(1) Stations and administrative offices must comply with the requirements of the general occupational health standards, WAC 296-800-210, Lighting in the workplace.

(2) Every new fire station, whether manned or unmanned, must be equipped with an approved emergency lighting system that will light dormitories, hallways, and apparatus bay areas in case of electrical power failure.

(3) New fire stations or new additions to an existing fire station that incorporate sliding poles or slides in their design or construction must meet the following requirements:

(a) The sliding pole floor opening will be enclosed by walls with access provided to the floor opening only through a door.

(b) The door will have a latch or knobs no lower than five feet from the floor.

(c) The door will be equipped with a system that will automatically keep the door locked unless an alarm requiring a response sounds in the fire station. This automatic lock system will allow for a manual override, which will be used only to enable inspection, maintenance, repair or replacement of the sliding pole, the enclosure, the door, or other features of the sliding pole system. The automatic lock system will feature a warning light above or adjacent to the door that will indicate when the door is unlocked.

(d) Permanent illumination which cannot be manually turned off will be provided in the pole hole.

(e) The automatic lock system will be subject to monthly inspections.

(f) The sliding pole floor opening will be illuminated constantly in a manner that cannot be overridden manually, except as needed for inspection, repair, maintenance, or replacement.

(g) The bottom of the sliding pole will be cushioned by a minimum three-foot diameter rubber mat or its equivalent.

(h) Nothing will be stored or placed at the bottom of the sliding pole for a radius of three feet from the pole.

(i) Doors will not protrude within three feet of the pole.

(j) Proper sliding pole use will be included as part of the formal firefighter training program.

(4) The requirements of chapter 296-878 WAC, window cleaning, must be followed when employees are engaged in window washing operations.

(5) All new fire stations and other new fire department facilities which contain sleeping quarters must be fully protected with automatic sprinkler systems.

(6) All existing fire stations and existing fire department facilities with sleeping quarters, that undergo a major renovation that consists of more than sixty percent of the assessed evaluation of the existing structure must be fully protected with automatic sprinkler systems.

(7) Eye protection must be worn when charging, changing or adding fluid to storage batteries. Personnel that will be charging storage batteries must be qualified to perform this function by the employer. See WAC 296-800-16050.

(8) Stairway tread must be of a nonskid design. Examples of nonskid: Grip strut grating, serrated edge grating, metal grating, aluminum safety tread, abrasive metal stair tread, or pressure sensitive nonskid type.

(9) In existing facilities where sliding poles or slides are used, the pole or slide hole must be guarded in such a manner as to prevent anyone from walking directly into the pole or slide hole opening.

(10) To absorb the shock to sliding employees, the bottom of all slide poles or slides must have a three-foot diameter cushioned rubber mat, or its equivalent.

(11) Nothing must be stored or placed at the bottom of a pole or slide hole for a radius of three feet from the pole. Doors must not protrude within three feet of the pole or slide.

(12) Stair and landing protection: Stairways, guardrails, landings, and handrails must be constructed to the requirements of chapter 19.27 RCW the State Building Code Act, and WAC 296-800-250.

(13) A standard guard railing for a landing platform must include a toeboard, which is a vertical barrier, at floor level erected along exposed edges of a floor opening, wall opening, platform, runway or ramp to prevent falls of material.

(14) Any new facility, or addition, alteration, or repair to an existing facility must be in compliance with chapter 19.27 RCW, the State Building Code Act.

(15) New stations containing a kitchen, and station kitchens remodeled after the date of this chapter, must have an alarm activated service disconnect of fixed cooking appliances.

(16) Asbestos in facilities, buildings, and properties used by fire departments.

(a) Fire department employees must be informed of the presence and location of asbestos-containing material (ACM) and presumed-asbestos-containing material (PACM) in areas of buildings where employees work.

(b) Damaged and deteriorating asbestos in fire stations and facilities must be repaired, removed, enclosed or encapsulated.

(d) WAC 296-62-07723, Housekeeping, must apply to fire stations and facilities.

(e) Fire departments that do not comply with this section must comply with the requirements relating to asbestos set out in chapters 296-62 and 296-65 WAC.

PDFWAC 296-305-06503

General requirements.