PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Access to records and trade secrets, standards for commercial driving operations, chapter 296-37 WAC; General occupational health standards, chapter 296-62 WAC; Safety standards for construction work, chapter 296-155 WAC; Safety standards for fire fighters, chapter 296-305 WAC; and Safety and health core rules, chapter 296-800 WAC.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, [49.17].050, [49.17].060.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The purpose of this rule making is to make the access to records and trade secret requirements easy to read, understand and more usable for employers. This proposal will move all access to records and trade secret requirements relating to nonagricultural industries from chapter 296-62 WAC, Occupational health standards and place them into a new chapter. The trade secret requirements in chapter 296-62 WAC will remain and apply only to agriculture. The access to records requirements do not apply to the agriculture industry, therefore, they will be repealed from chapter 296-62 WAC. There will be no increase in requirements.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other state or federal agencies (other than the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) are known that regulate this subject.
Process for Developing New Rule: Parties interested in the development of these rules may contact the individual listed below. The public may also participate by providing written comments or giving oral testimony after these rule changes are proposed during the public hearing process.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Christine Swanson, Department of Labor and Industries, WISHA Services Division, P.O. Box 44620, Olympia, WA 98504-4620, phone (360) 902-4568, fax (360) 902-5529, e-mail copc235@lni.wa.gov.
February 4, 2003
Paul Trause
Director