Laboratory standard - Washington

Most of Washington’s requirements for laboratories are equivalent to the federal requirements; however, the state adds further requirements.

Citations

Washington: WAC 296-828 Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories

• WAC 296-828-099 Definitions
• WAC 296-828-100 Scope
• WAC 296-828-200 Using hazardous chemicals in laboratories
• WAC 296-828-20005 Chemical hygiene plan
• WAC 296-828-20010 Exposure evaluation
• WAC 296-828-20015 Training
• WAC 296-828-20020 Labeling and safety data sheets (SDSs)
• WAC 296-828-20025 Chemicals produced in laboratories
• WAC 296-828-20030 Medical evaluations

Federal: 29 CFR 1910.1450 and Appendices A and B

A summary of the additional requirements includes:

• Unlike OSHA, Washington state adds 4,4' Methylene bis (2 - chloroaniline), CAS number 101-14-4, to its list of regulated hazardous chemicals in Table 2 at WAC 296-828-100. Special requirements at WAC 296-828-100 apply to Table 2 chemicals.
• According to WAC 296-828-20010, for exposures not listed in Table 2, the employer must determine if there is a respiratory hazard and notify affected employees of exposure monitoring results, in writing (typed, hand-written, posted, or e-mailed) within five business days of receiving monitoring results. This is a shorter time period than OSHA requires.
• Employers must pay for travel costs and wages related to time spent obtaining medical evaluations.
• If a licensed healthcare professional’s (LHCP) written opinion contains medical information not related to work exposures, the employer must send it back to the LHCP and get a revised opinion without the non-work-related medical information.
• Washington state, unlike OSHA, adds the following terms to its definitions section at WAC 296-828-099: Container, Day, Designated representative, Exposure, Licensed healthcare professional (LHCP), Permissible exposure limit (PEL), Safety data sheet (SDS), and Time-weighted average (TWA₈).
• Washington state, unlike OSHA, does not provide the following terms in its definitions at WAC 296-828-099: Assistant secretary, Combustible liquid, Compressed gas, Designated area, Employee, Explosive, Flammable, Flashpoint, Medical consultation, Organic peroxide, Oxidizer, Unstable (reactive), and Water-reactive.