(1) Employers must control employee exposure to surgical smoke with surgical smoke evacuations systems, as feasible.
(2) Surgical smoke evacuation systems must capture and neutralize surgical smoke before it makes contact with the eyes or respiratory tracts of room occupants.
(a) Surgical smoke should be captured as close to the point of origin or point at which it is released from the body of the patient as feasible.
(b) The system must neutralize the smoke in a manner that protects the safety of room occupants by filtering, safely exhausting outside or to a building exhaust system, or otherwise treating the air in a manner that protects the safety and health of the room occupants and other employees.
Note: | Subject to funding being made available by the legislature, between January 2, 2025, and June 30, 2025, hospitals that meet certain criteria may apply for reimbursement of up to $1,000 per operating room for smoke evacuation systems that were purchased and installed on or before January 1, 2025. See WAC 296-62-51070 Appendix A for details. |
[Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.500. WSR 23-23-164, § 296-62-51040, filed 11/21/23, effective 1/1/24.]