Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-848 - Arsenic › Section 296-848-100 - Scope

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to
				inorganic arsenic.
Definitions:
Inorganic arsenic.
Elemental arsenic
				(As), copper aceto-arsenite, and inorganic compounds containing
				arsenic (measured as As), except arsine. Inorganic compounds do not
				contain the element carbon.
Exposure.
The contact an employee has
				with inorganic arsenic, 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.
Exemptions:
This chapter does not apply to any of the
						  following:
1. Exposures during agricultural
						  operations.
2. Pesticide applications, including the
						  treatment of wood with preservatives.
3. Use of wood treated with inorganic
						  arsenic.
4. Arsine, a gas identified by Chemical
						  Abstract Service (CAS) Registry No. 7784-42-1.
5. Inorganic arsenic present in a form and
						  handled in such a way that airborne exposures could not occur. For
						  example, inorganic arsenic present in glass is fused in the material.
						  Due to the fused form, airborne exposure can not occur when the glass
						  is scored and subsequently broken.
All requirements in this chapter will not apply to
				every workplace with an occupational exposure. The following steps
				will show you which requirements apply to your workplace.
Step 1:
Follow requirements in the basic
				rules sections, WAC
				296-848-20010
				through
				296-848-20090.
* This includes completing an exposure evaluation, as
				specified in Exposure evaluations, WAC
				296-848-20060,
				to:
- Obtain employee eight-hour exposure monitoring
				results of airborne inorganic arsenic; and
- Determine if employee exposure monitoring results
				are above, at, or below these values:
* Eight-hour time-weighted average
				(TWA8) ....... 10 micrograms per cubic meter
				([MICRO]g/m3).
* Eight-hour action level (AL) ........ 5
				[MICRO]g/m3.
Step 2:
Use employee exposure monitoring
				results from
Step 1 and follow Table 1 to find out which
				additional sections of this chapter apply to your workplace.
Table 1 Sections That Apply To Your
				Workplace
If:
Then continue to follow the
						Basic Rules, and these additional requirements:
* Employee exposure monitoring results are
						  above the TWA8
* Training, exposure monitoring, and medical
						  monitoring, WAC
						  296-848-30005
						  through
						  296-848-30080;
AND
* Exposure control areas, WAC
						  296-848-40005
						  through
						  296-848-40045.
* Employee exposure monitoring results
						  are:
- At or below the
						  TWA8;
AND
- At or above AL
* Training, exposure monitoring,
						and medical monitoring, WAC
						296-848-30005
						through
						296-848-30080.
* Employee exposure monitoring results are
						  below the AL;
AND
* Eye or skin irritation from exposure to
						  inorganic arsenic cannot occur
* No additional requirements apply
						if exposures remain stable.
* Employees could experience eye or
						skin irritation from exposure to inorganic arsenic
* Training in WAC
						  296-848-30005.
* Washing, showering, and changing in WAC
						  296-848-40030.
* Personal protective equipment (PPE) in WAC
						  296-848-40040.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW  49.17.010,
				  49.17.040,
				  49.17.050, and
				  49.17.060. 06-02-060,
				  § 296-848-100, filed 1/3/06, effective 4/1/06; 05-01-173, §
				  296-848-100, filed 12/21/04, effective
				  5/1/05.