The employer must create and retain records documenting noise exposures. Include, at a minimum:
(1) Exposure measurements required by this part for at least two years and for as long as the employer relies upon them to determine employee exposure;
(2) Audiometric test records for the duration of employment for the affected employees;
(3) Hearing protection audits, if the employer chooses to rely upon them, for the duration of employment of the affected employees.
Notes: | 1. The employer needs to keep as complete a record as possible. Records developed under previous rules or in other jurisdictions need to be kept, even when they do not fulfill the full requirements of this part. Similarly, records found to have errors in collection or processing need to be kept if they provide an indication of employee exposure or medical condition not found in other records. |
| 2. The employer may want to consider other business needs, such as worker's compensation claims management, before discarding these records. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050, and
49.17.060. WSR 20-21-091, § 296-307-63240, filed 10/20/20, effective 11/20/20; WSR 05-01-166, § 296-307-63240, filed 12/21/04, effective 4/2/05.]