Insurance Services Division:

Insurance Services Policy #6.70, "Authorizing Job Modifications," is amended to give direction to workers' compensation claims staff for authorizing job modifications, including the limits of job modification benefits. (Issued January 15, 2000)

Insurance Services Policy #6.71, "Authorizing Pre-Job Accommodations," is amended to give direction to workers' compensation claims staff for authorizing pre-job accommodations, including the limits of pre-job accommodation benefits. (Issued January 15, 2000)

Insurance Services Policy #A.02, "Documents Stored in Employer Services Employer File," is a new policy that gives direction to employer services staff on which documents should be stored in employer master files. (Issued February 15, 2000)

Contact: Linda Norris, Mailstop 44310, (360) 902-4999, Douglas Connell, Assistant Director.

WISHA (Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act) Services Division:

WISHA Regional Directive #32.49, "Respiratory Protection in the Fire Service" is repealed. It delayed enforcement of the new provisions of the respiratory protection standard as they apply to the fire service until November 1, 1999. This regional directive was "self-canceling" and was therefore rescinded effective November 1, 1999. (Repealed November 1, 1999)

WISHA Interim Operations Memorandum #99-1-A, "Accompanied Visits in Consultation," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA consultation supervisors on the frequency and content of accompanied visits. It was rescinded and replaced with WISHA Regional Directive 3.25, "Accompanied Visits in Consultation" on November 17, 1999. (Repealed November 17, 1999)

WISHA Regional Directive #10.10, "Indoor Air Quality," is a new policy for handling complaints and consultation requests regarding indoor air quality problems and provides guidelines to be used when evaluating indoor air quality concerns. It applies whenever WISHA consultation and enforcement staff evaluate workplace hazards relating to indoor air quality in office buildings. It updates, replaces, and rescinds WISHA Regional Directive 92.2, "Indoor Air Quality," and it will remain in effect indefinitely. (Issued January 21, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #10.65, "Physician Guidelines for Evaluation of Respirator Users," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA consultation and compliance staff in interpreting what constitutes a "physician guideline" under WAC 296-62-07109(3). This practice is no longer allowable under the revised respiratory protection standard that took effect in September 1999. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #12.35, "Emergency Eyewash and Hand-held Drench Hoses," is repealed. It applied whenever WISHA consultation or compliance staff encountered hand-held drench hoses in relation to emergency eyewash facilities. This issue has now been addressed by changes to WAC 296-62-130 on emergency washing that took effect June 17, 1999. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #12.45, "Host Employers and Public Rescue Services for Confined Space Incidents," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA consultation and compliance staff when they were dealing with an employer who relied upon public rescue services to perform rescue in the event of a confined space incident. This WISHA regional directive is outdated and no longer necessary.

WISHA Regional Directive #77.53, "Protection of Open-sided Floors on Hot Metal Pouring Platforms," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA staff for evaluating compliance with WAC 296-24-75007, protection of open-sided floors. The policy is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #78.25A, "Use of Work Platforms on Forklift-Type Equipment Used by "Order Pickers," is repealed. It provided guidance for WISHA enforcement and consultation staff on the use of work platforms on forklift-type equipment used by "order pickers." This issue has been addressed by changes to the powered industrial truck (forklift) standard that took effect March 1, 2000. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #79.17, "Guards for Couplings," is repealed. It clarified the intent of WAC 296-20519(2) (couplings) and WAC 296-24-20507(2) (shafts). The policy is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #79.57, "General Requirements for all Machine Guarding as Applied to Power Press Brakes," is repealed. It provided guidance for WISHA enforcement and consultation staff on the appropriate application of standards relating to guarding the "point of operation" of power press brakes. This policy is outdated and no longer necessary. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #80.16A, "Respirable Air Supplied by Oil-Lubricated Compressors," is repealed. It clarified WAC 296-62-07111(2) as it pertains to the requirement for a carbon monoxide alarm on oil-lubricated air compressors. It was rescinded and replaced with WISHA Interpretive Memorandum #98-1-N, "Carbon Monoxide and Air Compressors," issued on January 6, 1998. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #82.10, "Eye Wash and Body Flushing Facilities Applicable to Electric Storage Battery Charging and Maintenance Areas," is repealed. It provided guidelines for WISHA enforcement and consultation staff regarding eyewash and body flushing facilities required for immediate emergency use in electric storage battery charging and maintenance areas. This issue has now been addressed by changes to WAC 296-62-130 on emergency washing that took effect June 17, 1999. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #83.9, "Alternative Abatement Methods WAC as Applied to the Oil and Gas Drilling Industry," is repealed. It provided guidelines to WISHA staff on the use of certain monitoring techniques to comply with the machine guarding standard as applied to the oil and gas drilling industry. This policy is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #84.4, "Employee Use of Individual Head-Phone Radios," is repealed. It provided guidelines to consultation and compliance staff on the evaluation of hazards associated with the use of "Walk-Man" type head-phone radios. This policy is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #91.13A, "Emergency Washing Facilities," is repealed. It provided guidelines for WISHA enforcement and consultation staff in determining when an eyewash and/or safety shower is required. This issue has now been addressed by changes to WAC 296-62-130 on Emergency Washing that took effect June 17, 1999. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #92.7, "Fatality Investigation Procedures for Non-Work Related Workplace Deaths," is repealed. It provided policy and procedure guidance on workplace fatality investigations that have the potential for not being work related. This WISHA regional directive is no longer necessary since the procedures are described in the WISHA Compliance Manual. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #95.4A, "Interpretation and Common Question and Concerns on Rollover Protective Structure Requirements for pre-1976 Agricultural Tractors," is repealed. It provided direction to WISHA enforcement and consultation staff regarding code application interpretations and citation guidelines. This WISHA regional directive is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #96-11-J, "WISHA Discrimination Policies and Procedures," is repealed. It implemented Investigations Policy 73.01 and WISHA Discrimination Procedure Manual documents until such time as their substance could be incorporated into the WISHA Administrative Manual. With the February 2000 release of the new Administrative Manual which included discrimination investigation policies and procedures, this operations memorandum is outdated and no longer necessary. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #96-12-B, "Interim Retention of Selected Pre-1996 WISHA Regional Directives," is repealed. It listed a number of WISHA regional directives remaining in effect after December 30, 1996. It is rescinded because a majority of the WISHA Regional Directives included in that list have been canceled, and the list is now provided in an updated table of contents. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #97-7-C, "Processing Requests for Variances," is repealed. It identified basic responsibilities regarding variance requests. This issue is being addressed by variance policy guidelines to be included in the new WISHA Administration Manual. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #98-6-C, "Use of Statewide 'WISHA 200' List," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA staff regarding "WISHA 200" employers. These lists are no longer in use so this operations memorandum is outdated and no longer in effect. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

WISHA Regional Directive #98-10-B, "Inspections in Ship and Boat Building and Repairing Industries," is repealed. It provided guidance to WISHA staff regarding the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding with federal OSHA about joint shipyard inspections. Since the Memorandum of Understanding is no longer in effect, this operations memorandum is outdated. (Repealed March 1, 2000)

Contact: Marcia Benn, Mailstop 44648, (360) 902-5503, Dr. Michael Silverstein, Assistant Director.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call 902-4216.

Doric Olson

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