Source: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-841&full=true
Timestamp: 2017-08-18 20:22:07
Document Index: 394605948

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296', '§ 296']

Chapter 296-841 WAC: AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS
WACs > Title 296 > Chapter 296-841
Chapter 296-841 WAC
296-841-100
296-841-200
Evaluate and control employee exposures.
296-841-20003
Employee protective measures.
296-841-20005
Exposure evaluations.
296-841-20010
296-841-20015
296-841-20020
296-841-20025
296-841-300
This chapter applies when your employees are, or could be, exposed to an airborne hazard.
• The following are examples of airborne contaminants that may become airborne hazards in some workplaces:
– Chemicals listed in Table 3, Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Contaminants
– Any substance:
■ Listed in the latest edition of the NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances
■ For which positive evidence of an acute or chronic health hazard exists through tests conducted by, or known to, the employer
■ That may pose a hazard to human health as stated on a safety data sheet (SDS) kept by, or known to, the employer
– Biological agents such as harmful bacteria, viruses or fungi
■ Examples include TB aerosols and anthrax
– Chemicals used as crowd control agents, such as pepper spray
– Chemicals present at clandestine drug labs.
• Airborne contaminants exist in a variety of physical forms such as dusts, fibers, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smoke, sprays, vapors, or aerosols.
Exposed or exposure:
The contact an employee has with a toxic substance, harmful physical agent or oxygen-deficient condition, whether or not protection is provided by respirators or other personal protective equipment (PPE). Exposure can occur through various routes of entry, such as inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or skin absorption.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910 Subpart Z. WSR 14-07-086, § 296-841-100, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-100, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 06-08-087, § 296-841-100, filed 4/4/06, effective 9/1/06; WSR 05-17-168, § 296-841-100, filed 8/23/05, effective 1/1/06; WSR 04-18-079, § 296-841-100, filed 8/31/04, effective 11/1/04; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-100, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-200, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-200, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
Protect employees from potentially hazardous exposure while you perform your exposure evaluation, using all available resources to determine adequate protective measures.
• Resources include product labels, safety data sheets (SDSs), manufacturer recommendations, and industry protocols.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910 Subpart Z. WSR 14-07-086, § 296-841-20003, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-20003, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07.]
(1) Conduct an exposure evaluation to determine or reasonably estimate whether an employee is or could be exposed to either of the following:
– An airborne contaminant above a permissible exposure limit (PEL) listed in Table 3;
– Other airborne hazards, such as biological hazards.
• When evaluating air contaminants, keep in mind that oxygen deficient conditions may also occur due to:
– Processes such as fermentation, decomposition of organic matter, or combustion of fossil fuels
– Displacement by another gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide
• Rules for specific substances may contain additional requirements for determining employee exposure
• Samples from a representative group of employees may be used for other employees performing the same work activities, when the duration and level of exposure are similar.
(2) Conclude that an atmosphere is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) when you cannot determine or reasonably estimate employee exposure.
(3) Do all the following when you perform your evaluation:
(a) Determine the form of the airborne contaminant, such as dust, mist, gas, or biological agent.
(b) Make sure you don't use the amount of protection provided to employees by respirators as a factor in determining whether employees are exposed to an airborne hazard.
(c) Make sure any air monitoring results used to determine employee exposures are based on personal air samples taken from, or representative of, the employee's breathing zone.
■ You may use area sampling to screen for the presence of an airborne contaminant; however, results from area sampling can't be used if they don't adequately represent exposure of affected employees.
(d) Include potential emergency and rescue situations that may occur, such as equipment or power failures, uncontrolled chemical reactions, fire, explosion, or human error.
(e) Include workplace conditions such as work processes, types of material, exposure control methods, work practices, and environmental conditions.
(f) Address extended work periods. For work shifts longer than eight hours, evaluate the continuous eight-hour portion of the shift expected to have the highest average exposure concentration.
(4) Use either of the following types of documentation to conclusively demonstrate that employee exposure cannot meet or exceed any PEL for the airborne contaminant during any reasonably anticipated conditions:
– Personal air samples that represent an employee's usual or worst-case exposure during the entire shift.
– Specific information about products, materials, or activities that provides for an estimate of the level of employee exposure such as safety data sheets (SDSs), observations, previous air sampling results, other measurements, calculations, or pesticide labels.
• You should use methods of sampling and analysis that have been validated by the laboratory performing the analysis.
(5) Use the following formula to evaluate employee exposure to two or more substances that have additive health effects:
Is the . . .
Equivalent exposure for the mixture. When the value of E is greater than 1, an airborne hazard is present.
Concentration of a specific airborne contaminant.
TWA8, STEL, or ceiling limit for that airborne contaminant, from Table 3, Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Contaminants.
• When results from your exposure evaluation indicate an airborne hazard, follow requirements in WAC 296-841-20010 through 296-841-20020 of this chapter.
• When changes occur that increase the level of exposure to an airborne hazard, you may need to conduct a new exposure evaluation to make sure exposure controls and other protective measures are sufficient.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060 and 29 C.F.R. 1910 Subpart Z. WSR 14-07-086, § 296-841-20005, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-20005, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 04-18-079, § 296-841-20005, filed 8/31/04, effective 11/1/04; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-20005, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
• Respirators and other personal protective equipment are not exposure controls. Respirators may be used to protect employees while exposure controls are being installed or when it's not feasible to use exposure controls to remove or reduce the airborne hazard.
(1) Use feasible exposure controls to reduce employee exposure to one of the following:
– A level below the permissible exposure limits (PEL) in Table 3
– A level that removes the airborne hazard, when no PEL is established
– The lowest achievable level, when exposure cannot be reduced to below the PEL or the airborne hazard can't be removed.
(2) Make sure exposure controls don't create or increase employee health hazards. For example, when ventilation systems are installed:
– Prevent contaminated exhaust air from either:
■ Reentering the building in harmful amounts
■ Exposing any employee to a health hazard.
– Temper make-up air, when necessary
– Prevent employee exposure to excessive air velocities.
(3) Use make-up air systems that will not interfere with the effectiveness of the exhaust air system.
– For example, make sure enough make-up air is provided to replace the amount of air exhausted.
• Table 1 provides examples of possible exposure controls.
Examples of Possible Controls
Preferred exposure controls include:
Using a different chemical (this is also known as substitution)
• Choose a chemical with a lower evaporation rate or vapor pressure
• Choose a chemical that's not hazardous
Changing a process to decrease emissions
• Use hand rolling or paint dipping instead of paint spraying
• Bolt items instead of welding them
Separating employees from emissions areas and sources
• Use control rooms
• Build an enclosure around process machinery or other emissions sources
• Automate a process
Using local exhaust ventilation to remove emissions at or near the source
• Install exhaust hoods or slots to capture emissions
• Use an exhausted enclosure (like a blasting cabinet or laboratory hood)
Other exposure controls include:
Using general exhaust ventilation to dilute and remove emissions in the work area
• Allow natural air movement to create an adequate airflow through an area
• Use mechanical fans
This isn't recommended for control of highly toxic airborne contaminants such as carcinogens, where low exposures can still present a health hazard
Modifying work practices
• Change the position of the employee relative to the work so fumes, vapors, or smoke aren't directed into the employee's face
Limiting the amount of time employees can spend in a contaminated area.
• Establish a contaminant-free area for tasks such as prep work that don't need to be done in the exposure area
Implementing an employee rotation schedule
Have employees alternate working in the exposure area so that each employee gets less overall exposure
This control will increase the number of employees exposed to the airborne contaminant. Due to this risk, employee rotation is NOT recommended for highly toxic airborne contaminants such as carcinogens, where low exposures can still present a health hazard.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-20010, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 04-18-079, § 296-841-20010, filed 8/31/04, effective 11/1/04; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-20010, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
Require employees to use respirators when airborne hazards have not been removed using feasible exposure controls. For example, use respirators at any of the following times:
– While exposure controls are being evaluated or put in place
– When the airborne hazard is not completely removed
– When exposure controls are NOT feasible.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-20015, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-20015, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
Notify employees who are or may be exposed to airborne hazards, as specified in Table 2.
• The notification may be provided either individually, to a group, or by posting of results in an appropriate location that is accessible to affected employees.
Notify employees of:
Any exposure result above a permissible exposure limit (PEL)
Within five business days, after the employee's exposure result is known to the employer
The corrective action being taken to reduce employee exposure to or below the PEL
Within fifteen business days, after the employee's exposure result is known to the employer
The schedule for completion of the corrective action and any reasons why exposures cannot be lowered to below the PEL
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 07-05-062, § 296-841-20020, filed 2/20/07, effective 4/1/07; WSR 04-18-079, § 296-841-20020, filed 8/31/04, effective 11/1/04; WSR 03-20-115, § 296-841-20020, filed 10/1/03, effective 1/1/04.]
The following information applies to Table 3, Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Contaminants.
• Ppm refers to parts of vapor or gas per million parts of air by volume, at 25 degrees C and 760 mm Hg pressure.
• Mg/m3 refers to milligrams of an airborne contaminant per cubic meter of air.
• F/cc refers to fibers per cubic centimeter of air.
• For a metal that is measured as the metal itself, only the CAS number for the metal is given. The CAS numbers for individual compounds of the metal are not provided. For more information about CAS registry numbers see the web site: http://www.cas.org.
• Short-term exposure limits (STEL) pertain to fifteen-minute exposure periods, unless another time period is noted in Table 3.
• An "X" in the "skin" column indicates the contaminant can be absorbed through the skin, either by airborne or direct contact.
– Personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent skin contact may be needed to minimize the risk for adverse health effects when employees are exposed to these chemicals.
– Requirements for the use of gloves, coveralls, goggles, and other personal protective equipment can be found in WAC 296-800-160, Personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Nuisance dusts (also known as inert dusts) are included in the Table 3 listing, particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR).
– The PNOR listing in Table 3 also applies to other particulate airborne contaminants for which a specific PEL is NOT listed unless the airborne contaminant is found to require a lower limit.
• The respirable fraction of a particulate airborne contaminant is measured by sampling with a size-selector having the following characteristics:
Mean aerodynamic
diameter in micrometers
Percent passing the selector
Table 3 "Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for Airborne Contaminants"
TWA8
Abate (Temephos)
Actinolite (asbestiform) (as asbestos)
(see WAC 296-62-077 and
chapter 296-65 WAC)
0.1 f/cc
1.0 f/cc (30 minutes)
(see WAC 296-62-073)
(1,2-Dichloroethylene)
0.09 mg/m3
(see WAC 296-62-07336)
0.75 mg/m3
Aluminum (as Al)
Pyro powders
Alkyls (NOC)
Aluminum oxide (Alundum,
(Ethanolamine)
Ammonium sulfamate (Ammate)
Amosite (as asbestos)
and chapter 296-65 WAC)
Anisidine (o, p-isomers)
Anthophyllite (asbestiform) (as
Antimony and compounds (as Sb)
(alpha Naphthyl thiourea)
0.9 mg/m3
organic compounds (as As)
compounds (as As) (when
use is covered by chapter
296-848 WAC)
compounds (as As)
(when use is not
covered by chapter
(see WAC 296-62-077
Asphalt (Petroleum fumes)
Barium, soluble
compounds (as Ba)
(see chapter 296-849 WAC)
(Quinone)
(Coal tar pitch volatiles)
Beryllium and beryllium
compounds (as Be)
Bismuth telluride, undoped
Bismuth telluride, Se-doped
Borates, tetra, sodium salts
6737-07-2
(Chlorobromomthane)
(see WAC 296-62-07460)
(Butyl mercaptan)
(Butyl cellosolve)
Butyl cellosolve (2-Butoxy ethanol)
(as Cr)
(see WAC 296-62-08003)
n-Butyl glycidyl ether (BGE)
p-tert-Butyl-toluene
Cadmium oxide fume (as Cd)
(see WAC 296-62-074
and 296-155-174)
Cadmium dust and salts (as Cd)
(see chapter 296-848 WAC)
(Difolatan)
Carbofuran (Furadon)
3.5 mg/m3
200 ppm (5 min.)
Catechol (Pyrocatechol)
(2-Ethoxyethylacetate)
Cellulose (paper fiber)
55720-99-5
a-Chloroacetophenone
(Phenacyl chloride)
532-21-4
(Monochlorobenzene)
113 ppm
malononitrile (OCBM)
2-Chloro-1, 3-butadiene
(beta-Chloroprene)
Chlorodiphenyl
(42% Chlorine) (PCB)
(Polychlorobiphenyls)
(54% Chlorine)
(Polychlorobiphenyls
(PCB))
1-Chloro-2, 3-epoxypropane
(Ethylene chlorohydrin)
(See WAC 296-62-07329)
(Methyl chloromethyl
Chloropicrin (Nitrotrichloromethane)
beta-Chloroprene (2-Chloro-1,
3-butadiene)
2-Chloro-6-trichloromethyl
pyridine (Nitrapyrin)
(when the compound is not
covered by WAC
296-62-08003)
(as Cr) (when the compound
WAC 296-62-08003)
or Chromium (II) compounds
Chromyl chloride (as Cr)
Chrysene (Coal tar
pitch volatiles)
Chrysotile (as asbestos)
Coal dust (less than 5% SiO2)
Coal dust (greater than or
equal to 5% SiO2)
(benzene soluble fraction)
Cobalt, metal fume & dust
(as Co)
(see WAC 296-62-200)
Cotton dust (raw) (waste sorting, blending, cleaning, willowing and garetting) (see WAC 296-62-14533)
Crag herbicide (Sesone, Sodium-2,
4-dichloro-phenoxyethyl
Cresol (all isomers)
Crocidolite (as asbestos)
123-73-9;
Cyhexatin (Tricyclohexyltin
2,4-D (Dichlorophenoxy-
DBCP (1,2-Dibromo-3-
chloropropane)
(See WAC 296-62-07342)
DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltri-
chloroethane)
DDVP, (Dichlorvos)
(Fensulfothion)
(4-hydroxy-4-methyl-
2-pentanone)
1, 2-Diaminoethane
(Ethylenediamine)
Dibrom (see Naled)
(see WAC
296-62-07342)
2-N-Dibutylamino ethanol
3, 3'-Dichlorobenzidine
Dichlorodiphenyltri-
chloroethane (DDT)
1, 3-Dichloro-5, 5-dimethyl
(Ethylidine chloride)
(Ethylene dichloride)
(Vinylidene chloride)
1, 2-Dichloroethylene (Acetylene
(See chapter 296-859 WAC)
1, 1-Dichloro-1-nitroethane
(2, 4-D)
2, 2-Dichloropropionic acid
Difolatan (Captafol)
Diglycidyl ether (DGE)
Diisobutyl ketone (2, 6-
Dimethylheptanone)
Dimethoxymethane (Methylal)
4-Dimethylaminoazo benzene
(Xylidene)
(N, N-Dimethylaniline)
Dimethylbenzene (Xylene)
Dimethyl-1, 2-dibromo-2,
2-dichloroethyl phosphate
2, 6-Dimethylheptanone
(Diisobutyl ketone)
1, 1-Dimethylhydrazine
(3, 5-Dinitro-o-toluamide)
148-01-6
Dinitrobenzene (all isomers -
alpha, meta and para)
528-29-0;
99-65-0;
3, 5-Dinitro-o-toluamide
(Dinitolmide)
Dioxane (Diethylene dioxide)
Diphenyl (Biphenyl)
(Methylene bisphenyl isocyanate (MDI))
Di-sec, Octyl phthalate
(Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate)
2, 6-Di-tert-butyl-p-cresol
12415-34-8
Epichlorhydrin (1-Chloro-2,
3-epoxypropane)
(Propylene oxide)
2, 3-Epoxy-1-propanol
(Glycidol)
Ethanolamine (2-Aminoethanol)
1.2 mg/m3
2-Ethoxyethanol (Glycol
(Cellosolve acetate)
75-04-07
(5-Methyl-3-hepatone)
(3-Heptanone)
(2-Chloroethanol)
Ethylenediamine (1,2-
Diaminoethane)
(1,2-Dichloroethane)
acetate (Methyl cellosolve acetate)
(see chapter 296-855 WAC)
Ethyl ether (Diethyl ether)
Ethylidine chloride
(1, 1-Dichloroethane)
Ethyl mercaptan (Ethanethiol)
(5-methyl-3-heptanone)
Fluorides (as F)
(see Trichlorofluoro methane)
(see chapter 296-856 WAC)
Furadon
(carbofuran)
Glass, fibrous or dust
(2, 3-Epoxy-1-propanol)
(2-Ethoxyethanol)
Grain dust (oat, wheat, barley)
(Azinphosmethyl)
(Methyl n-amyl ketone)
(Ethyl butyl ketone)
(Methyl-n-butyl ketone)
(Dihydroxybenzene)
(Diacetone alcohol)
99-61-1
Indium and compounds (as In)
Iron oxide dust and fume (as Fe)
Iron pentacarbonyl (as Fe)
Iron salts, soluble (as Fe)
313 ppm
Isopropyl glycidyl ether (IGE)
(Methomyl)
(see WAC 296-62-07521
and 296-155-176)
Lead arsenate (as Pb)
(see WAC 296-62-07521,
296-155-176, and chapter
(see WAC 296-62-08003,
296-62-07521, and
296-155-176)
0.075 mg/m3
(liquified petroleum gas)
Manganese and compounds (as Mn)
Manganese cyclopentadienyl
tricarbonyl (as Mn)
Manganese tetroxide and
fume (as Mn)
(4, 4'-Methylene bis
(2-chloro-aniline))
(4, 4-Methylene dianiline)
(see WAC 296-62-076
and 296-155-173)
(Methylene bisphenyl
(Diphenylmethane
(Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide)
Aryl and inorganic
Organo-alkyl compounds
(Methyl mercaptan)
(Methyl alcohol)
(Methyl cellosolve)
(Methyl cellosolve acetate)
Methyl acetylene-propadiene
mixture (MAPP)
(Methyl isobutyl carbinol)
(2-Heptanone)
(Monomethyl aniline)
(2-Hexanone)
(2-Methoxyethanol)
(2-Methoxyethyl acetate)
(1, 1, 1-trichlorethane)
(chloromethyl methyl
manganese tricarbonyl (as Mn)
(Diphenylmethane diisocyanate)
4, 4'-Methylene bis
(2-chloro-aniline) (MBOCA)
(4-cyclohexylisocyanate)
4, 4-Methylene dianiline (MDA)
(MEKP)
(Ethyl amyl ketone)
(Monomethyl hydrazine)
(Methyl amyl alcohol)
(Hexone)
Methyl mercaptan (Methanethiol)
(2-Pentanone)
684-84-5
Mica (Silicates)
(Chlorobenzene)
Monocrotophos (Azodrin)
(N-Methyl aniline)
Metal and insoluble
(2-Chloro-6
trichloromethyl pyridine)
o-isomer
m-isomer
98-08-2
p-isomer
(Chloropicrin)
Nuisance dusts (see Particulates not otherwise regulated)
Oil mist mineral (particulate)
Osmium tetroxide (as Os)
0.0002 ppm
0.0006 ppm
See requirements in other
chapters such as:
Chapter 296-809 WAC,
Confined spaces; chapter
296-843 WAC, Hazardous
waste operations; chapter
296-824 WAC, Emergency
response; WAC 296-62-100,
Particulate polycyclic
(see coal tar pitch volatiles)
Particulates not otherwise
(methyl propyl ketone)
(Naptha, rubber solvent)
(a-Chloroacetophenone)
Phenyl ether-diphenyl
mixture (vapor)
Picric acid (2, 4, 6-
Trinitrophenol)
(2-Pivalyl-1, 3-indandione,
Pival)
Pival (Pindone)
Platinum (as Pt)
0.006 mg/m3
(Chlorodiphenyls)
42% Chlorine (PCB)
54% Chlorine (PCB)
(1, 2-Dichloropropane)
6423-43-4
Propylene oxide (1,2-
Epoxypropane)
Propyne (Methyl acetylene)
Pyrocatachol
(Catechol)
Rhodium (as Rh)
Insoluble compounds,
metal fumes and dusts
Soluble compounds, salts
Rosin core solder, pyrolysis
products (as formaldehyde)
Rubber solvent (naphtha)
Selenium compounds (as Se)
Selenium hexafluoride (as Se)
Sesone (Crag herbicide)
(Carbaryl)
Silane (see Silicon tetrahydride)
Silica, amorphous, precipitated
and gel
Silica, amorphous, diatomaceous
earth, containing less than
1% crystalline silica
Silica, crystalline cristobalite
Silica, crystalline quartz
Silica, crystalline tripoli
(as quartz)
Silica, crystalline tridymite
Talc (containing asbestos)
(as asbestos)
296-62-07705 and
Talc (containing no
(asbestiform)
296-62-07705
Silicon tetrahydride (Silane)
Silver, metal dust and soluble
compounds (as Ag)
Sodium azide (as HN3 or NaN3)
Sodium-2,
4-dichloro-
(Crag herbicide)
0.45 mg/m3
Styrene (Phenylethylene,
Vinyl benzene)
0.00006 mg/m3
Sulfotep (TEDP)
5714-22-1
Systox (Demeton)
2, 4, 5-T (2, 4, 5- tri-
chlorophenoxyacetic acid)
(see WAC 296-62-07705
Talc (containing no asbestos)
Metal and oxide dusts
(Toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate)
TEDP (Sulfotep)
Tellurium and compounds (as Te)