(1) Buildings containing telecommunications facilities. See Table 1.
(a) Illumination. Lighting in telecommunication facilities must be provided in an amount such that continuing work operations, routine observations, and the passage of employees can be carried out in a safe and healthful manner.
(b) For specific tasks in facilities, such as splicing cable and the maintenance and repair of equipment frame lineups, the employer must install permanent lighting or portable supplemental lighting to attain a higher level of illumination.
(c) Minimum standards of illumination for industrial interiors must comply with WAC
296-800-210.
(d) Illumination of field work. Whenever natural light is insufficient to illuminate the worksite, artificial illumination must be provided to enable the employee to perform the work safely.
Table 1
Lighting Table |
Activity | Minimum acceptable average lighting level in an area: | Any one single measurement used to determine the average lighting level* cannot be less than: |
| (Foot-candles) | (Foot-candles) |
Indoor task | 10 | 5 |
Outdoor task | 5 | 2.5 |
Nontask activities for both indoor and outdoor | 3 | 1.5 |
* | Lighting levels must be measured at thirty inches above the floor/working surface at the task. |
(2) Working spaces.
(a) Space must be provided for access to all medium high and high voltage equipment. The width of the working space in front of the equipment must be the width of the equipment or thirty inches, whichever is greater.
(b) Every structure, new or old, designed for human occupancy must be provided with exits to permit the prompt escape of occupants in case of fire or other emergency. The means of egress must be a continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way and consist of three separate and distinct parts; the way of exit access, the exit and the way of exit discharge. A means of egress comprises the vertical and horizontal ways of travel and must include intervening room spaces, doorways, hallways, corridors, passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs, enclosures, lobbies, escalators, horizontal exits, courts and yards.
(c) "Maintenance aisles," or "wiring aisles," between equipment frame lineups are working spaces and are not a means of egress for purposes of WAC
296-800-310.
(3) Special doors.
(a) When blastproof or power actuated doors are installed in specially designed hard site security buildings and spaces, they must be designed and installed so that they can be used as a means of egress in emergencies.
(b) When high voltage apparatus is isolated in a supplementary enclosure, interlocks must be provided on all access doors.
(c) Warning signs must be provided, which are visible both when the guard or cover is in place or removed.
(4) Power plant machinery in telecommunications facilities.
(a) When power plant machinery is operated with commutators and couplings uncovered, the adjacent housing must be clearly marked to alert personnel to the rotating machinery.
(b) "Employee working" signs, or similar wording must be placed on switches associated with motors or generators under repair.
(c) Before opening any power circuit, the load must be reduced.
(d) All power switches on power panels and disconnects must be in an open position and generator starting mechanisms disabled before maintenance or repair.
(e) When working on the brushes of a machine in operation, employees must use care not to break a circuit. When it is necessary to remove a brush from the holder, the machine must be shut down.
(f) Only fuse pullers specifically designed for that purpose must be used when replacing cartridge type fuses.
(5) Battery handling.
(a) Eye protection devices which provide side as well as frontal eye protection for employees must be provided when measuring storage battery specific gravity or handling electrolyte and the employer must ensure that such devices are used by the employees.
(b) The employer must ensure that appropriate acid resistant gloves, face shields, and aprons are worn for protection against spattering.
(c) Facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body meeting the requirements of WAC
296-800-15030 must be provided while servicing or handling batteries, unless the storage batteries are of the enclosed type and equipped with explosion proof vents, in which case sealed water rinse or neutralizing packs may be substituted for the quick drenching or flushing facilities. Maintenance free batteries do not require an emergency eye wash if no electrolyte or water is added to the battery.
(d) Employees assigned to work with storage batteries must be instructed in emergency procedures such as dealing with accidental acid spills.
(e) Electrolyte (acid or base, and distilled water) for battery cells must be mixed in a well-ventilated room. Acid or base must be poured gradually, while stirring, into the water. Water must never be poured into concentrated (greater than 75 percent) acid solutions. Electrolyte must never be placed in metal containers nor stirred with metal objects.
(f) When taking specific gravity readings, the open end of the hydrometer must be covered with an acid resistant material while moving it from cell to cell to avoid splashing or throwing the electrolyte.
(g) Ventilation must be provided to ensure diffusion of the gases from the battery to prevent the accumulation of an explosive type mixture.
(h) Racks and trays must be substantial and treated to be resistant to the electrolyte.
(i) Floors must be of acid resistant construction or be protected from acid accumulation.
(6) Transportation and storage of compressed gas cylinders.
(a) Highway mobile vehicles and trailers stored in garages in accordance with WAC
296-24-47513 (4)(b), equipped to carry more than one LP-gas container, but the total capacity of LP-gas containers per work vehicle stored in garages must not exceed 100 pounds of LP-gas.
(b) All container valves, or other means that positively seals the container, must be closed when not in use.
(c) Special compartments, racks, or blocking must be provided and used to prevent cylinder movement when using or transporting nitrogen cylinders.
(d) Regulators must be removed or guarded before a cylinder is transported.
Notes: | 1. Welding and cutting requirements are located in chapter 296-155 WAC, Part H. |
| 2. Compressed gas and compressed gas equipment requirements are located in chapter 296-24 WAC, Parts I and K. |
(7) Potable water.
(a) An adequate supply of potable water must be provided in all places of employment.
(b) Portable containers used to dispense drinking water must be capable of being tightly closed and equipped with a tap. Water must not be dipped from containers.
(c) Any container used to distribute drinking water must be clearly marked as to the nature of its contents and not used for any other purpose.
(d) A common drinking cup is prohibited.
(e) Where single service cups (to be used but once) are supplied, both a sanitary container for the unused cups and a receptacle for disposing of the used cups must be provided.
(f) All water containers used to furnish drinking water must be thoroughly cleaned at least once each week or more often as conditions require.
(g) The requirements of this subsection do not apply to mobile crews or to normally unattended work locations as long as employees working at these locations have transportation immediately available, within the normal course of their duties, to nearby facilities otherwise meeting the requirements of this section.
