) The employer must make medical monitoring available to employees who will meet the handling hour threshold of thirty or more hours in any consecutive thirty-day period (WAC 296-307-14810) at no cost and at a reasonable time and place, as follows:

(a) Provide annual baseline red blood cell (RBC) and serum cholinesterase tests that are taken at least thirty days after the employee last handled organophosphate or N-methyl-carbamate pesticides.

(b) Provide periodic RBC and serum cholinesterase testing:

(i) Within three days after the end of each thirty-day period where the employee meets the handling hour threshold in WAC 296-307-14810; however, testing is not required more often than every thirty days;

(ii) At least every thirty days for those employees who may meet the handling hour threshold in WAC 296-307-14810.

(c) Follow the recommendations of the LHCP regarding continued employee pesticide handling or removal from handling until a thirty-day exposure free baseline can be established.

Exemption:

The employer does not need to provide baseline or periodic testing for those employees whose work exposure is limited to handling only N-methyl-carbamate pesticides.

Notes:	1. For employees who have had exposure to organophosphate or N-methyl-carbamate pesticides in the thirty days prior to the test obtain a working baseline. For example, a worker who initially declines cholinesterase testing and later chooses to participate in testing would obtain a "working baseline."
	2. For new employees, the LHCP may accept previous baselines, if they are obtained according to this rule.

(2) The employer must obtain a signed declination statement from the LHCP for each employee who declines cholinesterase testing.

(a) Employees may decline cholinesterase testing only after they receive training about cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides and discuss the risks and benefits of participation with the LHCP.

(b) An employee may change his or her mind and elect to participate or decline to continue participation in the testing program at any time.

(3) The employer must make sure the employee receives a copy of the signed declination statement, either through the employer or directly through the LHCP, within five business days after the employer receives the declination statement.

Note:

If employers discourage participation in cholinesterase monitoring, or in any way interfere with an employee's decision to continue with this program, this interference may represent unlawful discrimination under RCW 49.17.160, Discrimination against employee filing, instituting proceedings, or testifying prohibited—Procedure—Remedy.

PDFWAC 296-307-14820

Make cholinesterase testing available.