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WACs > Title 296 > Chapter 296-856 > Section 296-856-20030











296-856-20020    

296-856-20040







Agency filings affecting this section







WAC 296-856-20030









Personal protective equipment (PPE).









You must: • Provide PPE at no cost to employees and make sure employees wear the equipment. • Make sure that employees do not take contaminated clothing or other PPE from the workplace. Select PPE that is appropriate for your workplace based on at least the following: - The form of formaldehyde, such as gas, solution, or material. - The conditions of use. - The hazard to be prevented. • Provide full body protection for entry into areas where formaldehyde exposure could exceed 100 parts per million (ppm) or when airborne concentrations are unknown. • Protect employees from all contact with liquids containing one percent or more of formaldehyde by providing chemical protective clothing that is impervious to formaldehyde and other personal protective equipment, such as goggles and face shields, as appropriate for the operation. • Make sure when face shields are worn, employees also wear chemical safety goggles if there could be eye contact with formaldehyde. • Make sure contaminated clothing and other PPE is cleaned or laundered before it is used again. • Repair or replace clothing and other PPE as needed to maintain effectiveness. • Make sure storage areas for ventilating contaminated clothing and PPE are established to minimize employee exposure to formaldehyde. - Make sure storage areas and containers for contaminated clothing and PPE have labels or signs with the following warning:

DANGER

FORMALDEHYDE-CONTAMINATED (CLOTHING) EQUIPMENT

MAY CAUSE CANCER

CAUSES SKIN, EYE, AND RESPIRATORY IRRITATION

DO NOT BREATHE VAPOR

DO NOT GET ON SKIN
- Labels. The employer shall ensure containers for contaminated clothing and equipment are labeled consistent with the Hazard Communication Standard, WAC 296-901-140, and shall, as a minimum, include the following:

DANGER

FORMALDEHYDE-CONTAMINATED (CLOTHING) EQUIPMENT

MAY CAUSE CANCER

CAUSES SKIN, EYE AND RESPIRATORY IRRITATION

DO NOT BREATHE VAPOR

DO NOT GET ON SKIN
- Prior to June 1, 2016, employers may use the following legend in lieu of that specified above in this section:

DANGER

FORMALDEHYDE-CONTAMINATED (CLOTHING) OR EQUIPMENT

AVOID INHALATION AND SKIN CONTACT
- Prior to June 1, 2015, employers may use the following information on containers of protective clothing and equipment in lieu of the labeling requirements specified above in this section:

DANGER

FORMALDEHYDE-CONTAMINATED (CLOTHING) OR EQUIPMENT

AVOID INHALATION AND SKIN CONTACT
You must: • Make sure that only employees trained to recognize the hazards of formaldehyde remove personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing from storage areas for the purposes of disposal, cleaning, or laundering. • Inform any person who launders, cleans, or repairs contaminated clothing or other PPE, of the hazards of formaldehyde and procedures to safely handle the clothing and equipment. • Provide change rooms for employees who are required to change from work clothes into protective clothing to protect them from skin contact with formaldehyde. - Make sure change rooms have separate storage facilities for street clothes and protective clothing. [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, § 296-856-20030, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. WSR 06-08-087, § 296-856-20030, filed 4/4/06, effective 9/1/06.]