S-1824.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5597

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Environmental Quality & Water Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Fraser, Swecker, Jacobsen, Morton, Fairley, Rasmussen and Winsley)

Read first time 02/25/1999.

Requiring a study of biomedical waste handling, transport, treatment, and disposal.

    AN ACT Relating to occupational health standards for airborne pathogens and waterborne pathogens; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that workers engaged in the handling, transportation, treatment, and disposal of biomedical waste may be exposed to elevated risks of contracting diseases from pathogens conveyed by air or water.  These risks may be reduced by application of occupational health standards for airborne pathogens and waterborne pathogens that are comparable to those developed to protect workers from bloodborne pathogens.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) The department of labor and industries shall review available data, studies, hazard analyses, and other information regarding the potential for employee exposure to airborne or waterborne biological hazards in the handling, transport, treatment, and disposal of biomedical waste.  Based on this review, the department shall make recommendations for appropriate action under the department's existing authority to protect workers and develop a plan for implementing the recommendations.  The department shall report to the legislature its findings, recommendations, and implementation plan and recommendations for action by the legislature no later than December 1, 1999.

    (2) This section expires December 31, 1999.

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