S-0197.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5597

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Fraser, Swecker, Jacobsen, Morton, Fairley, Rasmussen and Winsley

Read first time 01/28/1999.  Referred to Committee on Environmental Quality & Water Resources.

Requiring occupational health standards to protect workers from airborne and waterborne pathogens.

    AN ACT Relating to occupational health standards for airborne pathogens and waterborne pathogens; adding a new section to chapter 49.17 RCW; and creating a new section.

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. A new section is added to chapter 49.17 RCW to read as follows:   

    The department of labor and industries, in consultation with the department of health, shall develop and adopt by rule occupational health standards for biological agents that protect workers from airborne pathogens and waterborne pathogens.

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