Section 296-848-100. Scope.

This chapter applies to all occupational exposure to inorganic arsenic.

Definitions:

Inorganic arsenic means 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 is 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.

Helpful tool:

Arsenic contamination in soil; information and guidance for employers.

Use this tool if you have employees who work with soil. It will help you find out if this rule is applicable to your employee's exposure to soil.

Exemptions:	• This chapter does not apply to any of the following:
	– Exposures during agricultural operations.
	– Pesticide applications, including the treatment of wood with preservatives.
	– Use of wood treated with inorganic arsenic.
	– Arsine, a gas identified by Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) Registry No. 7784-42-1.
	– 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 (µg/m3).

■ Eight-hour action level (AL) . . . . . . . . 5 µg/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

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 06-02-060, § 296-848-100, filed 1/3/06, effective 4/1/06; WSR 05-01-173, § 296-848-100, filed 12/21/04, effective 5/1/05.]

RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 06-02-060, § 296-848-100, filed 1/3/06, effective 4/1/06; WSR 05-01-173, § 296-848-100, filed 12/21/04, effective 5/1/05.

Rules

296-848-20010,296-848-20090,296-848-20060,