Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-828 - Hazardous chemicals in laboratories › Section 296-828-099 - Definitions Action level

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
An airborne concentration of a hazardous substance that is
				calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average, and initiates certain
				requirements to be followed such as exposure monitoring or medical
				surveillance.
Carcinogens.
See
"Select
				carcinogen."
Chemical hygiene officer.
An employee designated
				by the employer who is qualified by training or experience to provide technical
				guidance in the development and implementation of the chemical hygiene plan.
				This definition is not intended to place limitations on the designated
				employee's position description or job classification within the employer's
				organization.
Chemical hygiene plan.
A written program developed
				and implemented by the employer that establishes procedures, equipment,
				personal protective equipment, and work practices to protect employees from the
				health hazards of the chemicals used in the laboratory.
Container.
Any container, except for pipes or
				piping systems that contains a hazardous substance. For example, it can be any
				of the following:
(a)
			 Barrel.
(b) Bottle.
(c) Can.
(d) Cylinder.
(e) Drum.
(f) Reaction vessel.
(g) Storage tank.
Day.
Any part of a calendar day.
Designated representative.
Any one of the
				following:
(a) Any individual or
			 organization to which an employee gives written authorization.
(b) A recognized or certified collective
			 bargaining agent without regard to written employee authorization.
(c) The legal representative of a deceased or
			 legally incapacitated employee.
Emergency.
Any event that could or does result in
				the unexpected, significant release of a hazardous substance. Examples of
				emergencies include equipment failure, container rupture, or control equipment
				failure.
Exposure.
The contact an employee has with a
				hazardous substance, 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.
Hazardous chemical.
Any chemical which is
				classified as health hazard or simple asphyxiate in accordance with the Hazard
				Communication Standard, WAC
				296-901-140.
Health hazard.
A chemical which is classified as
				posing one of the following hazardous effects: Acute toxicity (any route of
				exposure); skin corrosion or irritation; serious eye damage or eye irritation;
				respiratory or skin sensitization; germ cell mutagenicity; carcinogenicity;
				reproductive toxicity; specific target organ toxicity (single or repeated
				exposure); or aspiration hazard. The criteria for determining whether a
				chemical is classified as a health hazard are detailed in WAC
				296-901-14022, Appendix AHealth
				hazard criteria.
Laboratory.
A facility where the "laboratory use
				of hazardous substances" takes place. A workplace where relatively small
				amounts of hazardous substances are used on a nonpro-duction basis.
Laboratory-type hood.
A device located in a
				laboratory, enclosure on five sides with a moveable sash or fixed partially
				enclosed on the remaining side; constructed and maintained to draw air from the
				laboratory and to prevent or minimize the escape of air contaminants into the
				laboratory; and allows chemical manipulations to be conducted in the enclosure
				without insertion of any portion of the employee's body other than hands and
				arms.
Note:
Walk-in hoods with adjustable sashes meet
				the above definition provided that the sashes are adjusted during use so that
				the airflow and the exhaust of air contaminants are not compromised and
				employees do not work inside the enclosure during the release of airborne
				hazardous substances.
Laboratory scale.
Work with substances in which
				the containers used for reactions, transfers, and other handling of the
				substances are designed to be easily and safely manipulated by one person.
				"Laboratory scale"
does not
include workplaces producing
				commercial quantities of materials.
Laboratory use.
The handling or use of hazardous
				substances that includes
all
the following:
(a) Chemical manipulations conducted on a
			 "laboratory scale";
(b) Multiple
			 chemical procedures or chemicals are used;
(c) The procedures are not part of a
			 production process, nor in any way simulate a production process; and
(d) "Protective laboratory practices and
			 equipment" are available and are commonly used to minimize the potential for
			 employee exposures to hazardous substances.
Licensed health care professional (LHCP).
An
				individual whose legally permitted scope of practice allows him or her to
				provide some or all of the health care services required for medical
				evaluations.
Mutagen.
Chemicals that cause permanent changes in
				the amount or structure of the genetic material in a cell. Chemicals classified
				as mutagens in accordance with the Hazard Communication Standard, WAC
				296-901-140 must be considered
				mutagens for purposes of this section.
Permissible exposure limits (PELs).
PELs are
				employee exposures to toxic substances or harmful physical agents that must not
				be exceeded. PELs are also specified in WISHA rules found in other
				chapters.
Physical hazard.
A chemical that is classified as
				posing one of the following hazardous effects: Explosive; flammable (gases,
				aerosols, liquids, or solids); oxidizer (liquid, solid, or gas); self-reactive;
				pyrophoric (gas, liquid, or solid); self-heating; organic peroxide; corrosive
				to metal; gas under pressure; in contact with water emits flammable gas; or
				combustible dust. The criteria for determining whether a chemical is classified
				as a physical hazard are in Appendix B of the Hazard Communication Standard,
				WAC 296-901-14024 and
				296-901-14006 (definitions of
				"combustible dust" and "pyro-phoric gas").
Protective laboratory practices and equipment.
Laboratory procedures, practices, and equipment accepted by laboratory health
				and safety experts as effective, that can be shown to be effective, in
				minimizing the potential for employee exposure to hazardous substances.
Reproductive toxin.
Chemicals that affect the
				reproductive capabilities including adverse effects on sexual function and
				fertility in adult males and females, as well as adverse effects on the
				development of the offspring. Chemicals classified as reproductive toxins in
				accordance with the Hazard Communication Standard, WAC
				296-901-140 shall be considered
				reproductive toxins for purposes of this section.
Safety data sheet (SDS).
Written, printed, or
				electronic information (on paper, microfiche, or on-screen) that informs
				manufacturers, distributors, employers or employees about a hazardous
				substance, its hazards, and protective measures as required by safety data
				sheet and label preparation, WAC
				296-901-14012 and
				296-901-14014.
Select carcinogen.
Any substance meeting one of
				the following criteria:
(a) Regulated
			 by WISHA as a carcinogen.
(b)
			 Listed in the "known to be carcinogens" category in the latest edition of the
Annual Report on Carcinogens
by the National Toxicity Program
			 (NTP).
(c) Listed in Group I
			 (carcinogenic to humans) in the latest editions of the International Agency for
			 Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs.
(d) Listed in either group 2A or 2B by IARC
or
in the category "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" by
			 the NTP, and causes statistically significant tumor incidence in experimental
			 animals in accordance with any of the following criteria:
(i) After an inhalation exposure of six to
			 seven hours a day; five days a week; for a significant portion of a lifetime to
			 dosages of less than 10 mg/m3;
or
(ii) After repeated
			 skin application of less than 300 mg/kg of body weight per week;
or
(iii) After oral
			 dosages of less than 50 mg/kg of body weight per day.