PDFWAC 296-62-07717
Protective work clothing and equipment.
(1) Provision and use. If an employee is exposed to asbestos above the permissible exposure limits, or where the possibility of eye irritation exists, or for which a required negative exposure assessment is not produced and for any employee performing Class I operations, the employer must provide at no cost to the employee and require that the employee uses appropriate protective work clothing and equipment such as, but not limited to:
(a) Coveralls or similar full-body work clothing;
(b) Gloves, head coverings, and foot coverings; and
(c) Face shields, vented goggles, or other appropriate protective equipment which complies with WAC 296-800-160.
(2) Removal and storage.
(a) The employer must ensure that employees remove work clothing contaminated with asbestos only in change rooms provided in accordance with WAC 296-62-07719(1).
(b) The employer must ensure that no employee takes contaminated work clothing out of the change room, except those employees authorized to do so for the purpose of laundering, maintenance, or disposal.
(c) Contaminated clothing. Contaminated clothing must be transported in sealed impermeable bags, or other closed, impermeable containers, and be labeled in accordance with WAC 296-62-07721.
(d) The employer must ensure that containers of contaminated protective devices or work clothing which are to be taken out of change rooms or the workplace for cleaning, maintenance, or disposal, bear labels in accordance with WAC 296-62-07721(5).
(3) Cleaning and replacement.
(a) The employer must clean, launder, repair, or replace protective clothing and equipment required by this paragraph to maintain their effectiveness. The employer must provide clean protective clothing and equipment at least weekly to each affected employee.
(b) The employer must prohibit the removal of asbestos from protective clothing and equipment by blowing or shaking.
(c) Laundering of contaminated clothing must be done so as to prevent the release of airborne fibers of asbestos in excess of the permissible exposure limits prescribed in WAC 296-62-07705.
(d) Any employer who gives contaminated clothing to another person for laundering must inform such person of the requirement in (c) of this subsection to effectively prevent the release of airborne fibers of asbestos in excess of the permissible exposure limits.
(e) The employer must inform any person who launders or cleans protective clothing or equipment contaminated with asbestos of the potentially harmful effects of exposure to asbestos.
(f) The employer must ensure that contaminated clothing is transported in sealed impermeable bags, or other closed, impermeable containers, and labeled in accordance with WAC 296-62-07721.
(4) Inspection of protective clothing for construction and shipyard work.
(a) The competent person must examine worksuits worn by employees at least once per workshift for rips or tears that may occur during performance of work.
(b) When rips or tears are detected while an employee is working, rips and tears must be immediately mended, or the worksuit must be immediately replaced.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 19-01-094, § 296-62-07717, filed 12/18/18, effective 1/18/19. 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, § 296-62-07717, filed 3/18/14, effective 5/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. WSR 01-11-038, § 296-62-07717, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 97-19-014, § 296-62-07717, filed 9/5/97, effective 11/5/97; WSR 97-01-079, § 296-62-07717, filed 12/17/96, effective 3/1/97. Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. WSR 94-15-096 (Order 94-07), § 296-62-07717, filed 7/20/94, effective 9/20/94; WSR 89-11-035 (Order 89-03), § 296-62-07717, filed 5/15/89, effective 6/30/89; WSR 87-24-051 (Order 87-24), § 296-62-07717, filed 11/30/87. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.050(2) and 49.17.040. WSR 87-10-008 (Order 87-06), § 296-62-07717, filed 4/27/87.]