Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-307 - Safety standards for agriculture › SPECIALIZED OPERATIONS › Part Y-10 - Emergency Response › Section 296-307-70480 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The following definitions are specific to this section:
Annually.
Any twelve-month cycle.
Buddy system.
A system of organizing employees
					 (who enter or stand by danger areas) into work groups, so each employee can be
					 observed by at least one other member of the group. The purpose of this system
					 is to provide rapid assistance to employees in an emergency.
Clean-up operation(s).
An operation where
					 hazardous substances are removed, contained, incinerated, neutralized,
					 stabilized, cleared up or, in any other manner, processed or handled with the
					 goal of making the site safer for people or the environment.
Danger area.
Areas where conditions pose a
					 serious danger to employees, such as areas where:
(a) Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)
					 conditions could exist;
OR
(b) High levels of exposure to toxic substances could
					 exist;
OR
(c) There is a potential for exceeding the lower explosive
					 limit (LEL), also known as the lower flammability limit (LFL), of a
					 substance.
Decontamination.
Removing hazardous substances
					 from employees and their equipment so potential adverse health effects will not
					 occur.
Emergency response.
An organized response to
					 an anticipated release of a hazardous substance that is, or could become, an
					 uncontrolled release.
Emergency response plan.
A written plan that
					 requires coordination between emergency response participants, and contains
					 procedures, criteria, and other information that will be applied to emergency
					 response operations. Each employer's plan should be compatible with local and
					 state plans.
Engineering controls.
Methods of controlling
					 employee exposures by modifying the source or reducing the quantity of
					 contaminants.
Hazardous materials team (HAZMAT team).
A
					 group of employees who are expected to perform responses to releases, or
					 possible releases, of hazardous substances for the purpose of control and
					 stabilization. As a result of their duties, HAZMAT team members may have close
					 contact with hazardous substances.
Note:
A HAZMAT team may be a separate component of a fire
							 brigade or fire department.
Hazardous substance.
Any of the following
					 substances that could adversely affect an exposed employee's health or
					 safety:
(a) Substances defined under section 101(14) of the
					 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980
					 (CERCLA) or "Superfund" Act (visit:
https://www.epa.gov
)
(b) Biological or other disease-causing agents released
					 that could reasonably be expected to cause death, disease, behavioral
					 abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutation, physiological malfunctions (including
					 malfunctions in reproduction) or physical deformations in a person or their
					 offspring when the person:
(i) Is directly exposed to the agent in the
					 environment;
(ii) Directly ingests, inhales, or assimilates the agent
					 from the environment;
(iii) Indirectly ingests the agent through a food
					 chain;
(c) Substances listed by the United States Department of
					 Transportation as hazardous materials under Title 49 (Transportation) in the
					 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 172, section 101 and appendices
					 (visit:
http://www.nara. gov
and
					 search for "List of C.F.R. subjects");
(d) Hazardous wastes as defined in this section.
Hazardous waste.
A substance designated by
					 chapter 173-303 WAC, Dangerous waste regulations, department of ecology, as a
					 dangerous waste or an extremely hazardous waste and any waste fitting the
					 definition of "health hazard" in this section.
Note:
For department of ecology regulations,
					 visit:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov
.
Health hazard.
A chemical, a mixture of
					 chemicals, or a pathogen for which there is statistically significant evidence,
					 based on at least one study conducted according to established scientific
					 principles, that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed
					 employees.
The term "health hazard" includes stress due to temperature
					 extremes and chemicals that are:
(a) Carcinogens;
(b) Toxic or highly toxic agents;
(c) Reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives,
					 sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, or neurotoxins;
(d) Agents acting on the hematopoietic system agents that
					 damage lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. (Detailed definitions of these
					 chemical terms can be found in the Safety and health core rules, WAC
					 296-307-550,
					 chemical hazard communication.)
Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).
Any atmospheric condition that would:
(a) Cause an immediate threat to life;
OR
(b) Cause permanent or delayed adverse health
					 effects;
OR
(c) Interfere with an employee's ability to escape.
Incident command system (ICS).
An organized
					 approach to control and manage operations at an emergency response
					 incident.
Incidental release.
A release that can be
					 safely controlled at the time of the release and does not have the potential to
					 become an uncontrolled release.
Note:
Example of a situation that results in an incidental
							 release:
A tanker truck is receiving a load of hazardous liquid
							 when a leak occurs. The driver knows the only hazard from the liquid is minor
							 skin irritation. The employer has trained the driver on procedures and provided
							 equipment to use for a release of this quantity. The driver puts on skin
							 protection and stops the leak. A spill kit is used to contain, absorb, and pick
							 up the spilled material for disposal.
Limited action.
Action necessary to:
(a) Secure an operation during emergency responses;
OR
(b) Prevent an incident from increasing in severity.
Examples include shutting down processes and closing
					 emergency valves.
Lines of authority.
A preestablished ranking
					 of individuals, qualified to assume a commanding role during an emergency
					 response, noted in an emergency response plan and implemented during a
					 response. This is most important when responders from multiple employers could
					 participate in an emergency response.
Lower explosive limit (LEL).
See lower
					 flammable limit (LFL).
Lower flammable limit (LFL).
The lowest
					 concentration of a material that will propagate a flame. The LFL is usually
					 expressed as a percent (by volume) of the material in air (or other
					 oxidant).
Must.
Must means mandatory.
Permissible exposure limit (PEL).
Means the
					 established time-weighted-average (TWA) concentration or ceiling concentration
					 of a contaminant that must not be exceeded.
The exposure, inhalation, or dermal permissible limit
					 specified in chapter 296-307 WAC, Part Y-6, Respiratory hazards.
Personal protective equipment (PPE).
Protective items designed to be worn by the user to protect them against
					 airborne, skin contact and other hazards. This includes items such as
					 respiratory protection, protective suits, gloves, eye protection, etc.
Postemergency response.
The stage of the
					 emergency response where the immediate threat from the release has been
					 stabilized or eliminated, and cleanup of the site has started.
Published exposure level.
Exposure limits
					 published in "
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
					 (NIOSH) Recommendations for Occupational Safety and Health
" (DHHS
					 publication #92-100, 1992).
If an exposure limit is not published by NIOSH, then
					 "published exposure level" means the exposure limits published by the American
					 Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) in "
TLVs and
					 BEIs-Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical
					 Agents
" (1999 edition).
Note:
Additional exposure levels published by recognized
							 organizations such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association are not
							 required to be observed by this rule; however, they may be a useful resource
							 when a hazardous substance is not covered by NIOSH and ACGIH publications.
Release.
A spill, leak, or other type of
					 hazardous substance discharge.
Uncontrolled release.
A release where
					 significant safety and health risks could be created. Releases of hazardous
					 substances that are either incidental or could not create a safety or health
					 hazard (i.e., fire, explosion or chemical exposure) are not considered to be
					 uncontrolled releases.
(a) Examples of conditions that could create a significant
					 safety and health risk:
(i) Large-quantity releases;
(ii) Small releases that could be highly toxic;
(iii) Airborne exposures that could exceed a WISHA
					 permissible exposure limit or a published exposure limit and employees are not
					 adequately trained or equipped to control the release.
(b) Example of an uncontrolled release:
A forklift driver knocks over a container of a
					 solvent-based liquid, releasing the contents onto the warehouse floor. The
					 driver has been trained to recognize the vapor is flammable and moderately
					 toxic when inhaled. The driver has not been trained or provided appropriate
					 equipment to address this type of spill. In this situation, it is not safe for
					 the driver to attempt a response. The driver needs to notify someone of the
					 release so an emergency response can be initiated.
Workplace.
(a) A fixed facility;
OR
(b) A temporary location (such as a traffic
					 corridor);
OR
(c) Locations where employees respond to
					 emergencies.
Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						 49.17.010,
						49.17.040,
						49.17.050,
						49.17.060. 05-01-166, §
						296-307-70480, filed 12/21/04, effective
						4/2/05.