Section 296-843-13010. Evaluate employee exposure to hazardous substances during clean-up operations.

IMPORTANT:

The clean-up operation begins when soil, surface water, or containers are moved or disturbed.

You must:

• Identify the type of personnel monitoring and environmental sampling you plan to use, including instrumentation.

• Include requirements for maintaining and calibrating the monitoring and sampling instruments used.

• Monitor whenever employees may be exposed to concentrations exceeding PELs or other published exposure levels.

• Evaluate employees who are likely to have the highest exposure:

– Monitor all employees who are likely to have the highest exposure to hazardous substances or health hazards above the PEL or published exposure limit.

– Use personal sampling frequently enough to characterize the exposures of these employees.

■ When results indicate exposure is over the PEL or other published exposure level, identify all employees likely to be above the PEL or published exposure limit.

Note:	You may use a representative sampling approach by documenting that the employees and chemicals chosen for monitoring are representative of both:
	• Employee exposure to hazardous substances;
	AND
	• Employees not sampled.

You must:

• Conduct monitoring when the possibility of one of the following exists:

– An atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH);

OR

– A flammable atmosphere;

OR

– Employee exposures exceeding PELs or other published exposure levels.

Examples of situations where these possibilities may exist:

■ Work begins on a different portion of the site.

■ Contaminants other than those previously monitored are being handled.

■ A different type of site operation starts, such as moving from drum opening to exploratory well drilling.

■ Handling leaking drums or containers.

■ Working in areas with obvious liquid contamination such as a spill or lagoon.

■ Time has passed and employee exposure levels may have significantly increased.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 04-02-053, § 296-843-13010, filed 1/5/04, effective 5/1/04.]

RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 04-02-053, § 296-843-13010, filed 1/5/04, effective 5/1/04.