Washington Administrative Code
Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of
Chapter 296-848 - Arsenic
Section 296-848-40040 - Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 296-848-40040

Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024

(1) You must provide PPE at no cost to employees, make sure employees use, and maintain their PPE as follows:

(a) Provide clean and dry protective clothing to employees who could experience eye or skin irritation from exposure to inorganic arsenic or who work in exposure control areas.

(b) Provide impervious protective clothing to employees exposed to arsenic trichloride.

Note:

1. Arsenic trichloride is corrosive and can be rapidly absorbed through skin.

2. Examples of protective clothing appropriate for inorganic arsenic exposures include:

a. Coveralls or similar full-body work clothing.

b. Gloves, and shoes or coverlets.

c. Face shields or vented goggles when necessary to prevent eye irritation.

(c) Make sure employees do not remove inorganic arsenic from PPE by blowing or shaking.

(d) Make sure protective clothing is removed:
(i) In change rooms; and

(ii) At the end of the work shift.

(e) Make sure contaminated protective clothing that will be cleaned, laundered, or disposed of, is placed in a closed container located in the change room.

Make sure the container prevents the release of inorganic arsenic.

(f) Launder protective clothing:
(i) At least weekly if employees work in areas where exposure monitoring results of inorganic arsenic are below an eight-hour time-weighted average concentration of 100 micrograms per cubic meter ([MICRO]g/m3); or

(ii) Daily if employees work in areas where either exposure monitoring results of inorganic arsenic are above an eight-hour time-weighted average concentration of 100 [MICRO]g/m3 or when more frequent washing is needed to prevent skin irritation.

(g) Maintain the effectiveness of PPE by repairing or replacing it, as needed:
(i) Dispose of protective clothing if it will not be repaired.

(2) You must inform individuals who clean or launder protective clothing about the possible health effects associated with inorganic arsenic, including carcinogenic effects, by doing the following:

(a) Provide the information in writing; and

(b) Label containers of contaminated PPE with the following warning:

DANGER:

CONTAMINATED WITH INORGANIC ARSENIC.

MAY CAUSE CANCER.

DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING.

DISPOSE OF INORGANIC ARSENIC CONTAMINATED WASH WATER IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATIONS

Reference: To see additional Personal protective equipment requirements go to the Safety and health core rules, chapter 296-800 WAC, and find the section titled, PPE, WAC 296-800-160.

Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 09-05-071, § 296-848-40040, filed 2/17/09, effective 4/1/09; 05-01-173, § 296-848-40040, filed 12/21/04, effective 5/1/05.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Washington may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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