Medical and first aid - Washington

Most of Washington’s requirements for medical and first aid are identical to federal OSHA's requirements or the state incorporates by reference the federal regulations for medical and first aid; however, the state adds further requirements. A summary of the additional requirements includes the following:

• First-aid supplies must be:
  • Readily available to all employees;
  • Inspected annually and frequently enough to ensure expended items are replaced
  • Appropriate to the occupational setting and the response time of emergency medical services (first-aid kits from safety suppliers or local stores should be adequate for non-industrial workplaces);
  • Stored in containers adequate to protect the contents from damage, deterioration, or contamination (the containers must be clearly marked and not locked); and
  • Able to be moved to the location of the injured or acutely ill worker.
• WAC 296-32-22515 First aid requires employers to have first aid trained personnel with valid first aid certificates available to provide prompt first aid. For field work involving two or more employees at a work location, at least two trained persons holding a valid first-aid and CPR certificate must be available. Employees working alone must have basic first-aid training and hold a valid first-aid certificate, which can be electronic format.
• In addition to the requirements above, when electrical workers are performing work on or associated with exposed lines or equipment energized at 50 volts or more, persons trained in first aid including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be available. For field work involving two or more employees at a work location, at least two trained persons must be available. For fixed work locations, the number of trained persons available must be sufficient to ensure that each employee exposed to electric shock can be reached within 4 minutes by a trained person.
• As of January 1, 2025, WAC 296-32-22515 First aid and 296-45-125 Medical services and first aid require employers who build, maintain, and operate high voltage systems 601 volts and over, as well as those who perform line clearance tree trimming activities, to have and maintain an automated external defibrillator (AED) on site where two or more employees are working in close proximity to high voltage lines and equipment.
• Make sure emergency washing facilities meet the more stringent requirements under WAC 296-800-15030, 296-800-15035, and 296-800-15040.
• The terms “emergency washing facilities,” “hand-held drench hoses,” “personal eyewash units,” “irritant,” and “toxic chemical” are defined in WAC 296-800-099.

To ensure that you are in compliance with these requirements, click on the following links to view the state and federal regulations regarding medical and first aid:

Washington:

WAC 296-45-125 Medical services and first aid

WAC 296-800-150 First-Aid summary

• WAC 296-800-150 Rule summary
• WAC 296-800-15005 Make sure that first-aid trained personnel are available to provide quick and effective first aid
• WAC 296-800-15020 Make sure appropriate first-aid supplies are readily available
• WAC 296-800-15030 Make sure emergency washing facilities are functional and readily accessible
• WAC 296-800-15035 Inspect and activate your emergency washing facilities
• WAC 296-800-15040 Make sure supplemental flushing equipment provides sufficient water

Federal: 29 CFR 1910.151 and Appendix A

For information on Good Samaritan laws, please see the following Revised Code of Washington:

§70.54.310: Semiautomatic external defibrillator—Duty of acquirer—Immunity from civil liability. Requires reasonable instruction, maintenance and testing, medical direction, local emergency medical services organization notification. Provides immunity for those who provide services, barring gross negligence.

§4.24.300: Persons rendering emergency care or transportation—Immunity from liability—Exclusion. Provides immunity for those who render emergency care.

§70.136.070: Verbal emergency assistance agreements—Good Samaritan law—Notification—Form. Provides for verbal hazardous materials emergency assistance agreements.